Transforming Academic Library Services for At-risk Students in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Literature Review

This paper examines academic library services to at-risk students in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). It aims to explore theoretical approaches that can direct more targeted support and service models as an intervention for students who are at risk of failure. The paper specifically analyses Nan Lin’s concept of social capital theory with its particular emphasis on social network analysis. The study which directed this paper, employed a conceptual analysis as a methodology by which the literature review was used as a basis for analysing the research questions of the paper. Outcomes from the analysis indicate that Lin’s concept of social capital theory has the potential to provide a method for measuring social capital that can be assessed against information seeking outcomes. Recommendations suggest the importance of the theory as a methodological tool for investigating relationships between individuals and their social contexts, which could also be adopted by academic libraries in higher education to enhance students’ learning outcomes and educational experience in the 4IR.

Marginalisation and Precarious Circumstances of People with Albinism (PWA): Information Needs and Services

The study that directed this article investigated the information needs of parents of children with albinism (CWA) in the Khomas region, and determined information services that are appropriate for people with albinism (PWA) in the Khomas region of Namibia, in order to inform the possible design of their information services. Considering PWA as a marginalised user group living under precarious circumstances in Africa, and in the interest of an inclusive information service, a study on information needs was conducted on PWA in the Khomas Region, Namibia. It was conducted within the interpretivism paradigm, following a qualitative research approach, and interviews were conducted with six parents of CWA. In addition, two representatives from organisations that deal with the plight of PWA in Namibia were interviewed as organisational participants (OP). The following information needs were identified in the study: eye-and-skin-related information needs; information on what albinism is; the causes of albinism; information on how to register for the disability grant; and education-related information. The study also revealed that the information needs of parents of CWA differ at each level of the child’s growth. For example, parents stressed needing additional information because as children grow up new needs emerge. OP indicated that they use the following platforms to disseminate information to PWA: radio stations in local languages, community meetings, their websites, and the distribution of flyers in English.

Archives Serving Science: Historic Maritime Records as Sources for Indian Ocean Climate Change Research: Potential and Problems

Climate scientists have identified the establishment of historical baseline data from which to determine degrees of climate change as a significant challenge. In this article the use of ships’ logbooks and other sources for maritime history, to provide evidence of weather and climatic conditions pre-dating the era of modern meteorological data measurements, is discussed. The CLIWOC and TANAP projects utilising international archival resources to provide climatological and related information are examined. The discussion is then focused on the Indian Ocean rim countries and the archival and historical resources that may yield similar information. The article concentrates on sources in the Republic of South Africa, and sources in the Sultanate of Oman and Western Australia are discussed for comparative purposes. Utilising archival sources to provide historical climate-change related data aligns archivists and information scientists with the major imperatives of the South African Government. A beginning can also be made with developing south-south scientific and archival co-operation that can unlock new sources of historical and climatological knowledge.

Use of Electronic Resources by Postgraduate Students of Information Studies at the University of Zululand, South Africa

The purpose of the study was to investigate the level of use of electronic resources (e-resources) by postgraduate students at the University of Zululand in South Africa. The theoretical basis of the study was informed by the Technology Acceptance Model proposed by Davis in 1989. The study adopted a post-positivist research paradigm to enable numerous perspectives by using both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. A total of 66 questionnaires were sent to postgraduate students and 46 (70%) were returned. In addition, interviews were conducted with eight information librarians and two e-resource librarians from the University of Zululand. The study revealed that the use of the library by postgraduate students at the University of Zululand was exceptionally high. In the same vein, the level of awareness about the availability of e-resources was high. Librarians and postgraduate students were able to identify the different types of e-resource available at the University of Zululand library. Electronic databases and electronic journals (e-journals) were highly used, but electronic books (e-books), electronic catalogues (e-catalogues), and CD-ROMs were rarely used. The marketing methods of e-resources include departmental and faculty conferences. The study unveiled a limited budget and inadequate functional computers as challenges that hinder the effective use of e-resources by postgraduate students. The study recommends that the management of the University of Zululand increase the budget for e-resources. The institution should also consider seeking funds to purchase additional computers and expanding the computer laboratory to accommodate a larger number of postgraduate students.

Academic Reading Format Preferences and Behaviours: An Exploratory Study amongst Undergraduate African University Students

To be academically successful a university student is required to read extensively on topics related to his or her field of study. The current proliferation and availability of electronic academic reading materials on various online platforms require academic staff to gain an understanding of their impact on the format preference and reading behaviour of students. Knowledge of emerging trends can guide academic staff to provide reading materials in the format best suited to the reading preferences of students. To establish the current format and reading behaviour trends a multiple case study design was employed targeting undergraduate students from the University of Zululand, South Africa and Delta State University, Nigeria. A questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 237 students. A combined return rate of 69.9% was achieved. The findings revealed a strong preference for reading textbooks in printed format. The preference for reading documents in electronic or print format was influenced by factors such as the length of the document, the purpose of reading the document, and whether the document is written in the student’s native language or not. External factors such as access to electronic gadgets and data, and the cost thereof, as well as peer pressure also influenced preference for a specific format. The study recommends that regular surveys should be conducted in academic institutions to keep track of current and changing trends in the format preferences and resultant reading behaviour of the students to enable academics to adapt their prescribed reading materials to a format best suited to the students’ preferences.

Digital Literacy Skills as Prerequisite for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Institutions

The advent of digital technologies has brought about new opportunities and challenges to the education system globally. The use of digital technologies by educators in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is a portal for innovative teaching and learning. While there is a gradual increase in the use of these innovative technologies by HEIs in South Africa, there is still a long way to transform the educational system fully. Effective use of digital technologies in teaching and learning needs a certain level of digital literacy. Digital literacy enhances teaching and learning by helping educators integrate and use digital technologies, while equipping students with skills to access the internet effectively. The impact of digital technology has beaconed the need of educators to acquire 21st-century skills. Digital literacy skills are critical in realising the potential and benefits of digital technologies. This paper investigates the importance of digital technologies in education and the impact of digital literacy skills on the effective use of these technologies in HEIs in South Africa. Data collection was primarily based on a critical review of literature relating to the application of mobile technologies in HEIs in South Africa. The results revealed various barriers inhibiting educators from adopting mobile technologies in teaching and learning, including lack of digital literacy skills, time constraints, unwillingness to change, lack of educator confidence, poor technological infrastructure, and lack of digital or mobile devices. The study provides recommendations to enable and inspire educators in HEIs to use mobile digital technologies effectively.

Hepatitis B and C Patients’ Information Seeking at a Selected Tertiary Health Institution in South Africa

Much has been reported about information-seeking behaviour in health contexts, specifically related to chronic diseases, however, little is known about the methods and purpose of information seeking regarding hepatitis B and C patients, given the epidemic nature of the disease. This article aims to examine information-seeking behaviour of hepatitis B and C patients using a comprehensive model of information seeking at a tertiary health institution in South Africa. A qualitative research design was used for this article. Nine patients were recruited for an interview at the Ngwelezane district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal using a convenient sampling technique at a 95 per cent confidence interval rate to collect qualitative data. The qualitative data were descriptively analysed using the “ggplot2” package of R-software and a bivariate correlational chart, generated using grid and lattice packages incorporated in the R-development platform. The majority of the participants preferred seeking information directly from health professionals about their health challenges, whereas others preferred watching television programmes on health, and reading up on hepatitis-related information regarding getting better treatment, staying safe, getting informed and increasing their chances of survival. The comprehensive model of information seeking was applied to hepatitis B and C participants’ information seeking by investigating the frequency of their information seeking, their methods of information seeking, and their purpose of information seeking. This study provides insight into the preferred methods of information seeking by the participants to enable them to make informed decisions and to achieve better outcomes.

Factors That Influence Choice and Usage of Reference Management Software by Postgraduate Students at the University Of Limpopo, South Africa

Inaccuracy in manual referencing of information sources in scientific papers resulted in the development of reference management software (RMS) for academics, researchers, scholars, and students. It is crucial to constantly assess the use of this software for decision making regarding sustained software purchasing and subscriptions. This study sought to identify factors that influence the choice and usage of RMS among postgraduate students in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Limpopo. Stratified random sampling was employed to arrive at 244 participants. A questionnaire was used as data collection instrument. The study found that the majority of respondents have used RMS before. The respondents used RefWorks and Mendeley, because they were familiar with these packages and because they had received training on how to use them. As such, product knowledge, experience, and skills in using RMS are associated with their popularity and usage. It was also found that postgraduate students use RMS for basic purposes, such as saving and organising citations for easy retrieval and for creating bibliographic lists in a preferred referencing style, as well as for exporting citations from subject databases. Based on the findings, the study recommends intensified and more advanced training on RMS to ensure optimal utilisation of RMS by postgraduate students in general.

Availability and Accessibility of Educational Information to High School Learners in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Despite recent achievements by the South African government in enhancing the provision of access to education, the quality of educational information access with regards to the provision of learning resources to high school learners by the government in one of the country’s most impoverished provinces, was the focus of this study. The study was an attempt to establish the reality of the availability and accessibility of educational information available to students, especially those in Grade 12 preparing for their Matric examination. Ribot and Peluso’s theory of access was utilised for this study, while a survey design was adopted to answer the following research questions on data collected from Grade 12 learners, teachers and librarians: What are the types of educational information available to high school learners in the Fort Beaufort Education District in the Eastern Cape Province? To what extent is the available educational information accessible by high school learners in the Fort Beaufort Education District in the Eastern Cape Province? The results revealed accessibility constraints regarding some categories of educational information resources, including information resources on soft skills as well as information and communication technologies education (mean item scores 3.45 and 3.07 respectively). The engagement of teacher librarians to facilitate robust collection development and support access to educational information is imperative and recommended.

Expanding Roles and Services of Academic Libraries in Achieving Sustainable Development in South Africa

Education, which is addressed by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 of the United Nations (UN), is a driving force of nations world-wide. Quality education remains a powerful tool that can be used internationally to entrench socio-economic development. SDGs are particularly significant in enabling poor and developing African countries to work towards achieving these goals by the 2030 target date. In South Africa, the goals of the National Development Plan (NDP) should also be achieved by the same date as SDGs. To achieve the SDGs and chapters of the NDP, equitable access to information is critical. Universities have a fundamental role to play in producing knowledgeable and professional PhD graduates of a high standard, who will work productively to boost weak and slow-performing economies in their respective countries. Academic libraries are mandated to support students in completing their studies. They also need to support researchers in producing impact-based research that is crucial in solving the persistent socio-economic challenges that citizens face daily. Based on the literature review, this study was aimed at highlighting the expanding roles and services that academic libraries can embark on in South Africa in achieving SDG 4 and Chapter 9 of the NDP. The key recommendation is that universities need to provide academic libraries with an increased budget to enable them to expand their roles and services to ensure that SDG 4 and Chapter 9 of the NDP are achieved.