bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research of oil shale in the Komi ASSR during the Great Patriotic War: experience of the Professor D. N. Kursanov
Authors: Brovina Alexandra , Roshchevskaya Larisa Pavlovna , Roshchevskii Mikhail Pavlovich
Published: July 2020

The subject of this research is the historical role of Russian scientific community in studying the Arctic and Subarctic territories during the years of Great Patriotic War. The key goal consists in demonstrating the contribution of scholars to accumulation of scientific knowledge on the northern region in the context of solution of the priority government objective and establishment of scientific organizations on the European North of Russia in first half of the XX century. The main tasks of this research lie in reconstruction of the process of creation and activity of oil shale laboratory of the Base of Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union on studying the North under the authority of Professor D. N. Kursanov, who dealt with the questions of utilization of solid fossil fuels of the Komi ASSR. This topic did not receive due coverage within the scientific literature. For solution of the set tasks, the author attracted the unpublished archival materials from the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Archive of the Federal Research Center “Komi Scientific Center of Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences” and National Archive of the Komi Republic; writings of the staff members of the indicated laboratory published based on the research results in 1940s, as well modern researchers of the depths of Russian North. The article explores the history of establishment of scientific department, development of scientific programs and plans, organization of interaction of academic community with the government and economic branches of the Komi ASSR. The main conclusions consists in the proof that the scientific-organizational activity of D. N. Kursanov led to conducting strategic research of defense designation on the problems of studying oil shale of the mineral deposit on Ayyva River, utilization of oil shale for motor fuel generation, and elaboration of new chemical products for defense industry. It is underlined that the high level of explorations and pilot surveys carried out by national scholars in these directions contributed to the development of new shale-chemical industrial sector of the country in the later years.
Health Surveillance Assistants’ Practices of Postnatal Care in Lilongwe District, Malawi
Authors: Pindani Mercy , Phiri Chrissie , Chilinda Idesi , Chikazinga Wanangwa , Botha Janet , Chorwe-Sungani Genesis
Published: July 2020

Health surveillance assistants (HSAs) participate in the provision of postnatal care in Malawi, although their knowledge and skills in maternal and reproductive health are limited. This article presents the findings of a mixed-methods study that was conducted in three selected health centres to document the practices of HSAs in the provision of postnatal care to mothers and babies in Lilongwe district in Malawi. A random sample of 97 HSAs participated in the quantitative part of this study and 30 of these participated in the qualitative aspect of the study. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. This study found that many respondents (>60%) had limited capacity to provide adequate postnatal care and 85.3% of them never checked the vital signs of mothers and babies. They also lacked knowledge and skills in some aspects of postnatal care including danger signs. Almost all the respondents (96.8%) had never received any training in Basic Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (BEmONC), or Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC). Considering that HSAs have limited capacity to provide postnatal care to mothers and their babies, shifting tasks of nurses or midwives to HSAs should not be considered as an “outright solution” for increasing access to postnatal care in low-resource settings because it may compromise the quality of care.
The Usage of Government Law Libraries in South Africa
Authors: Modiba Thomas Mashilo , Boloka Mamotshabo
Published: July 2020

Government law libraries have an important role to play in the development of the judicial system in South Africa by providing information resources to legal practitioners, so that they can perform their judicial duties effectively. The better the information services provided by government libraries in South Africa, the more likely it is that legal practitioners will use them and produce quality judgments, thus strengthening the judicial system. The objectives of this study were 1) to evaluate the accessibility and relevancy of the services offered by government law libraries in South Africa, and 2) to identify the factors that hinder this contribution to the legal practitioner’s information needs. Law librarians and library clerks were sampled to participate in this study. The findings suggest that government law resources are accessed both physically and electronically. The physical use of government law libraries to access law books, law journals, loose-leafs and law reports was found to be limited, because the printed legal information resources are outdated. However, government law libraries are used extensively to conduct legal research electronically using Sabinet, Juta Online Publications, LexisNexis, Westlaw, HeinOnline and SAFLII. The electronic resources were found to be accurate and up to date. As a result, the government law libraries services are relevant to both judicial officers and legal practitioners.
Application of an Electronic System to the Management of Medical Records
Authors: Marutha Ngoako Solomon
Published: July 2020

The management of functions in any sector including the healthcare sector is highly dependent on the application of electronic technology to achieve effective results and to give peace of mind to the organisation. The manual modus operandi for the management of medical records in healthcare institutions brings about many discrepancies that regularly result in chaos in healthcare services, which always affects patients negatively. This study sought to investigate the application of an electronic system for the management of medical records in the Limpopo province of South Africa to support healthcare services. The study used a survey questionnaire to collect quantitative data from a sample of 306 (49%) out of a total of 622 records management officials. The response rate was 70.9 per cent (217), and system analysis and observation were applied to augment the quantitative data. The study discovered that the electronic system has not yet been applied for the management of medical records in healthcare institutions but is only used for capturing the personal information and financial status of patients or for billing purposes, although records management modules were available in the same system, and that negatively affects healthcare services and patients directly. The study recommends the application or enhancement of the current business administration system for healthcare patients or the development of a new electronic system to cater for the electronic management of medical records to support healthcare service delivery. The study further proposes a framework for the application of an electronic system for the management of medical records to support healthcare service delivery.
Realising Rehabilitation and Social Inclusion through Correctional Service Libraries in South Africa
Authors: Khumalo Mbalenhle Sijabulile , Mugwisi Tinashe , Jiyane Glenrose
Published: July 2020

A need to correct the behaviour and deeds of people who have been incarcerated has been part of the plans of the South African government for a number of years now. Shifting from being punishment to rehabilitation centres, the correctional centres aim to rehabilitate and prepare inmates to be included and accepted by society beyond their incarceration period. Correctional library and information services provide a critical structure and support point by facilitating the attainment and improvement of education and providing rehabilitation and occupational skills to inmates during their time in these centres. This paper seeks to illustrate that correctional service libraries can be a critical support structure for rehabilitation and social inclusion of inmates in South African correctional centres. The paper also suggests how the correctional service libraries could be mainstreamed for correctional and developmental goals of inmates in South African correctional centres. This conceptual paper also adds to the body of knowledge that advocates for the important role of correctional service libraries in the rehabilitation of inmates. Finally, the paper aims to provide insights to policymakers on the role of correctional service libraries in shaping the lives of the inmates and people development.
Analysis of the Role and Impact of the Mpumalanga Provincial Archives
Authors: Netshakhuma Nkholedzeni Sidney
Published: July 2020

The aim of the article was to analyse the role of the Mpumalanga Provincial Archives (MPA), South Africa, in society in compliance with the Mpumalanga Archives Act (MAA), 1998 (Act No. 14 of 1998). The qualitative study employed document analysis, interviews and observation as forms of data collection. The population for the study was drawn from a few selected departmental representatives in the province as well as MPA representatives. The key finding was that there was non-compliance with the MAA, which has serious implications on national memory and identity. The key recommendation was for the provincial archives to appoint an advisory council to advise the provincial archives on issues of archives management. The researcher concluded that archives play an essential role in the preservation of history, culture and societal heritage.
Vagrant Facts: The Use of Archives as Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Production
Authors: Johansson Karl-Magnus
Published: July 2020

Traditionally, archives constitute the authority of facts. This view has been challenged by recognising archives, not as sites of knowledge retrieval but knowledge production, and by questioning archivists and archival practice as neutral, objective, and impartial. This contradiction also applies when considering the relationship between archives and cultural heritage. The traditional view that would regard public documents as cultural heritage contrasts the relationship that includes a more progressive definition of cultural heritage as traces and expressions from the past that are attributed value and are being used today, since nothing is cultural heritage in itself. Hence, it could be assumed that studying aspects that affect the use of archives could provide a wider understanding of the knowledge production that permeates the relationship between archives and cultural heritage. This paper reports a user study, with a participatory design, where 13 heritage master’s students performed a task that involved reflecting on their own research processes when using archives regarding vagrancy in late nineteenth-century Gothenburg. In the user study, aiming at gaining a wider understanding of the cognitive processes and epistemological aspects involved in using archives, the observations made by the students in their ethnographic and reflexive research process were analysed. From the analysis of the students’ reports, certain tendencies emerged that could be wider understood by their connections with previous research, for example within media theory.
Attitudes of Scholars towards Self-Archiving in Institutional Repositories of Zimbabwe's Public Universities
Authors: Tapfuma Mass Masona , Hoskins Ruth Geraldine
Published: July 2020

The introduction of open-access institutional repositories in scholarly communication presents an opportunity for public universities in Zimbabwe to increase the visibility, reach and impact of their research output. However, this opportunity is missed because of the low utilisation of the repositories by scholars in the institutions. Guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model, the researchers investigated academics’ awareness levels of and attitudes, perceptions and concerns about institutional repositories with the aim of understanding academics’ deposit behaviour. Both qualitative and quantitative methods in the forms of a questionnaire and interviews were used to gather data from academics and library and research directors at eight universities and from policy documents and university websites. Stratified, systematic and convenience sampling techniques, including the complete enumeration method, were used. The findings revealed that academics lacked knowledge and awareness of institutional repositories and their value in scholarly communication. Therefore, marketing and training should be intensified to increase acceptance and usage of repositories.
The Archivists’ Understanding of New Public Management and Outsourcing of Government Information: The Case of Sweden
Authors: Svärd Proscovia
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the archivists’ understanding of New Public Management (NPM) and its impact on their role as gatekeepers of government information. The paper therefore presents the views of the archivists who traditionally manage the creation, capture and organisation of information at the Swedish Transport Board (STB). Government information is key to institutional transparency and hence the stringent legal framework that governs it. Sweden is considered a highly transparent country and through its Press Act, which dates as far back as the 1766, all its citizens enjoy the right to access government information. This way, citizens can follow and scrutinise the government processes, which increases openness and trust in government institutions. However, this image of Sweden as open and transparent was challenged by the “Transportgate IT scandal,” which put it in the limelight of both national and international media. The scandal was due to outsourcing. Global governments these days operate under increased financial constraints, demands for efficiency and environmentally sustainable solutions and are therefore engaged in the outsourcing of government functions. Outsourcing is a strategy within New Public Management and is regarded as a solution to the above-mentioned constraints. Outsourcing is being done within the growing popularity of NPM, which is the adoption of methods and best practice from the private sector. However, among the challenges that outsourcing poses is data/information security. Yet, one of the building stones of trust in government institutions is secure and trustworthy government information. As the “Transportgate IT scandal” unfolded, the focus was on IT security and there was a total lack of discussion on the information contained in the systems. This paper used a case study as a method to explore the above issues. It applied a literature review and interviews as data gathering techniques. The results confirmed that the archivists had a full understanding of NPM and its impact on the management of government information. They are supposed to play a key role in the management of government information, but they were not at all involved in the outsourcing process. There is a danger that this development might impact the trust citizens have in government institutions since access to government information might be compromised. Therefore, outsourcing of government information should involve all the stakeholders and there should be well-formulated clauses to protect it.
African Identity and the Provenance of the Centre for African Literary Studies: A University of KwaZulu-Natal Special Collection
Authors: Polak Fiona Margaret , Stilwell Christine , Underwood Peter Graham , Hoskins Ruth M.
Published: July 2020

Drawing on Asante’s Afrocentric idea and the importance of location and agency in an Afrocentric paradigm, this article explores African identity. The study is located in the Centre for African Literary Studies (CALS) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg, which was established to house the Lindfors private collection of African literature. This article also draws on Polak’s 2016 study, which explores the role of CALS as a UKZN special collection and the question as to whether CALS is able to fulfil its role in facilitating African studies at UKZN and in the broader community. In seeking to define African identity, the researchers conducted an in-depth literature review and, in attempting to elucidate the provenance of CALS, they relied on the findings of in-depth interviews with its founders and directors. The study was underpinned by an historical research approach. The article concludes that there is no definitive description of what African identity is. It throws light on the role of CALS in advancing African scholarship and Afrocentric research, and makes recommendations for policy and practice.
Managing Records in Networked Environments in Kenya’s Public Sector Organisations: A Literature Review
Authors: Maseh Elsebah Jepkemboi , Moseti Irene Morara
Published: July 2020

This paper presents the results of an empirical and theoretical literature review on managing records in networked environments in Kenya’s public sector organisations. Three objectives are addressed, namely, to examine the legislative and regulatory framework for managing digital records in Kenya’s public sector organisations, to establish the technological framework for managing digital records, and to find out the capacity of the human resources managing the digital records. The results indicated that the Kenyan legal framework for records management is forward-thinking in a number of ways. In particular, the Kenyan Information and Communications Act, 2009, provides explicit consideration of electronic records and transactions, including providing for the legal validity of such records. However, the reviewed literature indicated that the key legislation governing records management in the country had some weaknesses. Further, the results showed that several public sector organisations had deployed different applications and systems to manage their digital records. It was however not clear whether emerging technologies such as cloud computing had been employed. Furthermore, the review unearthed several human resource-related challenges facing the sector. The paper therefore concludes that Kenya’s public sector has made its first steps in the management of records in networked environments but still contends with a myriad of challenges. As a way forward, the paper recommends the following: the amendment of key legislation, fast-tracking the development and implementation of a National Records Management Policy, and hiring trained staff and/or retraining the staff charged with the responsibility of managing public sector records.
Perceptions on Job Requirements of LIS Graduates in Public Libraries: A Reflection on Public Libraries in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Mthembu Mpilo Siphamandla , Ocholla Dennis Ngong
Published: July 2020

Public libraries play a crucial role in the information and knowledge society. Their access and services in the fourth industrial revolution require review as well as the knowledge of the competency requirements for Library and Information Science (LIS) graduates to offer professional services. This paper presents the competencies LIS graduates require for work. It also seeks to examine the challenges they encounter in public libraries. The study is driven by the notion that a skills gap and a lack of training for LIS professionals are still daunting challenges in most public libraries. The post-positivism paradigm was employed through the triangulation of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies in data collection and analysis. Content analysis and a survey were employed as research methods. The study scanned job advertisements in four newspapers spanning a three-year period (from January 2015 to December 2017). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with assistant directors and structured questionnaires were administered to LIS graduates. Grade 12, one to three years of work experience, computer literacy and communication skills are the most required competencies to work at public libraries. There seems to be no balance between theory and practice offered in most LIS schools, which suggests the need for curricula revision. Employed LIS graduates are facing several challenges, which include lack of practical exposure or knowledge, lack of qualification recognition and individual promotions, and lack of ICT skills and knowledge.
Lefa la Tsebo: A Proposed Model for Framing Tshwane University of Technology’s Libraries Policies
Authors: Molepo Mahlaga Johannes , Dick Archie Leonard
Published: July 2020

This article presents a proposed model for framing the policies of Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) libraries. The authors draw on a focused literature review across various disciplines as well as empirical evidence collected from a purposive sample of 40 participants in a case study. The qualitative evaluation method is used to evaluate a set of models. A self-developed set of criteria is used as a tool to test the models towards a selection of elements and features that are then used to table the proposed model for TUT’s libraries. The evaluated models were categorised to produce models for academic library activities, models for higher education as well as models that depict changes in society’s knowledge system. The adapted model proposes a multiple reality constructionist approach to improve a shared understanding of what constitutes knowledge in democratic South Africa. It was found that there are inconsistencies and a lack of clarity on the role of TUT’s libraries in transformation initiatives of the university. The main argument is that the future role of TUT’s libraries should include taking part in other processes of the knowledge system such as knowledge production, application and use. The main value of the article is to provide a comprehensive strategic outlook that guides the transformation of TUT’s libraries. This will assist to frame TUT’s libraries policies in light of changes taking place in higher education.
Developing an Integrated Framework for Knowledge Management Practices in Organisations
Authors: Dei De-Graft Johnson
Published: July 2020

In this knowledge-based economy, the core competence that determines the success of every organisation is knowledge. This calls for organisations to develop and implement systems, strategies and framework to facilitate the effective management of knowledge as an organisational asset. This study sought to assess literature and frameworks of knowledge management (KM) and to develop a framework for KM implementation in organisations. This study reviewed literature on knowledge, KM processes, KM enablers, and KM frameworks to determine and propose a set of guidelines for implementing KM practices in organisations. Arising from the review, the researcher proposed an integrated KM framework that could be used by academics (researchers) and KM practitioners to implement and facilitate KM practices in organisations. The framework identifies the key elements of developing and facilitating KM practices: knowledge (tacit and explicit), KM processes (creation, retention, sharing and utilisation), and KM enablers (technology, leadership, culture and strategy). From organisations’ perspectives, for a successful implementation of KM practices, the focus should be on identifying and linking the knowledge types with the KM processes and the KM enablers. This forms the basis for the proposed framework to guide the successful implementation of KM practices in organisations. By utilising these guidelines to develop an integrated KM implementation framework, it is hoped that a stronger theoretical foundation can be constructed, thus facilitating the accomplishment of KM.
Plagiarism Perceptions among Undergraduates at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria
Authors: Buraimo Olayinka , Oyedokun Olatope Siddiqah , Olusanya Olufemi Francis , Adekunmisi Ronke Sowemimo
Published: July 2020

Despite universities’ increasing awareness of the importance of maintaining academic integrity, students are still involved in plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct. In order to address challenges associated with plagiarism, a thorough examination of conceptions and issues associated with plagiarism is required. This article therefore explores the knowledge and perceptions of plagiarism, reasons for committing plagiarism, and forms of plagiarism found among undergraduates at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ogun state, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design and a multistage sampling technique were adopted for the study. A questionnaire with a reliability index of 0.89 was used to collect data from 378 undergraduates, sampled from six faculties of the selected institution. The findings reveal that the respondents have good knowledge of plagiarism (  = 3.31) and that the majority perceive plagiarism as a menace and a criminal act (  = 3.20). The findings further reveal the desire to achieve high marks, fear of failure, and poor academic planning as respondents’ major reasons for committing plagiarism. It was also found that gender does not significantly influence perceptions of plagiarism, whereas the faculty the student belongs to does influence perceptions of plagiarism. Among other things, the study recommends that university management acquire and implement good commercial plagiarism detection software and also formulate, implement, and enact regulations on plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty.
Accreditation of Academic Programmes in Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria: A Librarian’s Perspective
Authors: Ajidahun Clement Olujide
Published: July 2020

This paper gives a critical overview and assessment of the accreditation of academic programmes in Nigerian universities, with particular focus on university libraries. The paper reviews and interrogates the monitoring, regulatory and supervisory roles of the National Universities Commission (NUC) in ensuring quality assurance and standards in Nigerian universities, with a view to making them globally competitive. The paper also discusses the accreditation tools and accreditation grading system employed by the NUC. The importance of the library as nerve-centre in the university system is explored. The centrality of the paper focuses on missing gaps in the accreditation of the library facilities. Such missing gaps include the composition of the accreditation team that excludes librarians; the areas of disagreement between the NUC accreditation team and the librarians; and the consequences of such. In addition, the attitudes of the accreditation team towards the library professional practice are debated, and suggestions are provided that can improve the accreditation of library facilities in Nigerian universities.
Integration of Digital Preservation Knowledge, Skills and Competencies in the Teaching Curricula of Library and Information Studies at the University of Botswana
Authors: Segaetsho Thatayaone , Moloi Julie
Published: July 2020

In the past few decades, digital technology has found a place in the acquisition, arrangement, description, preservation, and dissemination of information. However, heritage institutions are perturbed by the challenges of digital preservation strategies particularly for education. Despite continuous investment in digital preservation, there are limited skilled professionals to equip learners with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to drive digital preservation in Botswana. Therefore, this paper investigated the knowledge, skills and competencies related to digital preservation in the teaching curricula of the Department of Library and Information Studies (DLIS) at the University of Botswana. Data collection was done through intensive structured interviews with specific educators who teach courses on digital preservation in the archives and records management stream. The study revealed that despite the fact that the educators in preservation courses are aware of current trends in digital preservation, most of them have not obtained formal degree certification specific to digital preservation. The findings further revealed that minimal digital preservation competencies are observed in the teaching curricula. A significant number of challenges observed illustrated mainly a lack of resources and limited skills in terms of practical demonstrations by educators. The curricula mostly lacked clarity on long-term and short-term digital preservation. The study recommends that DLIS and other institutions should conduct surveys or curriculum auditing on digital preservation in order to improve the teaching content. A significant number of shortcomings regarding digital preservation that could motivate further studies are also discussed under the conclusion and recommendations section of this study.
Open Access Institutional Repository (OA/IR) Security and Ethical Encounters
Authors: Chiparausha Blessing , Chisita Collence Takaingenhamo
Published: July 2020

The article probes security and ethical issues encountered by the library of the Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE), Zimbabwe, in the daily operations of its institutional repository (IR). The digital era has resulted in innovative scholarly publishing and communication models that are transforming the teaching, learning, and research landscape on a global scale. The study employed a qualitative approach to generate descriptive data on security and ethical challenges experienced at the BUSE library. Research data were collected through document analysis of existing library reports, reports from the library’s information and communication technology (ICT) staff, and focus group discussions. The research population was drawn from library ICT staff and librarians. The researchers used a case study design to explore the research problem. The BUSE library established an IR for the purposes of archiving and enabling open access to its scholarly output. The study revealed that there were legal and ethical issues undermining the security and ethical use of the BUSE IR, particularly cyber threats and unauthorised access. The study makes recommendations on how to overcome the challenges in order to enhance the security of the IR.
Informetrics Education in Library and Information Science (LIS) Departments at Universities in South Africa
Authors: Zungu Nkosingiphile , Ocholla Dennis N.
Published: July 2020

This study sought to explore informetrics education in Library and Information Science (LIS) departments at universities in South Africa. We adopted the pragmatic epistemology and pluralistic ontology for our study. The mixed research methods we employed were survey and content analysis. The survey comprised a questionnaire by means of which we collected data from the LIS heads of department (HODs) and informetrics lecturers, and we employed content analysis to analyse the content of course outlines. The study’s population was the LIS departments at the surveyed tertiary education institutions in South Africa. Nine LIS departments were targeted, and eight of them responded. At the time of the study, five of the nine LIS departments were found to offer informetrics education, namely those at the University of Cape Town, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Limpopo, University of the Western Cape, and University of Zululand. We established that the LIS department at the University of Zululand was the only department that offered informetrics education as an autonomous module/course as part of the full LIS programme. Other LIS departments offered it as a chapter or a unit in a module, and the University of Limpopo offered it at an undergraduate level. We found that the institutions surveyed offered informetrics education at different study levels and notches and that there was no uniformity in the content of the informetrics courses across the institutions’ LIS departments. Our findings indicated that the blended learning method was widely used, comprising case studies, group discussions, and online teaching and learning methods. We found that the various LIS departments experienced challenges (e.g. teaching capacity, student preparedness, and ICT support), and we suggested solutions to meet these challenges. We noted that informetrics education in South Africa was limited and we recommended more awareness creation, curricula development, short courses and awareness of global trends.
Information Needs of Women Subsistence Farmers in a Village in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
Authors: Zimu-Biyela Acquinatta , Van der Walt Thomas , Dube Luyanda
Published: July 2020

This article reports on findings of a study that was conducted to establish the information needs of women subsistence or smallholder farmers and the various information sources they consulted to resolve their information needs. The study was qualitative, and a grounded theory design was used. Focus group interviews and observation were used to collect data from 14 women crop farmers and three women livestock keepers. The farmer-to-farmer extension (FFE) model was adopted to understand the information-seeking behaviours of women farmers and how they can be improved, if need be. The findings revealed that while the women crop farmers needed help with seeds, soil treatment and the protection of crops from pests and stray animals, they needed more information on drought preparedness and management, and, on how to transform from subsistence to commercial farming. Women livestock keepers needed information on livestock feeds, the treatment of various ailments, and disaster preparedness and management. In addition, they needed the reintegration of the extension officer. It also transpired that local libraries were not responding to the information needs of farmers. The main source of information was oral communication. The use of radio, television, cell phones and extension officers was limited. This study echoes other studies which propose it is important that libraries, non-government organisations (NGOs) and extension officers respond to the information needs of smallholder farmers, especially women.
Use of the Institutional Repository by Academics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal
Authors: Mutsvunguma Grace , Hoskins Ruth Geraldine
Published: July 2020

This study examined the extent of use of the institutional repository (IR) by academics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). The following research questions were addressed: What progress has been achieved to support the use of the university’s IR? What is the attitude of academics towards self-archiving? What challenges are hindering repository use at UKZN? What strategies can be employed to improve acceptance and use of the repository at UKZN? A mixed method research approach was adopted. A questionnaire was designed to gather quantitative data from academics, while qualitative data were sought from management and administrative staff of the university through interviews. Documents and statistical data from online websites were incorporated to corroborate field data. The study findings revealed that the signing of the Berlin Declaration, employment of a full-time IR librarian, updating of the DSpace, development of an online submission guide, and ongoing training and awareness programmes, were achieved to support the use of the IR. Academics’ attitude towards IR use was positive but was hampered by limited knowledge of OA and the benefits of uploading scholarly content on the IR, limited skill for self-archiving, and lack of time to upload content on the IR. Use of other OA platforms by some academics, such as subject repositories, personal websites and social media platforms like ResearchGate, Academia and Mendeley, took their attention away from the university’s IR. The study concluded that, with improved training, the implementation of a mandating OA policy and a reward system, use of the repository by academics at UKZN could improve.
African Traditional Medicine Research between 1998 and 2018: An Informetrics Analysis in South Africa
Authors: Odede Israel
Published: July 2020

Traditional knowledge, especially with health-related issues, has become crucial across the world. This can be attributed to the assistance which humans and animals now require. In Africa, traditional healers have strived to offer health remedies through the support of plants with the aim of curing different ailments believed to have been either inherited or caused by attack from spiritual forces. This, to an ordinary person, is difficult to understand; hence the assistance and support of traditional healers play an important role in the treatment of health issues for many people, irrespective of the context. This is commonly referred to as “African traditional medicine” (ATM), being a holistic healthcare system that has attracted numerous researchers. Nonetheless, there is still a paucity of updated, comprehensive collation of research conducted across South Africa. The study that directed this article aimed to assess the publication trends on ATM between 1998 and 2018. The study used interpretive document analysis, where data were harvested from the Web of Science Citation Index Expanded. Findings indicate that 469 documents were retrieved from the database, and the majority of published papers were research articles. A downward trend in terms of the number of publications in 2018 was of concern, considering efforts that were made to encourage research in traditional medicine in South Africa. Results indicate that social sciences contributed the highest number of research publications, while the universities of KwaZulu-Natal, Witwatersrand and Pretoria were the top three contributors with the largest number of publications. The study recommends integrating traditional medicine into the curricula of all South African universities.
African Language Material in Institutional Repositories: Visibility and Scholarly Impact
Authors: Bangani Siviwe , Moyo Mathew
Published: July 2020

Various international organisations such as the United Nations and the African Union recognise the value of language in development, peacebuilding and reconciliation. Language is also recognised in planning policies of countries such as South Africa where the National Development Plan of the country seeks to ensure that every citizen learns at least one African language by 2030. This paper sought to determine the availability, impact and visibility of African language material hosted by institutional repositories (IRs) at public universities in South Africa. Informetrics methods were applied using data obtained from DSpace, Google Scholar and ResearchGate to determine the impact and visibility. The most important findings were that 65.2 per cent of public university IRs had at least one African language document in their IRs. Overall, only 0.16 per cent of documents in public university IRs were in African languages. A total of 16 per cent of African language documents hosted by these IRs are in ResearchGate. This study appears to be the first to determine the visibility of African language documents hosted by IRs in South Africa in ResearchGate and their citation impact in Google. This study will add value to the literature on the role of academic libraries in preserving indigenous languages, knowledge, and culture.
University of Ilorin Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of the Usefulness and Challenges regarding Computer-Based Testing
Authors: Rabiu Nafisa , Kehinde Adetola , Amuda Halimah Odunayo , Kadiri Kehinde Kadijat
Published: July 2020

This study investigated the perceptions of undergraduate students at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, of the usefulness and challenges associated with computer-based testing. The population for the study consisted of undergraduate students at the University of Ilorin. According to the data collected from the Directorate of Academic Planning at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, the population of undergraduate students for the 2017/2018 academic session was 43 983. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample. A questionnaire was used as data collection instrument. The findings from the study showed that using a web-based assessment system contributed positively to the undergraduate students’ academic achievements while the majority of them preferred taking all their exams with the web-based assessment system. The findings further revealed that to the undergraduate students, CBT is an interesting technique in examinations and makes the taking of examinations easier. Also, there is high level of competence among undergraduate students with regard to possession of the required skills for CBT examinations. Delays in the commencement of the exams, power failures at the CBT centre and overcrowding are major challenges encountered by the students taking CBT examinations. One of the study recommendations was that the university management should endeavour to eliminate the delays in the commencement of tests by providing assessment timetables which should be strictly adhered to.
Computer Literacy, User Education and Online Searching Skills: Predictors for Undergraduates’ Use of E-Resources in Al-Hikmah University
Authors: Amuda Halimah Odunayo , Kehinde Adetola Ayotunde , Abdul Hadi Ayodeji , Onanuga Ayotola Olubunmi
Published: July 2020

This study examined how computer literacy, user education and online searching skills could assist undergraduate students at Al-Hikmah University to benefit from the e-resources of the libraries. The study adopted the survey design method using the Raosoft online sample size calculator with a 17% precision level and a 95% confidence level. In all, 185 undergraduate students were sampled for the study. A simple random sampling technique was used to arrive at the sample. Data was collected using a questionnaire and the data was subsequently analysed using SPSS version 21.0. The study discovered a significant relationship between computer literacy skills and the use of electronic resources among the undergraduates in the study. It was discovered that there was no significant relationship between undergraduates’ perception of user education and the use of electronic resources. A significant relationship was also discovered between online searching skills and the use of electronic resources among the students, while computer literacy, user education and online searching skills had a joint effect on the use of e-resources among the students. The study revealed that the majority of the respondents (74.1%) rated insufficient ICT (information and communications technology) infrastructure as the main hindrance to undergraduates’ usage of e-resources, followed by a lack of support to use the e-resources (71.8%); slow internet connectivity (69.1%) was rated third; the high cost of access to databases (68.0%) was rated fourth; power outages and restricted access to e-resources received the same rating (64.7%) while low computer literacy skills (56.9%) received the lowest rating. Similarly, it was concluded that computer literacy, user education and online searching skills influence the usage of e-resources among undergraduates at Al-Hikmah University. The study   recommended that facilitators of user education should ensure that students are well tutored and equipped with relevant computer literacy and online searching skills. In order to eliminate the factors inhibiting the usage of e-resources among undergraduates at Al-Hikmah University, management of the university and the library should ensure that challenges facing the undergraduates in the use of e-resources are addressed.
Nas fronteiras da linguagem, uma geração
Authors: Orlandi Eni Puccinelli
Published: July 2020

Tendo como tema a busca da liberdade, analiso, nesse texto, através da relação política e música, acontecimentos discursivos produzidos nos anos 1968/1969. Estas análises me propiciam falar da geração dessa época como uma geração da rebeldia e da responsabilidade. Geração que, nas fronteiras da linguagem, mesclam rebeldia e resistência. Resulta, desse percurso de análise que fiz, a compreensão dos múltiplos sentidos de liberdade.
A Linguística, esta ciência que nos identifica e nos envolve
Authors: Mateus Maria Helena Mira
Published: July 2020

A parte inicial da conferência desenvolve e exemplifica a afirmação de que, no âmbito do estudo da linguagem, sempre conviveram diversas formas de conhecimento que vão das abordagens filosóficas e históricas às construções teóricas e formalizadas, passando pelas descrições pré-teoréticas e pelas aplicações em domínios de grande diversidade. Na segunda parte da conferência apresentam-se instrumentos de análise linguística decorrentes da interação entre lógica e matemática. Em relação à investigação atual, explicitam-se alguns exemplos da contribuição da ciência genética para a discussão da natureza da linguagem e apresentam-se as perspetivas criacionista e evolucionista como campos de investigação na aquisição de sistemas de conhecimento, com especial menção à aquisição da linguagem.
L2 Speech Learning
Authors: Wang Xinchun
Published: July 2020

Adult L2 learners have difficulties in perceiving and producing L2 speech sounds. In analyzing learners’ L2 speech learning problems, this study provides research data from a series of studies on L2 speech perception, production, and training. Section 1 investigates how the L1 sound system influences L2 speech perception. A recent study shows that phonetic differences and distances between English and Mandarin consonants predicted the perceptual problems of Mandarin consonants by native English learners of Chinese. Section 2 explores the relationship between L2 speech perception and production and reports a subsequent study on Mandarin consonants that shows English learners of Chinese performed better in perception than production on Mandarin retroflex sounds but vice versa on palatal sounds. The lack of alignment between perception and production suggests the relationship between L2 speech perception and production is not straightforward. In Section 3, two training experiments are reported and compared to explore the effects of phonetic training on the learning of English vowel and Mandarin tone contrasts.
Old Story, New Results and Analyses
Authors: Roeper Tom , Maia Marcus , França Aniela Improta
Published: July 2020

An eye-tracking and an electrophysiological experiment using  a sentence/picture matching task were carried out in order to assess whether there would be significant differences between semantic restrictiveness properties of Prepositional Phrases (PPs) vis-à-vis those of Relative Clauses (RCs), attached as modifiers respectively to a local PP or to a non-local DP (e.g. the horse with the parrot with brown spots/the horse with the parrot that has brown spots). Two hypotheses were entertained, namely, (i) an operator construction such as an RC would be construed non-locally, that is, would   attach high as a default, even if there is semantic bias attracting it to a low attachment; (ii) a light constituent (PP) has no prosodic autonomy and will be more available to local attachment and therefore would tend to attach locally as a default, even if there is semantic bias attracting it to a high attachment. Results in both experiments were in favor of the hypotheses and we speculate whether they could be more deeply grounded into the representational alternatives projected by linguistic theory itself.