Library consortia and Zimbabwe's national development agenda

297 Pages·2017·8.9 MB·English

Library consortia and Zimbabwe's national development agenda: Librarians’
views on constructing a suitable model

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COLLENCE TAKAINGENHAMO CHISITA

(HDip LIS, BA Eng & Communication Studies, MSc LIS)
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN INFORMATION SCIENCE
in the
Department of Information Science, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and
Information Technology

August 2016
©UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
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ABSTRACT

The development of library Consortia in Zimbabwe was necessitated by the need to
reduce subscription costs and to widen access to electronic resources as well as
implement new technologies among academic libraries. The development of
Zimbabwe University Library Consortium (ZULC) and College and Research Library
Consortium (CARLC) enabled libraries to cooperate and collaborate in building
capacity to support teaching, learning and research through access to quality
scholarly information. The trajectory of consortia development in Zimbabwe since
2002 has however been characterised by a focus on the academic sector to the
exclusion of other types of libraries. The future development of library consortia in
Zimbabwe can be better envisioned when correlated with the country’s national
development agenda. While not made explicit, this agenda is underpinned by the
idea of access to information.

This study investigated how the benefits of the existing library consortia can be

harnessed to promote the achievement of Zimbabwe’s national development goals.

More specifically, it examined the ways that the development paths of ZULC and
CARLC can be transformed to support the country’s national development agenda
and programmes. This culminated in a model that will accelerate and guide the
future development of its library consortia to facilitate a supporting developmental
role. The novel aspect of this study is that it seeks to integrate library consortia into
the national development plans of a developing country and to extend their benefits
as widely as possible.

An extensive literature review of the characteristics, models, and development of
consortia in selected countries was complemented by an empirical mixed-method
component that generated data through interviews, questionnaires, observation, and
the analysis of key documents. A special feature of the study is a detailed analysis of
the successes and challenges of library consortia in other countries and in the
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Southern African region to supplement the empirical data that informs the proposed
model. The main finding is that a model with a multi-type structure and a National
Coordinating Committee is best to transform the development paths of Zimbabwe’s
academic library consortia to support the country’s national development agenda.
The model’s key elements are finance, structure, governance, functions, and special
features.

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DECLARATION

Student number: 10683870
I, Collence Takaingenhamo Chisita declare that:

1. This thesis is my own original work. Where other people’s work has been
used (either from a printed source, internet or any other source), this has
been properly acknowledged and referenced in accordance with the
requirements as stated in the University's plagiarism prevention policy.

2. This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other
university.

3. I have not used another student’s past written work to hand in as my own.

4. I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the
intention of passing it off as his or her own work.

Signed: Date: August 2016

Supervisor: Prof. Archie Dick Signed:

______________________
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DEDICATION
You cannot carry out fundamental change without a certain amount of madness. In
this case, it comes from nonconformity, the courage to turn your back on the old
formulas, the courage to invent the future. It took the madmen of yesterday for us to
be able to act with extreme clarity today. I want to be one of those madmen. We
must dare to invent the future.(Thomas Sankara, 1985:141-4)

I dedicate this study to my late mother Mrs. Stella Mushowo, my wife Maryjain, my
beautiful children Tatenda, Kudakwashe and Munotida, my students and village
mates in Mutoko, and fellow professionals the world over who are my sources of
inspiration as I navigate space and time.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I wish to thank the heavenly powers for giving me the energy
and inspiration to produce this work. I also wish to express my genuine appreciation
to my supervisor Professor Archie Dick for the support and productive criticism and
most of all, for his unfailing patience, sagacious guidance and encouragement right
through the study. I would also like to acknowledge and thank the Engineer. T.
Mudondo, the Principal at Harare Polytechnic for the support and encouragement.

I would also like to thank Mr. Lawrence Chikwanha former ZULC Chairperson,
and currently the Librarian at Great Zimbabwe University and Mr. Edgar
Makowe and Ronald Munatsi from CARLC for the encouragement and support.
Special thanks also goes to Doctor Ruby Magoswongwe from the University of
Zimbabwe, Dr. Isaiah Munyoro from the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Mr.Peter
Chimanda , Mr.Mashoko Muchenje, Mrs. Nhambura , Mr. Gadzikwa and Mr.
Alexander Rusero for spurring my mind to bring the research to its conclusion.

Special thanks also go to Messer’s Masimba Muziringa and Blessing Chiparaushe
from the University of Zimbabwe and Bindura University of Science Education,
Stephen Mushonga and Kenneth Mangemba for providing material, virtual, and
intellectual support to conduct this study. I would also like to thank Mrs. Jane
Reece my former lecturer in Information Science for laying the foundation for my
love for Information Science and the constructive words of encouragement. My
gratitude goes to Manoj Kumar from INFLIBNET Centre Gandinaga “Shodganga”
Gujarat, Shri Ram from Thapar University, Jim Neal current ALA President Camille
L. Callison, Indigenous Services Librarian at the University of Manitoba Canada for
providing prompt advice.

This research could not have been possible without assistance from Nyasha W.
Manhanga from the Information Technology Unit at Harare Polytechnic for providing
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technical support. Special thanks go to institutional research participants - your
responses contributed to the success of this study. Also, many thanks go to Tonderai
and Rutendo for supporting me during my stay in South Africa. Dawn Taljaard from
University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Engineering Built Environment and Information
Technology, I thank you for being so helpful.

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Table of Contents
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................... ii
DECLARATION ........................................................................................................ iv
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................. v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... vi
LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................. xvii
LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................. xvii
LIST OF ACRONYMS ........................................................................................... xviii
1 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .................................................................... 1
1.1 Background of the study .................................................................................. 1
1.2 Some factors contributing to the growth of library consortia ........................... 2
1.2.1 Growth of information ............................................................................... 2
1.2.2 Libraries as learning organizations ........................................................... 6

1.2.3 Information and Communication Technologies ........................................ 7

1.2.4 Demands of users .................................................................................. 10
1.2.5 Increasing Costs ..................................................................................... 11
1.3 Library Consortia in Zimbabwe and national development ............................ 13
1.4 Research questions ....................................................................................... 16
1.4.1 Main Research Question ........................................................................ 16
1.4.2 Subsidiary Research Questions ............................................................. 16
1.5 Benefits of the study ...................................................................................... 17
1.6 Limitations of the study .................................................................................. 17
1.7 Research Methodology .................................................................................. 17
1.8 Research sites ............................................................................................... 18
1.9 Target Groups ............................................................................................... 19
1.10 Literature review and documentary analysis .............................................. 19
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1.11 Questionnaires ........................................................................................... 20
1.12 Interviews ................................................................................................... 21
1.13 Definitions of the key terms used in the study ............................................ 21
1.14 Overview of Chapters ................................................................................ 24
1.14.1 Chapter One: Introduction ................................................................... 24
1.14.2 Chapter 2: Goals, ccharacteristics and models of Library Consortia .. 24
1.14.3 Chapter 3: Development of library consortia in selected countries .... 24
1.14.4 Libraries and library consortia development in Zimbabwe .................. 25
1.14.5 Chapter 5: Research Methodology ..................................................... 25
1.14.6 Chapter 6: Data Analysis and Interpretation ....................................... 25
1.14.7 Chapter Six: Successes and challenges of library consortia in Africa
and other parts of the world .............................................................................. 27
1.14.8 Chapter 7: Model for library consortia in Zimbabwe ............................ 27
1.14.9 Chapter 8: Findings, Recommendations, and Conclusions ................ 27
1.15 Summary.................................................................................................... 27
2 CHAPTER TWO: GOALS, CHARACTERISTICS, AND MODELS OF LIBRARY
CONSORTIA ............... ............................................................................................. 29

2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 29
2.2 Library Co-operation ...................................................................................... 30
2.3 Consortia goals and objectives ...................................................................... 35
2.4 Characteristics of Library Consortia ............................................................... 38
2.5 E-resources and library consortia ................................................................ 41
2.6 Benefits of library consortia ........................................................................... 44
2.6.1 Resource-sharing Benefits ..................................................................... 45
2.6.2 Subscription benefits .............................................................................. 48
2.6.3 Consortial Purchasing benefits ............................................................... 49
2.7 Consortia Models ........................................................................................... 50
2.7.1 Models for purchasing e-resources ........................................................ 51
2.7.2 Models according to Organisational Structure ........................................ 54
2.7.2.1 Loosely Knit Federation ................................................................... 54
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2.7.2.2 Multi-Type/Multistate network .......................................................... 55
2.7.2.3 Tightly Knit Federation .................................................................... 55
2.7.2.4 Centrally funded state-wide consortium .......................................... 56
2.7.2.5 Consortia models in Europe ............................................................ 57
2.7.3 Consortia models and Zimbabwe ........................................................... 58
2.8 Summary ....................................................................................................... 63
3 CHAPTER THREE: DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY CONSORTIA IN
SELECTED COUNTRIES ........................................................................................ 64
3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 64
3.2 Library Consortia in other parts of the world .................................................. 65
3.2.1 China ...................................................................................................... 65
3.2.2 United Kingdom ...................................................................................... 68
3.2.3 Hungary .................................................................................................. 69
3.2.4 India ....................................................................................................... 70
3.2.5 Philippines .............................................................................................. 72
3.2.6 United Arab Emirates (UAE) ................................................................... 75
3.3 The developmen t of libraries and Library consortia in Africa ......................... 77

3.3.1 Library Consortia in West Africa ............................................................. 80
3.3.1.1 Ghana ............................................................................................. 80
3.3.1.2 Nigeria ............................................................................................. 82
3.3.2 Library Consortia in East Africa .............................................................. 85
3.3.2.1 Kenya .............................................................................................. 85
3.3.3 Library Development in Southern Africa ................................................. 86
3.3.3.1 Malawi ............................................................................................. 87
3.3.3.2 South Africa ..................................................................................... 90
3.4 Summary ....................................................................................................... 92
4 CHAPTER FOUR: ACADEMIC LIBRARIES AND LIBRARY .......................... 93
CONSORTIA IN ZIMBABWE .................................................................................. 93
4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 93
4.2 Funding for Zimbabwe’s academic libraries ................................................. 94
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