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Item Provision of relevant information by the Parliament library of Namibia to meet the information needs of members of Namibian Parliament(University of Namibia, 2021) Robert, Hilya Panduleni; Mnubi–Mchombu, Chiku; Shimaneni, JohannesThe Parliament of Namibia library is a legislative and a legal deposit library of the Namibian Parliament (National Assembly and National Council). The purpose of the study was to investigate the roles of the Parliament Library of Namibia in the provision of relevant information to the Namibian Parliamentarians. The main research question of this study was, “To what extent does the Parliament of Namibia library effectively provide relevant and accurate information to the Namibian Members of Parliament to make laws and informed policies?”. The study took place from the was collected through questionnaires from the Members of Parliament and interviews from the two librarians. The total sampled population comprised of 23 Members of Parliament, 10 respondents from the National Assembly and 13 participants from the National Council. The Descriptive Statistical Analysis was used to analyse quantitative data from the questionnaires and SPSS was used for data entry. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data from the interviews. The findings show that Members of Parliament of the National Council are not aware that the Parliament library exists, and they mostly depend on the general public from their constituencies to provide them with information. National Assembly Members of Parliament are aware of the library’s existence but due to time constraints, they are unable to visit the library to access the services. The study came up with recommendation on how to improve the library services.Item Does quality assessment matter in an academic library?: A case study of the University of Namibia library(2021) Niskala, Ritva; Leonard, AnnaReliable tools for measuring service quality and demonstrating the impact of services are becoming more and more important in library sector development. Measuring quality is not only an administrative factor. In-depth quality assessment is also needed for a library to inclusively identify and respond to current and emerging needs of its stakeholders and various user groups. In this context, the paper analyses quality assessment methods used in the University of Namibia (UNAM) Library from 2012 – 2019 with the main focus on the international standardised customer satisfaction LibQUAL+ survey, carried out in 2012 and 2014. The paper provides an analytical assessment of the use of LibQUAL+ at UNAM library, describing challenges, benefits and outcomes of the use of the method. The authors conclude that LibQUAL+ proved to be a very informative tool providing critical information for strategic planning. The use of a scientifically developed standardised tool had the additional advantage that the institution’s management trusted the results. The paper further discusses the practical implications of how the results of LibQUAL+ informed strategic planning and improvement of services, presents an analysis of the reasons for discontinuation the use of LibQUAL+ instrument, and concludes with a brief description of complementary methods that can be used to assess aspects that customer satisfaction-based methods do not cover, namely external quality reviews and benchmarking. The purpose of the paper is to provide an analytical view of challenges and benefits of quality assessment processes in one academic library for the benefit of strategic planning processes in other librariesItem Access to information for people with albinism: Issues, challenges and resolutions(2021) Ngula, Anna Kaukowe; Bitso, ConnieAlbinism is an inherited genetic condition that reduces the amount of melanin pigment formed in the skin, hair and eyes. The difference in appearance between pigmented people and those with albinism is often the object of inaccurate and harmful beliefs about the condition. These beliefs are fuelled by myths, lack of knowledge and understanding. In recent years, it has cost people with albinism (PWA) severely with the mutilation of their body parts and killings in some countries in Africa. PWA challenges include discrimination, stigmatisation, derogative naming, skin cancer, visual impairment, rejection, and social exclusion in fundamentals such as healthcare, education, and employment. Also, access to information remains a challenge to PWA due to poor eyesight and myths associated with the condition, making it difficult for society to openly discuss albinism issues and share information with those in need. The study explored PWA’s challenges, parents of children with albinism (CWA) and organisations that serve PWA in Khomas region Namibia when accessing information. The researchers adopted the interpretivism paradigm and employed a qualitative approach. Data was collected through individual face to face interviews with all the participants. Sixteen participants, both male and female, took part in the study. The fi ndings show that PWA encounter problems when accessing information. These include lack of awareness of information sources coupled with poor eyesight for PWA and reading of information in small fonts that are not provided in alternative formats. The immediate sustainable resolution is delivering inclusive information services that avail health information in multimedia formats to accommodate people with challenges such as visual impairments and other forms of impairments. Although far-fetched, a change in mind-set and negative attitude to PWA, especially in Africa, is critical.Item Barrier on access to archives by people with disabilities and inclusive solutions: A review of literature(2021) Mosweu, Olefhile; Ngula, Anna KaukoweAccess to archives by members of the public is essential in promoting democracy, accountability, good governance and civic engagement. It is normally provided for by archival legislation. It is also vital in fostering an informed society. The International Council on Archives’ (ICA) Principles on Access to Archives further also nurtures access to archives by all, regardless of their physical health, race and religious affiliation, just to cite a few. However, literature has shown that people with disabilities (PWDs) are denied access to archives due to existing barriers. These include unfriendly building infrastructure and challenges related to physical disabilities, visual impairment, and hearing impairment or other physical coordination. This study is based on a review of literature, and it seeks to identify barriers on access to archives by PWDs and inclusive solutions geared towards facilitating access to archives. Qualitative in terms of the research approach, the study uses the ICA Principles on Access to Archives as a theoretical lens to identify barriers on access to archives by People with Disabilities ((PWDs) and to determine the inclusive solutions required to promote access to archives by PWDs.Item Inclusiveness of academic libraries: The case of assistive and adaptive technologies(2021) Kiana, Lucy; Ujakpa, Martin Mabeifam; Leonard, AnnaThis study assessed the state of inclusiveness of academic libraries in Namibia and Ghana by examining the adoption of assistive and adaptive technologies in their spaces and services to cater for users with disabilities. Applying a quantitative design approach, data were collected though face to face interviews from a sample of 12 library staff , 7 lecturers and 9 disabled students. The study found that the state of adoption of assistive and adaptive technologies is poor. Very minimum assistive and adaptive technologies are available in the libraries. Several reasons accounted for the minimum ATs in libraries but most prominent among them is lack of knowledge on ATs. As a result of this, library inclusion in terms of ATs ranged from very poor to fair. Lack of policy and financial constraints were cited as barriers for creating inclusive libraries. The study recommends the formulation and implementation of policies governing libraries to make them more inclusive; provision of adequate funds to academic libraries to enable them to incorporate assistive and adaptive technologies in their spaces and services. This study used a few university libraries from Namibia and Ghana and hence generalizing the result should be done with caution. Future studies should include more libraries including national and community libraries. This study has made a significant contribution in the understanding of the adoption of assistive technologies by academic libraries in providing spaces and services to users with disabilities. The findings and recommendations could also benefit similar academic libraries and further research in developing countries.Item Collection development practices at institutions of higher learning in Namibia with special reference to electronic resources: The case of the University of Namibia library(2021) Ashilungu, Maria; Onyancha, BosireCollection development is one of the critical activities of any library management process. The goal of collection development in university libraries is to effectively provide relevant and up to date information resources. The purpose of the study was to investigate the collection development practices at the University of Namibia (UNAM) library (and its constituent branches) with special reference to the electronic resources. The study population comprised of 291 teaching staff from all eight faculties of UNAM. A total number of 149 faculty members responded to the survey, which gave a response rate of 51.2%, while a total number of 16 library staff were interviewed. The study was largely quantitative, with qualitative data being collected to supplement the quantitative data. For quantitative data collection, the study used a self-administered questionnaire, while for qualitative data, the study used an interview schedule with library staff . The study found that not all faculty members were aware of the guidelines, procedures and policies on the collection development activities. Eighty-one percent (81%) of faculty members were aware of the importance of their role in selecting library materials. As a result, a high percentage of respondents (62.4%) have been involved in collection development activities with librarians. The main factors influencing collection development at UNAM, according to the faculty members, are: budget allocated for e-resources, communication between librarians and the faculty members, and procedures of placing orders for resources.Item Constructivist assistive technology in a mathematics classroom for the deaf(ACM Digital Library, 2019-09) Abiatal, Loide J.;Within the context of almost nine million children with hearing disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa, their education is an important topic. The problem was the lack of conclusive research about the effects of digital assistive technologies for educating deaf learners in Sub-Saharan African countries, such as Namibia. The question was could a digital assistive technology improve the mathematics achievement of deaf children? The research objective was to gather scientific evidence by conducting a quantitative experiment with constructivist digital assistive technology and qualitative interviews with the teachers involved. The findings from the experiment suggest that the constructivist digital assistive technology may have had a positive effect on the mathematics achievement of the learners, which was supported by the findings from the interviews. This makes an original contribution to the domain and offers an intervention that was feasible, practical and potentially effective for improving the teaching and learning of mathematics for deaf learners.Item Strong libraries, strong societies: The role of libraries in socio-economic development(University of Namibia Library, 2015) Mandl, Helen; Lukileni, Ndahambelela H.; Niskala, RitvaWhat is a strong library in an African context? How are libraries contributing to improving the fabric of society? How are librarians adapting and changing the services they offer? The first Namibia Library Symposium brought together speakers from across Africa and Europe to discuss these questions. In addition to acknowledging challenges and issues facing libraries in developing or transitioning nations, the speakers highlight the tremendous ability of libraries to change lives. Some of these changes may seem small but each crumb of knowledge can empower individuals and communities, providing opportunities for education, for employment, for establishing a small business and for encouragement. The capacity of libraries to contribute to social and economic growth and provide a strong foundation for a knowledge based society is emphasised in these papers that will inform and inspire the reader.