Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Library and Information Studies)

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https://hdl.handle.net/10566/12413

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Browsing by Author "King, Lizette"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Establishing a library portal for integrated e-resources at Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria
    (University of the Western Cape, 2018) Dauda, Joshua; King, Lizette
    The study examined the availability of e-resources in the Ibrahim Babangida Library at Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola (MAUTECH) focusing to integrate e-resources in a dedicated portal for easy access. The study was motivated by the Nigerian vision 20:2020 and the trend in 21st century academic libraries to offer electronic resources and services to meet users? demands and use of technology. Mixed methods were sequential, concurrent, conversion and integrated approaches used. A descriptive case study approach was employed. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Diffusion of Innovation (DoI) theories framed the study. Based on these, a conceptual framework was constructed. To achieve triangulation, questionnaires, interviews and scanning of library portals were used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Academics, students, academic librarians, and information and communication technology experts acted as participants. Findings reflected low use of the Ibrahim Babangida Library, dissatisfaction with the quality and quantity of the library collection, insufficient and unreliable Internet access on campus, limited information literacy education, familiarity and utilization of e-resources due to flexibility and easy access to academic information, need for digitisation of library resources and the need for a dedicated library portal. The study recommends, amongst others, information literacy education for students and academics, subscription to full-text databases, provision of sufficient and free Internet access, e-resource and e-services policies, and establishing a consortium with other Nigerian academic libraries. The outcome of the study was a designed, established and functioning library portal based on the input of all the stakeholders of the MAUTECH community.
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    Information literacy of incoming undergraduate Arts students at the University of the Western Cape: assessment of competencies and proficiencies
    (University of the Western Cape, 2007) King, Lizette; Fredericks, G.H.; Dept. of Library and information Science; Faculty of Arts
    The majority of incoming undergraduate Arts students at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) come from South African historically disadvantaged black schools. Because of enormous varying secondary school experiences and competencies as well as a lack of exposure to school and public libraries, students are deprived of the basic information skills. Without these crucial skills, students will find it difficult to cope successfully with their academic courses and measure up to the demands of employers. The study aimed to answer the following research questions: what are incoming Arts students' previous experiences with libraries and information technology? What are incoming undersgraduate Arts students information skills, competencies and proficiency? Is the Library Science 121 (Arts information Literacy) course sufficient for teaching information literacy and to address deficiencies? A pen and paper questionnaire based on the Information Literacy Standard by the American Library Association to assess the information literacy level of incoming Arts students was designed by the Department of Library and Information Science, the University Library and the Digital Academic Learning Division. This was utilized to assess the exposure to information literacy training at school level, computer and public library skills as well as their level of information literacy of incoming undergraduate Arts students. As a post-test, the questionnaire was completed by students after completing the information literacy course, Library Science 121. To determine the impact of formal training compared to initiatives within disciplines, the results of the post- and control tests were compared. Data was gathered over a period of three years. Of the 483 incoming Arts students 22.2% owned their own computers. Of the rest 39.5% had other means to get assess to computers. In total 16.5% of students used the World Wide Web to find information. Only 23.2% attended secondary schools with school libraries and 10.4% of these students received information literacy education. Of all the students, 20.7% were members of a public library of which 41.0% visited the library every few months mainly for photocopying. Of the thirty three questions asked to test information literacy, in only 7 the percentage of students in the pre- and control groups who have chosen the correct answer was higher than the incorrect options – indicating an unacceptable low level of information literacy. Students performed significantly better in the post-test. It is an indication that formal information literacy education is essential for incoming Arts students at the UWC. Results were used to identity deficiencies in information literacy levels, to produce benchmarks for assessing information literacy at the university and to produce a theoretical framework for structured cumulative information literacy initiatives within new envisaged foundation programs. Curricular changes to keep pace with current trends and needs were made. Data gathered will be used to communicate to the Arts Faculty the need for formal information literacy training for all incoming Arts students at the UWC and to incorporate information literacy in student learning outcomes as well as in the assessment policy.
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    A model to foster the use of records for evidence-based decision-making by senior managers in western cape governmental bodies, South Africa.
    (University of the Western Cape, 2021) Momoti, Nikiwe Gloria; King, Lizette
    South Africa has placed emphasis on evidence-based decision-making for justifying service delivery improvement decisions. Evidence-based decision-making entails decisions made by referring to verifiable facts and figures available from a variety of sources of evidence such as organizational records. Records are created or received during the conduct of business and contain evidence of organizational activities. Their use as sources of evidence is continuous. Most records management scholars hypothesize that the use of records as sources of evidence for decision-making contributes to improved service delivery. In the same breath, some scholars lament their minimal use as sources of evidence for decision-making in the South African public sector due to poor records management. This descriptive, positivist quantitative study used a cross-sectional survey to determine the extent to which records as sources of evidence were used for evidence-based decision-making by senior managers in Western Cape governmental bodies,
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    Re-constituting Ghanaian public university libraries to conform to universal design principles to accommodate students with disabilities
    (University of the Western Cape, 2023) Alu, Augustine Aduko; King, Lizette
    Ten Ghanaian public university libraries were investigated to determine if they conform to universal design principles to accommodate students with disabilities. The study employed a multiple case study design and was underpinned by the Social Model of Disability and the International Federation of Libraries Associations and Institutions checklist for access to libraries for persons with disabilities. A mixed methods approach was adopted employing online questionnaires, and in-depth interviews to gather data from university librarians, heads of the physical development office, heads of disability units, and students with visual, mobile and hearing impairments. Data were further verified by observation and document analysis. Data were analysed thematically.
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    Scholarly communication guidance as a core service of an academic library to doctoral students: A case study of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
    (University of the Western Cape, 2019) White, Esther; King, Lizette
    This study investigated scholarly communication guidance as a core service by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana, academic library to doctoral students, research and scholarly communication needs and skills of doctoral students and effective dissemination of research findings by doctoral students for national development. The study also explored the adoption of a research portal as part of the academic library website for scholarly communication guidance to doctoral students. A case study research design with KNUST as research site, with a mixed method approach was used. Semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, documentary analysis and a bibliometric survey of an institutional repository were employed as data gathering tools. A scholarly communication guidance model based on Costa’s proposed adaption of Garvey and Griffin’s models of scholarly communication, Wilson’s information behaviour model and Bjôrk’s scholarly communication lifecycle model was developed to frame the study.
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    Use and management of information systems in academic libraries in Ghana
    (University of the Western Cape, 2019) Dzandza, Patience Emefa; King, Lizette
    The use of Information Systems (ISs) has been widely accepted and proven to increase the service quality in many organizations. Academic libraries have embraced the use of ISs and have implemented them to perform different activities. The efficient utilization and management of ISs in libraries will help libraries to derive maximum benefit from adopted ISs. The research used the DeLone and McLean (2003) IS success theory to determine the impact of IS management on the quality of the IS, the use of the IS and the benefits gained. The researcher used nine (30%) of the thirty university libraries which are members of the consortium of academic and research libraries in Ghana (CARLIGH) - an association of libraries that help with the IS and electronic resource use of member libraries. A mixed method approach with questionnaires, interviews combined with content analysis of the university websites was used to gather data. Findings indicated that academic libraries in Ghana are making use of some ISs including; ILS, DAM, social media, websites, among others, amidst a number of challenges. The research also revealed that the management of ISs affects the quality thereof. Quality of ISs affects use, and use affects the benefits gained from use. The researcher proposed an IS management standard guideline which Ghanaian academic libraries could adopt for using and managing ISs to enhance efficiency and better service delivery.
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    The use of information and communication technologies for accessing HIV and AIDS information by healthcare professionals in Zimbabwe
    (University of Western Cape, 2021) Gandiwa, Tapiwa; King, Lizette
    This study sought to investigate the information needs of selected HIV and AIDS health organisations in Zimbabwe with a view to proposing a framework for developing an information access platform. ICTs can play a pivotal role in improving access to HIV and AIDS information and in coordinating HIV and AIDS activities in Zimbabwe. However, the development of ICTs in Zimbabwe’s health sector has been haphazard and idiosyncratic to a plethora of HIV and AIDS organisations operating in Zimbabwe. This study proposes a framework for the development of ICTs for accessing HIV and AIDS information in Zimbabwe. The needs-based framework was proposed after evaluating the information needs of healthcare workers and current health information technologies. An integrated theoretical framework incorporating the General System Theory, the Social Construction of Technology theory and the HOT-fit model was used to frame the study.