Challenges of Cataloguing Library Resources in the Evolving Digital Environment: The African Cataloguer’s Experience

The paper examines the challenges of cataloguing library resources, in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Public Libraries (CCTML), South Africa. The paper was necessitated by the postulation that, the extent of access and the use of library resources depends greatly upon the quality of the library catalogue. The following research questions were formulated: what cataloguing knowledge do cataloguers of CCTML have? How is cataloguing carried out in CCTML? What challenges do cataloguers of CCTML experience in cataloguing library resources? Qualitative approach and case study design were employed. The population of the study was made of 6 cataloguers. Data was collected through the focus group interview. Findings indicated that cataloguers experienced challenges of assigning subject headings for languages other than English, allocation of the correct classification notation and the advanced use of the cataloguing standards. Cataloguers obtained knowledge of descriptive cataloguing, subject analysis and classification. The study recommends the exchange programmes in cataloguing, use of technological tools and decolonization of subject and name authority standards

Rethinking Cataloguing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The study upon which this article is based was to explore the Cataloguing Practices in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Libraries (CCTML). Cataloguing is a structured arrangement of the bibliographic details of all the information sources available in a library. It produces an inventory that serves as access points to the library resources. Focus group discussion and document analysis were used to collect data. The findings revealed some missing data on the catalogue records. Quality control mechanism used was peer review. The study recommended introduction of artificial intelligence in cataloguing to minimize human error and enhance production and the quality of the catalogue. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Cataloguing; Cataloguing robots; Fourth industrial revolution

Rethinking Cataloguing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The study upon which this article is based was to explore the Cataloguing Practices in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Libraries (CCTML). Cataloguing is a structured arrangement of the bibliographic details of all the information sources available in a library. It produces an inventory that serves as access points to the library resources. Focus group discussion and document analysis were used to collect data. The findings revealed some missing data on the catalogue records. Quality control mechanism used was peer review. The study recommended introduction of artificial intelligence in cataloguing to minimize human error and enhance production and the quality of the catalogue. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Cataloguing; Cataloguing robots; Fourth industrial revolution

Approaches to Teach Cataloguing Modules During Emergencies

With reference to COVID-19 pandemic, the study investigated the emergent approaches to teaching and learning cataloguing modules at the institutions of higher learning. Cataloguing modules require face to face interactions between instructors and students for the explanation of concepts. The module involves the practical use of manuals and the application of standards which are skills that students should master. The closure of higher education institutions (HEIs) due to the outbreak of COVID-19 meant that the traditional approach to teach the cataloguing modules was inhibited. Although in some countries and in distance institutions cataloguing modules were already taught online even before the pandemic, their programs were planned as online education was the nature of their business and was not mandated by the pandemic experiences. The face to face institutions had to drastically make changes in their programs in order to continue with their mandates. The chapter explores measures taken by institutions of higher learning in order to continue with teaching and learning amidst COVID-19 pandemic

Information seeking behaviour of postgraduate students: a study of Rhodes University and the University of Fort Hare

Information is documented as data value in planning, decision making and evaluation of any programme, therefore any informed decision would be based on the kind of information that the decision maker has. Information seeking behaviour can be described as an individual’s manner of gathering and sourcing information for personal use, knowledge update and development. In the light of this Information, this study examined the information seeking behaviour of postgraduate students at the University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University. The study went further to understand the impact the introduction of new technology has on postgraduate students’ information seeking behaviour. The study was limited to postgraduate students in the faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education at the University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University. These disciplines were selected because of Whitemire (2002:637)’s opinion that students studying humanities, social sciences and education carry out more information seeking activities than students studying hard sciences such as Mathematics and other Natural Sciences. The aim of the study was to establish how postgraduate students seek and gather information for academic use. The objectives of the study were as follows: to find out information sources that postgraduate students value the most and determine where they find such resources; to identify the activities postgraduate students engage in when seeking for information; to establish the factors which influence postgraduate students information seeking behaviour and to determine methods that postgraduate students use to obtain relevant information. Both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were employed in a survey. The main research instrument was a questionnaire supported by focus groups and face to face interviews. The results showed that postgraduate students utilised different sources of information when seeking information for academic use. Internet usage however was established as the information source that postgraduate students valued and relied on most. Few respondents indicated that they still visited the library and browsed the shelves and found information that met their needs in books. Reports on consulting librarians for help were low. Although the study was not on information seeking behaviour and age, the researcher noticed that mature students did not make use of information technologies effectively and also called themselves “Born Before Technology” generation. The study also established that postgraduate student’s preferred or conveniently accessed Internet and other electronic sources of information in the libraries, even though the two Universities have postgraduate computer laboratories and students could also access electronic sources of information at their residences through wireless connection. The researcher also noted that postgraduate students relied more on lecturers and supervisors for the choice of information sources, rather than independently searching to find the most appropriate documents to use. Postgraduate students used keywords to obtain relevant information when searching electronic sources. The respondents strongly agreed that they felt frustrated, confused, disappointed and demotivated if they did not find relevant information for their searches. This validates Kuhlthau (1991)’s Information Seeking Process model (ISP) as it not only focuses on the information seeking process, but also on emotions, thoughts and expressions of the user when searching information. The study recommends the following: optional computer literacy programmes for postgraduate students, extended library orientation for postgraduate students, mentorship programmes, extended information literacy programmes, appointment of research and subject librarians as well as more faculty librarians and improvement in library marketing

Cataloguing practices from creation to use: a study of Cape Town Metropolitan Public Libraries in Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2019.Cataloguing is the process of creating metadata representing information sources such as books, sound recordings, digital video disks (DVDs), journals and other materials found in a library or group of libraries. This process requires the use of standardised cataloguing tools to achieve the bibliographic description, authority control, subject analysis and assignment of classification notation to generate a library catalogue. The well-generated library catalogue serves as an index of a collection of information sources found in libraries that enables the library users to discover which information sources are available and where they are in the library. Such a catalogue should provide information such as the creators’ names, titles, subject terms, standard number, publication area, physical description and notes that describe those information sources to facilitate easy information retrieval. This study sought to investigate cataloguing practices from creation to use in Cape Town Metropolitan public libraries in South Africa with the aim of deepening the understanding of the importance of cataloguing standards in creating bibliographic data for the libraries. The study also sought to address the following research questions: “What skills do the cataloguers of Cape Town Metropolitan libraries possess?”, “To what extent do cataloguers in Cape Town Metropolitan public libraries adhere to international standards when creating records in the online catalogue?”, “How are the cataloguing records created on the system by cataloguers in the Cape Town Metropolitan used within and across the public libraries?”, “How are the new Resource Description and Access (RDA) standards applied in public libraries in the Cape Town Metropolitan to ensure they accommodate entities and attributes as described by the international cataloguing standards?”, “What records quality control measures are used in computerised cataloguing by public libraries in the Cape Town Metropolitan?”, “How effective is the computerised cataloguing system of Cape Town Metropolitan public libraries?”, “What are the challenges experienced by public libraries in the Cape Town Metropolitan in computerised cataloguing?” The study was underpinned by a combination of the IFLA’s Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR), Functional Requirements for Authority Data (FRAD) and Functional Requirements for Subject Authority Data (FRSAD). The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm associated with the mixed methods (MMR) approach where the qualitative aspects were dominant. The study adopted a case study design and data were collected using focus group discussions, face-to-face interviews, questionnaires, and document review methods. The population of the study comprised cataloguers, senior librarians, librarians and library assistants of 10 libraries in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan. Reliability and validity of the instruments were ascertained through a pilot study. The data collected were presented and analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative data were analysed thematically, presented in narrative description, while the quantitative data were coded and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and presented in tables, graphs and charts, where applicable. The findings of the study revealed that although the cataloguers were experienced in their work, some catalogue records did not fully adhere to the cataloguing rules. Furthermore, there were no continuous development programmes in place to update the cataloguers’ knowledge and cope with dynamic changes in the cataloguing fields. In addition, the findings revealed that some catalogue records did not have adequate information descriptions to facilitate effective retrieval of information. The study also found that a peer review mechanism was used to facilitate quality control; the system used for cataloguing did not have all MARC tags and cataloguers experienced some challenges with the use of the cataloguing standards and assigning subject headings for non-roman sources. From the findings of the study, it was concluded that cataloguers did not adhere to international cataloguing standards when creating the catalogue records. A number of recommendations were therefore proffered among them that Cape Town Metropolitan Libraries (CCTML) should consider to improve their catalogue quality control measures. Moreover, cataloguers need adequate skills to enable them to implement and sustain the computerised system for cataloguing and retrieval. The CCTML need policies that provide the guidelines in the application of cataloguing rules and standards. The cataloguing department should consider planning for a re-cataloguing project to modify the records that did not have enough descriptions on the system Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) to improve retrieval

Cataloguing Education in the midst of the Coronavirus (COVID-19): The authors perspectives.

The nature of cataloguing modules requires face-to-face interactions between lecturers and students for the explanation of concepts and the practical use of manuals and standards applied. Due to Covid-19 outbreak that led to lockdown in many countries and consequently to closure of the face to face universities, teaching and learning should be altered to continue with the university mandate. This paper investigated Cataloguing Education (CE) and suggest relevant approaches of CE outside the traditional classroom context. This research employed the qualitative approach grounded on documents/textual content analysis of literature and the experiences attained by the author. Findings revealed that cataloguing modules could be taught online. The study recommends the use of Open Educational Resources (OER), effective online teaching and virtual work integrated learning

Cataloguing Education in the Era of 4IR: The Way Forward

The paper seeks to investigate Cataloguing Education (CE) in the era of 4IR and evolving technology with the observation that cataloguing is the core of any library service, without which there could be confusion in the retrieval of library information sources. Therefore, CE should equip students with skills that will enable them to work comfortably during any industrial revolution. Furthermore, 4IR entails transformation of humankind, and industries are now compelled to reconsider their ways of doing business to be in par with the economic world. Moreover, the exponential growth of information resources on the Internet and the World Wide Web has necessitated the need for more effective approaches for organising information to achieve improved resource discovery. The study used desk research. Findings indicated that although online cataloguing is included in the CE, courses as programming, coding, software developments, elements of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in cataloguing, etc. were not included. The study recommended a shift in CE to accommodate the 4IR demand. Keywords: Cataloguing, Cataloguing Education, Fourth Industrial Revolution, Cataloguing Curriculum, 4I

Call Us by Our Names: The Need to Establish Authority Control Standards for Non-Roman Names

Cataloguing cannot exist without standardised access points, and authority control is the mechanism by which we achieve the necessary degree of standardisation, thus enhances the accessibility of library resources by controlling the access points, improving users’ ability to efficiently find the works most relevant to their information search. The paper seeks to understand authority control standards and how non- Roman names are catered for in those standards. The study used desk research. Findings indicated the lack of authority control standards for non-Roman names. The study recommended the establishment of authority control standards for non-Roman names, cataloguers should consult the authors/creators when recording the preferred forms for their names. The system should also be upgraded to adopt non-Roman characters and linguistics. Keywords: Authority control, Authority control standards, Information retrieval, Name authority, non-roman name

Engaging the vulnerable: Health literacy for children combating non communicable diseases in Sub Saharan Africa, A review

Background: Instilling health literacy in children could reduce the chances of poor health behaviours and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Good childhood health literacy has been associated with routinely having a healthier diet, as well as a better understanding and use of nutritional information on foods and drinks. Building resilience in childhood through health literacy programmes can also have a positive impact on psychological health and well-being across the life course, and reducing the severity of depression experienced in adulthood among other diseases. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to find out how health literacy is offered to children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), to explore benefits of health literacy to children, to establish how SSA sustain health literacy in children. Methods: Literature review was used to gather data. Resutls: Findings indicated that health literacy is offered to children using the school model in SAA. The benefits of health literacy in children could reduce the chances of poor health behaviour in adulthood. Health literacy could be sustained if embedded in the school curriculum. Recommendations: The study recommended clear practical, proper guidelines of health literacy curriculum at school, the establishment of school libraries, involvement of the public libraries in instilling health literacy to children with the aim of reducing NCDs in children. Conclusion: The study concludes that health literacy should be taught from infancy stag