Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
The shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa : the case of the University of Cape Town libraries
This study sought to ascertain the shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa, using the case of UCT Libraries. The objective was supported by sub-objectives, namely: to ascertain, via a rigorous review of literature, how far along academic libraries worldwide are with incor...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC)
2015
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613201308319744 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Pietersen, Jeremiah |
| author2 | Raju, Jaya |
| author_browse | Pietersen, Jeremiah Raju, Jaya |
| author_facet | Raju, Jaya Pietersen, Jeremiah |
| author_sort | Pietersen, Jeremiah |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | This study sought to ascertain the shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa, using the case of UCT Libraries. The objective was supported by sub-objectives, namely: to ascertain, via a rigorous review of literature, how far along academic libraries worldwide are with incorporating technological advances in their services; to identify the progress of UCT Libraries in establishing itself as a 21st century academic library; to ascertain how readily staff adapt to changes and new technology in the library; and, to ascertain user expectations of a modern, digital era academic library. A qualitative design with a case study approach was employed by the study. The study was supported by organizational learning theory. Themes emanating from the literature include, inter alia, open access, MOOCs, digital humanities and research data management. Further data was collected via interviews and a questionnaire survey of purposively sampled library staff. Stratified random sampling was used to extract samples from the targeted user population (UCT undergraduates, postgraduates and, academics and researchers) for surveying by means of online questionnaires. The study concludes that academic libraries, the world over, are adapting their services according to user demands and users’ use of current technology; that UCT Libraries is currently in the process of establishing itself as a 21st century academic library and that the progress and procedures currently in place to encourage new developments, holds UCT Libraries in good stead towards establishing itself as a 21st century academic library service; that the prevailing culture of organizational learning in UCT Libraries bodes well for constantly adapting to new technologies; and, that users are generally satisfied with the services they are receiving from the Library. Although the case of UCT Libraries was used in this study, in many ways this case is typical of academic libraries in other parts of South Africa as well as in other parts of the world and hence this study of the shape and form of the 21st century academic library has relevance to other academic library contexts as well. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/13733 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:21.936Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publishDateRange | 2015 |
| publishDateSort | 2015 |
| publisher | Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC) |
| publisherStr | Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC) |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/13733 The shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa : the case of the University of Cape Town libraries Pietersen, Jeremiah Raju, Jaya Library and Information Studies This study sought to ascertain the shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa, using the case of UCT Libraries. The objective was supported by sub-objectives, namely: to ascertain, via a rigorous review of literature, how far along academic libraries worldwide are with incorporating technological advances in their services; to identify the progress of UCT Libraries in establishing itself as a 21st century academic library; to ascertain how readily staff adapt to changes and new technology in the library; and, to ascertain user expectations of a modern, digital era academic library. A qualitative design with a case study approach was employed by the study. The study was supported by organizational learning theory. Themes emanating from the literature include, inter alia, open access, MOOCs, digital humanities and research data management. Further data was collected via interviews and a questionnaire survey of purposively sampled library staff. Stratified random sampling was used to extract samples from the targeted user population (UCT undergraduates, postgraduates and, academics and researchers) for surveying by means of online questionnaires. The study concludes that academic libraries, the world over, are adapting their services according to user demands and users’ use of current technology; that UCT Libraries is currently in the process of establishing itself as a 21st century academic library and that the progress and procedures currently in place to encourage new developments, holds UCT Libraries in good stead towards establishing itself as a 21st century academic library service; that the prevailing culture of organizational learning in UCT Libraries bodes well for constantly adapting to new technologies; and, that users are generally satisfied with the services they are receiving from the Library. Although the case of UCT Libraries was used in this study, in many ways this case is typical of academic libraries in other parts of South Africa as well as in other parts of the world and hence this study of the shape and form of the 21st century academic library has relevance to other academic library contexts as well. 2015-08-14T14:28:07Z 2015-08-14T14:28:07Z 2015 Master Thesis Masters MLIS http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13733 eng application/pdf Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC) University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Library and Information Studies Pietersen, Jeremiah The shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa : the case of the University of Cape Town libraries |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | The shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa : the case of the University of Cape Town libraries |
| title_full | The shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa : the case of the University of Cape Town libraries |
| title_fullStr | The shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa : the case of the University of Cape Town libraries |
| title_full_unstemmed | The shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa : the case of the University of Cape Town libraries |
| title_short | The shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa : the case of the University of Cape Town libraries |
| title_sort | shape and form of the 21st century academic library in south africa the case of the university of cape town libraries |
| topic | Library and Information Studies |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13733 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pietersenjeremiah theshapeandformofthe21stcenturyacademiclibraryinsouthafricathecaseoftheuniversityofcapetownlibraries AT pietersenjeremiah shapeandformofthe21stcenturyacademiclibraryinsouthafricathecaseoftheuniversityofcapetownlibraries |