A study of the interaction in book selection between provincial library systems and their affiliated public libraries in South Africa

Gertz, Mary Bonnin

A study of the interaction in book selection between provincial library systems and their affiliated public libraries in South Africa

Master Thesis

1981

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC)

Abstract

Current methods of book selection in provincial library services in South Africa are examined with a view to establish whether they are the most effective possible from the point of view of the affiliated public libraries throughout the country. This involved tracing the history and development of the four provincial library services and examining their current selection practices. A well-organised network of affiliated public libraries making provision for white, and to a lesser extent coloured, South Africans has been established since World War II, with the strongly centralised provincial services providing the book stock. It appeared from the study that relatively little change had occurred in either the organisational structures or the book selection methods of these services since their inception, and that the involvement of local librarians in book selection was negligible. Instead of their role increasing as more public libraries were staffed by qualified librarians, financial pressures had resulted in even less initiative being permitted and an increase in centralised control. To establish the ideal model against which the performance of the provincial library services could be evaluated, contemporary professional opinion on public library objectives, management and book selection, as also the developments in rural systems in selected countries was surveyed. Compared to the static local picture of service which emerged from the empirical investigation, overseas advances in goals and management as reported in the literature had seen exciting professional advances, with librarians accepting, and going out to meet, the challenge of the changes in society. Strong communication links between users and selectors were emphasised. Rural networks in the foreign countries surveyed had grown to improve in efficiency and in economic terms, but in all cases the local librarian selected his own book stock, which seems more satisfactory than the current South African practice. To further test this hypothesis an empirical investigation by means of a questionnaire was circulated to all affiliated public libraries circulating more than 60 000 books annually. The findings confirmed the surmised lack of interaction in book selection between provincial and public librarians, and there was dissatisfaction, particularly among the very biggest libraries with experienced qualified staff, at the present system. The thesis concludes with recommendations made towards remedying this situation.