e-journal

Libraries in Dialogue for Transformation and Innovation

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ABSTRACT
This paper is a record of a unique intervention for enhancing the Undergraduate learning experience at Rhodes
University. It will focus on the establishment of the project, the experiences encountered and lessons learned thus far.
In April 2013, a vibrant team of 13 librarians embarked on a Personal Librarian Pilot Project at the Rhodes
University Library. The Personal Librarian Programme is primarily directed at undergraduate students at
Rhodes University. In an attempt to bridge the information literacy skills gap that exists between Senior School and University in South Africa, the idea behind this programme is that each incoming first year student is assigned a Personal Librarian who will remain that individual’s contact in the library throughout his/her academic career at Rhodes University.
The project came about as a result of research exploring the perceptions of both students and lecturers in the Commerce Faculty at Rhodes University with regard to Information Literacy practices and needs (Gontshi,
2011). The study revealed and recorded a shortcoming in the Information Literacy ability of students between
Senior School Level and University Level. It became clear that new University students were not aware of the
important link between their academic studies and the Library which in turn suggested the need to make
Rhodes University librarians and the role that they play in the academic world more obvious to these new
students (Gontshi, 2011). The Personal Librarian Programme was devised to fill this need.
The Librarians involved in this programme include staff from all sections of the Library: circulation, faculty liaison and bibliographic/technical services. The training needs of staff who did not work directly with students were identified and the relevant training provided. The staff from Circulation and Bibliographic/Technical services sections identified a need to advance their knowledge on the use of library from a users’ perspective.
The training focused on the following: “Brainstorming a research topic with a student”; “Identifying relevant
databases to conduct a research topic” and “Conducting a search on relevant databases for the research
3 topic” – this included ‘different ways of devising an effective search technique’. The training ensured a good foundation for these librarians to develop their confidence to work with users.
The project, modeled on a similar programme at the Yale University Library in America, was also a direct
result of Rhodes University Library’s involvement in the Carnegie Research Libraries Consortium (2009 –
2011) and a ten-week internship in the United States, seven weeks of which were spent at Yale University.

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Ketersediaan

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Informasi Detail

Judul Seri

Proceedings of the 15th Annual Conference

No. Panggil

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Penerbit

Cape Town : Cape Town International Conference Centre, Cape Town., 2013

Deskripsi Fisik

Proceedings of the 15th Annual Conference 4-11 October 2013, Cape Town International Conference Centre, Cape Town

Bahasa

English

ISBN/ISSN

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Klasifikasi

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Tipe Isi

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Tipe Media

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Tipe Pembawa

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Edisi

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Subjek

PERPUSTAKAAN DAN INFORMASI

Info Detail Spesifik

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Pernyataan Tanggungjawab

agus

Versi lain/terkait

Lampiran Berkas

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