QUESTION 1 [50 MARKS] Channels of distributing information for leisure reading in libraries

Themba Public Library is located in one of the rural areas of Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape. The library has been serving the community for decades, providing access to a variety of books, magazines, and other reading materials. With the rise of digital media and the evolving reading habits of the community, the library is exploring new distribution channels to promote leisure reading. The library’s goal is to ensure that all members of the community, including those with disabilities, have access to leisure reading materials in formats that suit their preferences and needs. The library is considering multiple distribution channels to improve access to leisure reading materials such as, physical distribution, digital distribution, outreach programmes, assistive technology, community events and book clubs.Based on the above case study, answer the questions below:

1.1 P hy s ic a l dis tribution (1 0 )

1.1.1 What can the library do to ensure that physical distribution channels remain relevant in the digital age? (3)
1.1.2 What strategies can the library implement to make books accessible to underserved communities? (4)
1.1.3 How would you propose the library balance the cost of maintaining the physical collections with the need to invest in digital resources? (3)

1.2 Digital dis tribution (10 )

1.2.1 What challenges might the library face in expanding its digital distribution channels, and how can these be addressed? (4)
1.2.2 How can the library ensure that digital reading materials are accessible to all community members, including those with disabilities? (3)
1.2.3 What role does data privacy play in the library’s digital distribution strategy, especially concerning personalised recommendations? (3)

1.3 Outre a c h programmes (1 0 )

1.3.1 Explain how the library can measure the success of its outreach programs in promoting leisure reading? (3)
1.3.2 What partnerships could the library form to enhance the effectiveness of its outreach programmes? (4)
1.3.3 What outreach efforts can the library engage in to meet the specific needs of different community groups? (3)

1.4 Ass is tive tec hnology (10 )

1.4.1 Describe the key considerations that librarians should apply when selecting assistive technology for users. (3)
1.4.2 Give an indication of how librarians can raise awareness of the assistive technologies available to users. (3)
1.4.3 What training and support should the librarians offer to ensure that users can effectively use assistive technologies for leisure reading? (4)

1.5 Community e v e nts and book c lubs ( 1 0 )

1.5.1 What strategies can librarians use to encourage more community members to participate in book clubs and reading events? (4)
1.5.2 What activities can you propose librarians use to make book clubs and reading events more inclusive and welcoming to diverse audiences? (4)
1.5.3 How can librarians leverage community events to promote other distribution channels for leisure reading? (2)

QUESTION 2 [50 MARKS]

User study and user behaviour in a university library

The MT Frere University Library is conducting a user study to understand how students, faculty, and staff interact with library resources and services. The goal is to identify patterns in user behaviour, preferences, and challenges to enhance the library’s offerings. With an increasing shift towards digital resources and remote access, the librarians are particularly interested in how these changes affect user behaviour and what can be done to improve the overall user experience. Librarians have noticed a decline in physical visits and needs to determine the cause.

To explore the problem of user engagement and changes in user behaviour in more detail, the librarians have decided to engage in a research project. As an expert in user behaviour, they ask you for assistance. Complete the answers below to assist them in understanding the changing behaviour of users of the MT Frere University Library.

2.1 P hy s ic a l v s . digi tal res ourc e us a ge (15 )

2.1.1 What factors would you say influence users’ decisions to choose digital resources over physical ones? (6)
2.1.2 According to your understanding, how does the availability of digital resources in the library impact the frequency of physical visits to the library by users? (4)
2.1.3 What improvements can you recommend to balance the use of physical and digital resources to better serve users’ needs? (5)

2.2 Acc e ss to a nd use of digi tal res ourc es (10 )

2.2.1 What do you think may be the most common challenges users face when accessing digital resources, and how can librarians address these issues? (4)
2.2.2 How do you think users discover and choose digital resources? (3)

2.2.3 What role do you think library-provided search tools and discovery platforms play in the process of finding digital resources? (3)

2.3 Use r ex pe c tation a nd s a tis fac tion (5 )

2.3.1 What are the key factors that influence user satisfaction with the library’s services and resources? (3)
2.3.2 How can the library better align its services with user expectations, particularly in the context of evolving academic and research needs? (2)

2.4 Impa c t of re mote a cce s s a nd online l ea rning (20 )

2.4.1 What challenges do you think users face when accessing library resources remotely, and how can these challenges be mitigated? (5)
2.4.2 How can the shift towards online learning affect user behaviour and expectations regarding library services? (5)
2.4.3 What strategies can the library implement to better support users in a predominantly remote or hybrid learning environment? (10)

SECTION B: Answer any TWO questions from this Section

QUE S TION 3 [25 MARKS]

Using applicable examples, deliberate on critical aspects of the selection of library materials for neo-literates in your community library.

QUE S TION 4 [2 5 MARKS ]

The contexts of readers’ response and media effects indicate that not all readers or user responses are observable.

Confirm or negate this statement by discussing different kinds of readers’ response. Ensure that you use applicable examples and references from authoritative sources to support your views.

QUE S TION 5 [2 5 MARKS]

Discuss the essential factors to consider when selecting fiction and nonfiction for adults. Provide examples and citations from reputable sources to substantiate your answers.

Answers to Above Questions

Answer 1: An analysis of the given scenario of Themba public library indicates that the library needs to consider different strategies in order to ensure that the physical distribution channel remains highly effective even in the digital age. The important strategies include performing an expansion of the physical collection centre, encouraging a borrowing system for books and materials in the remote areas, establishing partnerships with local businesses and schools and many more.

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