African Librarianship and the Academic Enterprise Prepared By: Kay Raseroka Director: Library Services University of Botswana

OVERVIEW Definition Definition Academic Enterprise Academic Enterprise African Librarianship African Librarianship Context Context Africa’s information Africa’s information Tertiary Institution In Africa Tertiary Institution In Africa Emerging Visions Emerging Visions Students Students Stakeholders In Shaping The Academic Enterprise Stakeholders In Shaping The Academic Enterprise Perception of The Academic Library Perception of The Academic Library Role of Librarianship In This Landscape Role of Librarianship In This Landscape Information Literacy Information Literacy Learning Commons Learning Commons Academic Perceptions Academic Perceptions Partnerships In Support of Learning Partnerships In Support of Learning Knowledge Management Knowledge Management Conclusion Conclusion Opportunities/Challenges Opportunities/Challenges Implications For Effective African Librarianship In The 21 st Century Implications For Effective African Librarianship In The 21 st Century

DEFINITION Academic Enterprise Academic Enterprise Generic mission of Universities: Generic mission of Universities: Learning, Teaching, Research/Knowledge Development Learning, Teaching, Research/Knowledge Development Contribution to community development Contribution to community development African Librarianship African Librarianship Generic Library Service Generic Library Service Process Inputs Process Inputs Information Service Delivery Information Service Delivery

CONTEXT Africa’s information context Africa’s information context Orality- grey literature- local languages Orality- grey literature- local languages Foreign language publishing Foreign language publishing costly textbooks- poverty- costly textbooks- poverty- Base for learning reliance on notes Base for learning reliance on notes Massification Massification Africa – Fastest Increase In Tertiary Enrollment ( ; 15.6% p.a.) Africa – Fastest Increase In Tertiary Enrollment ( ; 15.6% p.a.) ICT – Extensive Developments & Convergence ICT – Extensive Developments & Convergence Knowledge Driven World Economy Knowledge Driven World Economy Human Resource Development Human Resource Development To meet diversified economy To meet diversified economy Sustained skills development Sustained skills development Funding Constraints Funding Constraints Reduced Government Subsidies Reduced Government Subsidies Third stream Income Expectations Third stream Income Expectations Private Sector Involvement Private Sector Involvement Globalisation of Tertiary Education Globalisation of Tertiary Education Emerging Visions Emerging Visions

STUDENTS Schooling Schooling Preparation For Global Citizenship Preparation For Global Citizenship Critical thinking Critical thinking Discerning consumers of information Discerning consumers of information Connections between ideas Connections between ideas Ability to think across disciplines Ability to think across disciplines Creativity, innovation and self generated wealth creation Creativity, innovation and self generated wealth creation Collaboration Collaboration Excellent communication skills Excellent communication skills Application of academic Principles Application of academic Principles Strategic Thinking Strategic Thinking Problem Solving Problem Solving Generic African Student; Applicability? Generic African Student; Applicability? How well does schooling in Africa prepare the entrant into the tertiary institutions 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 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? Role of the academy in producing the global citizen? Conviction and commitment of all stakeholders Conviction and commitment of all stakeholders Integration within curricula, funding: staff, facilities, organizational requirements Integration within curricula, funding: staff, facilities, organizational requirements

Role of librarianship Traditional processes: Traditional processes: collection development, organization, management collection development, organization, management Services: reference, guidance to access and document delivery Services: reference, guidance to access and document delivery Storage for local access Storage for local access Study spaces Study spaces Current focus improvement of learning outcomes Current focus improvement of learning outcomes Liaison with stakeholders support of learning, teaching and research Liaison with stakeholders support of learning, teaching and research Facilitation of access to remote and local digital resources Facilitation of access to remote and local digital resources Information needs and skills assessment for effective use of tools and 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? Resource based learning and problem- solving process - shared understanding with students and faculty? Learning commons –supportive social learning spaces Learning commons –supportive social learning spaces Knowledge management- data sets, digital repository Knowledge management- data sets, digital repository

ACADEMIC PERCEPTIONS Ithaka 2006 Faculty Survey Ithaka 2006 Faculty Survey Declining dependence on library for teaching & research 80%-H and 60%-S Declining dependence on library for teaching & research 80%-H and 60%-S Valued as purchaser and repository Valued as purchaser and repository Gateway role: contrasting perceptions Gateway role: contrasting perceptions Prominence of non-library discovery tools e.g. Google Prominence of non-library discovery tools e.g. Google Innovative service in support of learning, students’ ethical use of information Innovative service in support of learning, students’ ethical use of information Embedding information literacy within assignments Embedding information literacy within assignments Commitment for collaborative approaches: policy and practice Commitment for collaborative approaches: policy and practice Information literacy Standards Information literacy Standards African association of Universities: ILS standards learning and teaching African association of Universities: ILS standards learning and teaching Learning Commons Learning Commons Envisioning new spaces, new partnerships Envisioning new spaces, new partnerships Support integrated service needs of digital generation Support integrated service needs of digital generation Library, information technology, other academic support services Library, information technology, other academic support services Dynamic and interactive space: inquiry, collaboration, discussion and consultation- product focus Dynamic and interactive space: inquiry, collaboration, discussion and consultation- product focus

Opportunities Visioning the African academic enterprise Creating the global citizen Creating the global citizen Preservation, research into & analysis of alternative ways of knowing within IKS Preservation, research into & analysis of alternative ways of knowing within IKS Infusion into mainstream fields: environment, health, history, spirituality, architecture, food sciences etc Infusion into mainstream fields: environment, health, history, spirituality, architecture, food sciences etc Appropriate technologies and Intellectual property rights legal systems Appropriate technologies and Intellectual property rights legal systems UNISA –educational tentacles in Africa: How embedded are learning resources to local content? role of African librarianship? UNISA –educational tentacles in Africa: How embedded are learning resources to local content? role of African librarianship? Home front opportunities? Home front opportunities?

Challenges Integration of information vehicles: Integration of information vehicles: Archives, museums, libraries Archives, museums, libraries Critical assessment of validity of separation, beyond organizational interests Critical assessment of validity of separation, beyond organizational interests Human resource scarcity, Human resource scarcity, Appropriate technology and integrated knowledge management systems Appropriate technology and integrated knowledge management systems Seamless access for stakeholders Seamless access for stakeholders

Implications Sustained human resources development in keeping with continuous change Sustained human resources development in keeping with continuous change Multiple skilled information professionals: Multiple skilled information professionals: advocates for planning inclusive of integrated approach to learning and teaching roles and appropriate financing models 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 Marketing information literacy skills as an underpinning of life long learning Expertise in facilitation of learning Expertise in facilitation of learning Well developed collaborative and team approach to support of the academic enterprise Well developed collaborative and team approach to support of the academic enterprise Service to users in new ways Service to users in new ways Scholarly publishing Scholarly publishing Facilitation of local content exposure in digital space Facilitation of local content exposure in digital space Managing institutional knowledge Managing institutional knowledge

THANK YOU mopipi. ub. bw