Measuring and communicating the value of special libraries in KwaZulu-Natal provincial government departments, Pietermaritzburg.

Abstract

The study examined the various methods used to measure and communicate the value of special libraries in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provincial government departments (PGDs), Pietermaritzburg. The main purpose was to measure the value of special libraries (SLs) in PGDs and communicate this value to management to advocate their need for redevelopment. In terms of literature to demonstrate the value of SLs, there is a paucity of research that explores this problem, especially in the South African context in which the study was based. The models that underpinned this research were strategic measurement, service quality (SERVQUAL), library quality (LibQUAL), and total quality management (TQM) models. The study adopted the pragmatic paradigm and applied a convergent parallel design through a mixed-methods approach. A sample of 369 employees was drawn from a population of 7,866. In addition, six information professionals (IPs) and six heads of departments (HODs) were purposively chosen as participants in the research. Online questionnaires were used to collect data from library users while interview schedules were used to conduct online interviews with the four IPs and the four HODs who participated. To ensure the reliability and validity of the research instruments, pre-tests were conducted with employees who did not form part of the sample. Computer software, that is, SPSS and NVivo, was used to analyze descriptive statistics and thematic content from the findings. The major findings of the study reveal that there was significant awareness of the existence of the SL in the departments; however, the libraries are not being utilized regularly. The lack of library utilization may be due to the quality of the library being below the expected measures by users and below the zone of tolerance as per the desired-minimum (D-M) standard. However, there was a positive gap between service quality expectations and perceptions, which indicated that users expectations were surpassed. Most SLs in government departments are operating with an outdated library policy or framework. Furthermore, there was a lack of methods used to measure and communicate library value to management. According to library users and librarians, not enough attention was paid by management to the development of the library. Conversely, management confirmed the importance of having an effective library and that there is a budget allocated for the libraries in their departments. While there was a significant awareness of the importance of SPLs in PGDs, the lack of an adequate budget to develop these libraries makes them less effective in helping to achieve organizational goals. Some of the libraries under study were found to be strategically aligned to organizational goals. However, there were no methods used by IPs to measure the value of SLs and there was a lack of communication channels to convey the value of SLs to management. The study also established that various aspects of the library and its service affect how users determine the quality of the library. The functions of SLs are diverse based on the objectives of the parent organization. The roles of IPs in a special library involve determining the various methods that support the organization and its employees by enhancing information access. The study concluded that the value of SLs in PGDs is visible; however, the lack of support from management in the development of these libraries hinders the ability of IPs to showcase the significance of these libraries to the organization. The study recommended that SLs in PGDs adopt and implement the proposed strategic framework for measuring and communicating the value of these libraries. Lastly, suggestions for further research were provided such as the need for further research under the same topic conducted with employees from the regional offices of these departments to get their perspectives on the significance of having a library that is only situated at their head offices.