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Employment requirements & challenges of LIS graduates in public libraries in KZN, South Africa
By
Mpilo S Mthembu and Dennis N Ocholla
[email protected]; [email protected]
Department of Information Studies
University of Zululand, South Africa
Overview
• Background of the study
• Problem and purpose
• Research questions
• Methodology
• Results and discussions
• Conclusions and recommendations
• References
Background of the study• Yadav and Bankar (2016) consider these skills to be “employability skills”.• Raju (2017) refers to those skills as competencies.• A range of employability skills are normally acquired through formal
education e.g. universities and colleges. • While some of these education requirements can be achieved through
formal education, a lot more can be obtained through informal and continuing education.
• The LIS education sector plays a major role in equipping students with the required employability skills for the LIS market.
• Keevey and Higgs (2010: 690 ) states that “We seek an education that can enable people to bring rich collective experiences and abilities to the field”.
• The curricula offered by LIS schools need to be aligned with what is required in the LIS job market.
Categories of the LIS sectorOcholla and Shongwe (2013)
South African libraries• LIS transformation charter (2014) highlights the following libraries in
South Africa:
• National Library with 2 campuses based in Pretoria and Cape Town
• Legal Deposit Libraries – 5
• Public & Community Libraries – 1800 - MAJORITY
• Higher Education Libraries – 23
• School Libraries – of the 25 145 schools only 1817 have functioningschool libraries
• Special libraries (Govt. libraries – 79 and SA Library for the Blind)
KZN provincial public libraries
Theory• The present study used the Core Competency Theory (Selznick, 1957).
• The theory of Core Competency was used in the related studies e.g., Raju (2016) and Raju (2017) and significantly succeeded to determine the LIS professional competencies for the academic sector in South Africa.
• The present study used this theory to determine job requirements in terms of qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills and attitudes as needed by public libraries from LIS graduates/ professionals.
• This theory significantly determine if the LIS education sector is effectively preparing the LIS professionals with the needed and ever changing competencies for the public library job market as one sub-sector forming the LIS market
Problem and purpose• Shortage of skills and lack of training (Library and Information
Services (LIS) Transformation Charter, 2009; Library and Information Services (LIS) Transformation Charter, 2014; Mphidi, 2016).
• Drastic changes in the LIS job profile (Ocholla and Bothma, 2007; Minishi-Majanja, 2009; A G20 training strategy, 2011; Ocholla and Shongwe, 2013; Shongwe, 2014; the LIS Charter, 2014).
• The study is aimed at investigating job requirements of the LIS graduates by public libraries in KZN
Research questions (RQs)
• What are the job functions and requirements of LIS graduates in public libraries based on qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills and attitudes?
• What are the perceptions of employers and LIS graduates on the job requirements of the sector?
• What are the perceptions of LIS graduates and employers about the LIS curriculum?
• What challenges do LIS graduates face with regards to their functions in the workplace?
Research methodology
Results & discussions
Newspapers scanned
Academic qualifications
Qualification gap/ mismatch
57%35%
8%
No
Yes
No response
Work experience
Knowledge requirements
From participants
Skills
A need for new skills
51%41%
8%
Yes
No
No response
AttitudesAttitudes Frequency Percentage (%)
Honesty/trustworthiness 3 8%
positivity 3 8%
Flexibility/adaptability 3 8%
Time-management/punctuality 2 5%
Reliable 1 3%
Patience 1 3%
Eager to learn 1 3%
Good work ethics 1 3%
humbleness 1 3%
Considerate and understanding 1 3%
Respect for others 1 3%
A need for new attitudes
19%
65%
16%
Yes
No
No response
Means for acquiring needed competencies
39%
29%
11%
3%0% 18% training
workshops
mentorships
contacts
other
No response
A need for LIS curricula revision
43%
35%
19%
3%
Yes
No
Not sure
No response
Challenges facing LIS graduates
The use and management of ICTs
LIS institutions dwelling much on the theoretical aspect of
the curriculum offered.
Lack of skills and training programmes.
Conclusions
Majority (85%) of the jobs require job experience of 1-3 years
Knowledge requirements /advertised in the sector does not match with what LIS
schools offer
There is strong demand for generic skills particularly computer literacy and
communication skills
There is a mismatch between qualification and job requirements(57%)
There is still need for new skills(51%). However the skill gap at the job is
insignificant(41%)
No balance(70%) between theory and practice.
There is need for curriculum review (43%).
LIS graduates seem to face a number of challenges including The use and
management of ICTs; LIS institutions dwelling much on the theoretical aspect of the curriculum offered; and Lack of skills and training programmes.
Recommendations
Regular curriculum review and revision in order to meet the rapidly changing information access and user needs.
Duration of experiential learning should be longer than it is at the moment and service learning should be encouraged through voluntarism.
Employment of staff without tertiary qualification in LIS in public libraries requires a review by LIASA and other stakeholders involved.
Development and promotion of continuing education through job training, short courses and workshops.
Public library competency checklist.
Public library competency checklist
Note: 1=Poor; 2=Fair; 3=Good; 4=Very good; 5=Excellent decisive judgement
The End
Thank you
References
• Mthembu, M.S. (2019). Job Requirements and Challenges of LIS Graduates in Public Libraries: A literature Review (under review in Library Philosophy and Practice Journal).
• Mphidi, H. H. (2016). Strategy for South African public libraries to bridge the digital divide (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria).
• Mthembu and Ocholla. (2019). Job requirements and challenges of LIS graduates in public libraries in South Africa. (Master’s thesis).University of Zululand. South Africa.
• Ocholla, D., & Shongwe, M. (2013). An analysis of the library and information science (LIS) job market in South Africa. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 79(1), 35-43.
• Raju, J. (2016, August). Core competencies in LIS education: Professional, generic and personal competencies for the higher education LIS sector. In World Library and Information Congress 82nd IFLA General Conference and Assembly Satellite Meeting Co-organized by the Section on Education and Training and Section on Library Theory and Research, The Conference Centre at OCLC, Dublin, Ohio, USA (Vol. 10).
• Raju, J. (2017). LIS professional competency index for the higher education sector in South Africa.
• Raju, J. 2014. Curriculum content and delivery: South African LIS education responses to a changing information landscape. Paper presented at the 75 Years Commemoration Conference: LIS Education and Research in a Dynamic Information Landscape, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 27-28 November 2014 (to be published as conference proceedings).
• Raju. J. (2015). Curriculum content and delivery: South African LIS education responses to a changing information landscape. In LIS education and research in a dynamic information landscape. C. Bitso & R. Raju, Eds. Cape Town: University of Cape Town Libraries. 21-30. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15641/0-7992-2526-6.
• Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453-465.
• Selznick, P. (1957). Leadership in administration: a sociological interpretation. New York: Harper 7 Row.
Yadav, A. K., & Bankar, P. D. (2016). Employment opportunities in LIS field in India: A content analysis of positions advertised. Annals of Library and Information Studies (ALIS), 63(1), 53-58.
Raju, J. (2016, August). Core competencies in LIS education: Professional, generic and personal competencies for the higher education LIS sector. In World Library and Information Congress 82nd IFLA General Conference and Assembly Satellite Meeting Co-organized by the Section on Education and Training and Section on Library Theory and Research, The Conference Centre at OCLC, Dublin, Ohio, USA (Vol. 10).
Raju, J. (2017). LIS professional competency index for the higher education sector in South Africa.
Keevy, J., & Higgs, P. (2010). Qualifications frameworks in Africa: A critical reflection. South African Journal of Higher Education, 23(4), 690-702.
The Department of Arts and Culture. (2009). The Library and Information Services (LIS) Transformation Charter. Available: http://www.dac.gov.za/sites/default/files/Transformation%20charter-6th%20draft-22102009.pdf [Accessed: 14/07/2017]
Department of Arts and Culture (DAC), National Council for Library and Information Services (NACLIS). (2014). The Library and Information Services (LIS) Transformation Charter.
Ocholla, D., & Shongwe, M. (2013). An analysis of the library and information science (LIS) job market in South Africa. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 79(1), 35-43.
Ocholla, D., & Bothma, T. (2007). Trends, challenges and opportunities for LIS education and training in Eastern and Southern Africa. New library world, 108(1/2), 55-78.
Minishi-Majanja, M.K. (2009). September. Which way for LIS education and training in South Africa? Some considerations from contact and distance learning. In Proceedings of DLIS 10th Annual Conference, University of Zululand, 10-11 September 2009 (pp. 17-34). Available: http://www.lis.uzulu.ac.za/2009/UniZulu%20conference%202009_Minishi-Majanja.pdf [Accessed: 16/06/2017].
International Labour Office. (2010). A skilled workforce for strong, sustainable and balanced growth: A G20 training strategy.
