African Librarianship and the Academic Enterprise Prepared By
African Librarianship and the Academic Enterprise Prepared By: Kay Raseroka Director: Library Services University of Botswana
OVERVIEW n n Definition n Academic Enterprise n African Librarianship Context n Tertiary Institution In Africa n Emerging Visions Students n Stakeholders In Shaping The Academic Enterprise n Perception of The Academic Library Role of Librarianship In This Landscape n Information Literacy n Learning Commons Academic Perceptions n Partnerships In Support of Learning n Knowledge Management Conclusion n Opportunities/Challenges n Implications For Effective African Librarianship In The 21 st n n n Africa’s information
DEFINITION n Academic Enterprise n Generic mission of Universities: n n n Learning, Teaching, Research/Knowledge Development Contribution to community development African Librarianship n Generic Library Service n Process Inputs n Information Service Delivery
CONTEXT n Africa’s information context n n n Massification n n n Reduced Government Subsidies Third stream Income Expectations Private Sector Involvement n n To meet diversified economy Sustained skills development Funding Constraints n n Africa – Fastest Increase In Tertiary Enrollment (1991 -2004; 15. 6% p. a. ) ICT – Extensive Developments & Convergence Knowledge Driven World Economy Human Resource Development n n Orality- grey literature- local languages Foreign language publishing costly textbooks- poverty. Base for learning reliance on notes Globalisation of Tertiary Education Emerging Visions
STUDENTS n Schooling n n Preparation For Global Citizenship Critical thinking n n n Creativity, innovation and self generated wealth creation Collaboration n n Discerning consumers of information Connections between ideas Ability to think across disciplines Excellent communication skills Application of academic Principles Strategic Thinking Problem Solving Generic African Student; Applicability? n n n How well does schooling in Africa prepare the entrant into the tertiary institutions Assessment of new intakes on basic information seeking and evaluation skills and profiling students and role in shaping academic enterprise Role of the academy in producing the global citizen? n n Conviction and commitment of all stakeholders Integration within curricula, funding: staff, facilities, organizational requirements
Role of librarianship n Traditional processes: n n n Current focus improvement of learning outcomes n n n collection development, organization, management Services: reference, guidance to access and document delivery Storage for local access Study spaces Liaison with stakeholders support of learning, teaching and research Facilitation of access to remote and local digital resources Information needs and skills assessment for effective use of tools and resources Resource based learning and problem- solving process - shared understanding with students and faculty? Learning commons –supportive social learning spaces Knowledge management- data sets, digital repository
ACADEMIC PERCEPTIONS n Ithaka 2006 Faculty Survey n n n Declining dependence on library for teaching & research 80%-H and 60%-S Valued as purchaser and repository Gateway role: contrasting perceptions n n n n Innovative service in support of learning, students’ ethical use of information Embedding information literacy within assignments Commitment for collaborative approaches: policy and practice n n Prominence of non-library discovery tools e. g. Google Information literacy Standards African association of Universities: ILS standards learning and teaching Learning Commons Envisioning new spaces, new partnerships Support integrated service needs of digital generation n n Library, information technology, other academic support services Dynamic and interactive space: inquiry, collaboration, discussion and consultation - product focus
Opportunities Visioning the African academic enterprise n Creating the global citizen n Preservation, research into & analysis of alternative ways of knowing within IKS n Infusion into mainstream fields: environment, health, history, spirituality, architecture, food sciences etc n Appropriate technologies and Intellectual property rights legal systems n UNISA –educational tentacles in Africa: How embedded are learning resources to local content? role of African librarianship?
Challenges n Integration of information vehicles: Archives, museums, libraries n Critical assessment of validity of separation, beyond organizational interests n Human resource scarcity, n Appropriate technology and integrated knowledge management systems n n Seamless access for stakeholders
Implications n n Sustained human resources development in keeping with continuous change Multiple skilled information professionals: n n n advocates for planning inclusive of integrated approach to learning and teaching roles and appropriate financing models Marketing information literacy skills as an underpinning of life long learning Expertise in facilitation of learning Well developed collaborative and team approach to support of the academic enterprise Service to users in new ways n n n Scholarly publishing Facilitation of local content exposure in digital space Managing institutional knowledge
THANK YOU raseroka@ mopipi. ub. bw
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