TRAINING TEACHER-LIBRARIANS TO ESTABLISH AND MANAGE SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN KWAZULU-NATAL: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/0027-2639/1692Keywords:
school libraries, school librarian education, information literacies, information and communications technology literacies, KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaAbstract
The present study aimed to assess the establishing, managing and sustaining of public school libraries in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in order to recommend ways to improve the appropriateness of training and development of teacher-librarians currently offered at the University of Zululand. Both interpretive and critical research paradigms were embraced, while a case study method and inductive reasoning were followed. The findings indicate that most public school libraries surveyed are neither fully functional nor properly resourced. They lack full-time teacher-librarians who are trained to manage and integrate their collections into the curriculum. Furthermore, the quality of library services differs markedly between rural and urban schools. It is recommended that the provincial Department of Education (DoE) school library services selectively award teacher-librarian bursaries to suitable candidates and then combine these awards with the provision of core collections of books and technologies, thereby linking the establishment of their school libraries to the practical outcomes in the two-year university-based training programme.
Metrics
References
De Jager, K, Nassimbeni, M & Underwood, P. 2007. Libraries, literacies and learning: retrospect and prospects, in Libraries for the future: progress and development of South African libraries, ed. T Bothma, P Underwood & P Ngulube. Pretoria: LIASA: 133–147.
Department of Basic Education. 2011. Report on the 2009/2010 annual surveys for ordinary schools. Pretoria: DoBE. http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2B5Bph
KZWqLA%3D&tabid=358&mid=1261 (Accessed 9 May 2013).
Department of Basic Education. 2012. National Guidelines for School Library and Information
Services. Pretoria: DoBE. http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=D1G%2B
h5KkVkw%3D&tabid=93&mid=1952 (Accessed 9 May 2013).
DoBE see Department of Basic Education.
DoE see Department of Education.
Du Toit, M & Stilwell, C. 2013. The KwaZulu-Natal School Library Policy and its feasibility for implementation in the province. http://sajlis.journals.ac.za/pub/article/download/39/111 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7553/78-2-39
(Accessed 9 June 2013).
Dubazana, FK. 2012. Foreword. In Towards academic excellence: case study of school libraries.
Durban: KZN DoE: ii.
Dubazana, K & Karlsson, J. 2006. Integration of the school library into the curriculum. Innovation 33(December). http://www.dillon.k12.sc.us/staff/Media%20Specialists/flex%20scheduling/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/innovation.v33i1.26518
Integration%20of%20the%20School%20Library%20Into%20The%20Curriculum.pdf
(Accessed 9 June 2013).
Dubazana, S. 2013a. RE: Procurement of library materials (email) to N Evans (23/02/2013).
Dubazana, S. 2013b. RE: Minimum number of resources per learner in school library collections (email) to N Evans (11/07/ 2013).
Education Library Information and Technology Services. 2012. Towards academic excellence: case study of school libraries. Pietermaritzburg: KZN DoE.
ELITS see Education Library Information and Technology Services.
Equal Education. 2010. We can’t afford not to: costing the provision of functional school libraries
in South African public schools. Khayelitsha: Equal Education. www.equaleducation.org.
za/sites/default/files/Equal%20Education%20Costing%20Booklet.pdf (Accessed 21 May
.
Hart, G. 2002. Changing minds about school libraries in South Africa: the LPYL in context, in To set the ball rolling: Library Project for Learners (LPYL): A Swedish-South African school library project 1997–2002, ed. L Wettmark. Karlstad, Sweden: Bibliotek I Samhalle (BIS):
–11.
Hart, G & Zinn, S. 2007. The conundrum of school libraries in South Africa, in Libraries for the future: progress and development of South African libraries, ed. T Bothma, P Underwood &
P Ngulube. Pretoria: LIASA: 89–106.
Hoskins, R. 2013. RE: ACE (email) to N Evans (17/07/2013).
Kerres, M & De Witt, C. 2003. A didactical framework for the design of blended learning arrangements. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1358165032000165653 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1358165032000165653
(Accessed 9 June 2013).
Kinnel, M (ed). 1992. Learning resources in schools. Library Association guidelines for school libraries. London: Library Association.
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and Culture. 2003. School Library Policy. Durban:
KZN Department of Education and Culture. http://www.equaleducation.org.za/sites/default/ files/ELITSSchoolLibPolicy.pdf (Accessed 11 April 2013).
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. 2010. School Library Strategy: Providing equitable access to good school libraries for all learners in KwaZulu-Natal 2009 – 2012, 3rd and final draft. Durban: KZN DoE. http://www.kzneducation.gov.za/Portals/0/ELITS%20website%20
Homepage/ELITS%20Strategy.pdf (Accessed 11 April 2013)
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. 2013. Circular 28 of 2013. Final school allocation for the year 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014. Durban: KZN DoE.
KwaZulu-Natal Media Teachers Association. 2013. Comments from the KwaZulu-Natal Media
Teachers Association on the 2013 Regulations relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and
Standards for School Infrastructure. http://www naptosa.org.za/downloads/Comment_
infrastructure_KZNMTA_2013.pdf (Accessed 3 April 2013)
KZN see KwaZulu-Natal.
KZNMTA see KwaZulu-Natal Media Teachers Association.
Motshekga, A. 2012. Foreword. In South African National Guidelines for School Library and
Information Services. Pretoria: DoBE.
Ocholla, D & Bothma, T. 2007. Library and information education and training in South Africa, in Libraries for the future: progress and development of South African libraries, ed. T
Bothma, P Underwood & P Ngulube. Pretoria: LIASA: 149–168.
Ocholla, L. 2013. RE: Paper (email) to N Evans (07/08/2013).
Orlikowski, I & Baroudi, JJ. 1991. Studying Information Technology in organisations: research approaches and assumptions. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.103 .107&rep=rep1&type=pdf (Accessed 18 Spetember 2013). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2.1.1
Paton-Ash, MS. 2012. Issues and challenges facing school libraries: a case study of selected primary schools in Gauteng Province, South Africa. ME thesis, Rhodes University,
Grahamstown. http://eprints ru.ac.za/3315/1/PATON-ASH-MEd-TR12-215.pdf (Accessed 9
May 2013).
Radebe, T. 1997. Experiences of teacher-librarians in the workplace after completion of the school librarianship programme. African Journal of Library and Information Science 65(4):218. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7553/65-4-1462
Robertson, AS. 1992. Foreword, in M Kinnell, ed. Learning resources in schools. Library
Association Guidelines for School Libraries. London: Library Association: 5.
Seale, L. 2012. Angie decries poor state of public schools. IOL News. http://www.iol.co.za/news/ politics/angie-decries-poor-state-of-public-schools-1.1435081 (Accessed 4 December 2012).
Siemens, G. 2004. Connectivism: a learning theory for the digital age. http://www.elearnspace. org/Articles/connectivism.htm (Accessed 4 September 2008).
Sturges, P. 2006. Finding new ways of serving real needs: the future of information services. Open lecture at the University of Zululand. http://www.lis.uzulu.ac.za/lectures/paulsturges2006. Pdf (Accessed 4 December 2012).
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
