Browsing by Author "Polak, Fiona Margaret."

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African identity in the making : the role of the centre for African literary studies as a special collection of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2016) Polak, Fiona Margaret.; Stilwell, Christine.; Underwood, Peter Graham.; Hoskins, Ruth Geraldine Melonie.
Libraries contain many collections but professional practice has long recognised the concept of ‘special collections’. The Centre for African Literary Studies (CALS) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) initially came into being to house the Bernth Lindfors Collection, the private collection of a retired professor of English from the University of Texas in Austin. Special collections can be hindered in their ability to fulfil their role as custodians of heritage and conveyors of knowledge owing to a number of factors, such as policy decisions and/or elements included in existing policies. The directors of such centres often have ambition but are handicapped in their ability to carry out their plans by various administrative challenges which can put the centres at risk. In terms of the research problem central to the study, this study explored exactly what the role of CALS as a UKZN special collection constitutes and in what way the Centre is able to fulfil its role in facilitating and enabling African Studies at UKZN and in the broader community. The study investigated these potential challenges, including factors which impede access, such as ‘hidden collections’. Challenges included financial constraints, staffing, collection development policies (including Africanisation), repatriation of collections, preservation strategies, and accessibility, including physical and space issues, and digitisation. The study employed methodological triangulation which included a literature search, documentary analysis, and survey research using questionnaires and interviews. The population constituted undergraduate and postgraduate English- and isiZulu-speaking students and researchers who have used CALS; present and ex-staff members; the original owners of the two largest CALS collections; the initial founders of CALS; as well as the current and ex-directors. The study ascertained that CALS was originally established as a separate centre on the Pietermaritzburg campus to “symbolically” make a statement, and as branding to attract postgraduate students in South Africa doing research in African literary studies to Pietermaritzburg. This would give the humanities in Pietermaritzburg “the edge in a highly competitive market”. The study established that CALS is underutilised by postgraduate students and researchers. The majority of usage is from isiZulu-speaking undergraduates, owing to the establishment of the isiZulu Literary Museum at CALS, which has proved successful in drawing isiZulu-speaking undergraduate students. The researcher was only able to identify a handful of national and international researchers which undermines the original motive for the establishment of CALS which is to facilitate and promote the study of African literature and thus enable UKZN in its endeavour to become “The Premier University of African Scholarship”. The most significant finding of the survey was the original noble vision of the founders to create a centre that boosts the humanities and African literature at UKZN and especially on the Pietermaritzburg campus, has been restricted by funding and staffing constraints. The Centre was established as an external funding centre that has proved unsustainable. This has had a negative impact on the endeavours of CALS’s directors who, despite great effort, have been significantly handicapped in their endeavours to manage CALS through lack of institutional support, funding and staff tenure.
Copyright and digital music collections in South Africa.
(2009) Polak, Fiona Margaret.; Leach, Athol Brian.
The crux of the research problem for this study pertains to the fact that, as the world moves towards a digital age, it is imperative that we gain insight into the current copyright laws which govern the transferring of music from the old analogue form to the new digital formats. In terms of the research problem, this study explores the South African Copyright Act No. 98 of 1978 as it pertains to the transferring of sound recordings from analogue to digital format. The study also examined digital copyright laws for sound recordings in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia as well as major copyright conventions and treaties as these international copyright laws impact on the South African situation, especially in terms of reciprocity. Furthermore, the study addressed the issue of balancing the rights between copyright holders and the public good in the preservation and dissemination of knowledge in the digital age. The study employed methodological triangulation which included a literature search, a questionnaire and informal interviews. The population constituted 16 music librarians and two legal librarians who were surveyed. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were employed. Considering the size of the population (18) the results of a self-administered questionnaire were analysed using a calculator. Data collected for the informal interviews was analysed qualitatively. The study revealed that music librarians in South Africa are not well-versed in South African copyright law, especially as it applies to sound recordings. Guidelines, based on the South African Copyright Act No. 98 of 1978, and specifically for South African music librarians, have been formulated concerning both print and the actual sound recordings. It is important for the music librarian to take note that the composition of songs in a sound recording has an individual copyright that is separate from the copyright of the sound recording. Further copyrights can also exist in, for example, the sleeve of an album. It is anticipated that the guidelines will give clarity to music librarians on South African digital copyright legislation with regard to sound recordings.