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UCT Research Report '11
572
CENTRE FOR INFORMATION
LITERACY
Head of department: Associate Professor
Karin de Jager
Centre Profile
Theworkof theCentreconsistsofassistinginthedevelopment
of information literacy throughout the University, often
liaising with the Library in this effort, and also developing
a consultancy service for the use of personal bibliographic
software. Through the Faculty of Humanities, it offers a
suite of academic programmes in library and information
studies, ranging from the Postgraduate Diploma in Library
and Information Studies to the PhD. The primary focus
of the Centre for Information Literacy is on research and
intervention through the inculcation of information literacy
as a key life skill. Within the domain of its professional
education programmes its emphasis is on information
management: fundamental to both concerns is a recognition
that access to information can empower people and guide
the process of social transformation. The research activity
of the Centre emphasises information needs analysis and
information literacy in response to both staff interests and
the transformation of society. In addition, consultancy is
undertaken, largely concerned with information systems
design and design of information literacy programmes. Work
is also being done on library performance measurement
and evaluation. An associate, Dr Charles Masango from the
UCT Research Office, continues his research into aspects
of copyright in the digital age.
Statistics
Permanent and long-term contract staff
Professors
1
Associate Professor
2
Senior Lecturers
1
Administrative and Clerical Staff
1
Total
5
Research Fields and Staff
Professor Peter G. Underwood
Soft systems analysis; systems management; information
systems design; change management; strategic
management, information literacy.
Associate Professor Karin de Jager
Library performance measurement and evaluation in
academic and public libraries; establishing benchmarks
for information literacy; databases.
Associate Professor Mary Nassimbeni
Information society, information literacy; national library
and information policy; performance measures for public
libraries in South Africa.
Dr J. Gretchen Smith
Communication of information; information need and use;
subject analysis and control; indexing, classification and
thesaurus construction; knowledge management.
Associate
Dr Charles A. Masango
Intellectual Property Rights (Copyright); Digital Licensing
Agreements; Contemporary copyright Fair Dealing
management issues; First Sale Doctrine; Public Lending
Rights; Indigenous Traditional Knowledge
Contact details
Postal address: Hoerikwaggo Building, North Lane,
University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch 7701,
South Africa
Telephone: +27 (0)21 650 3094
Fax: +27 (0)21 650 4545
E-mail: cil-ched@uct.ac.za
Web: http://www.ched.uct.ac.za/departments/cil/
Research output
Articles in Peer-reviewed Journals
Nassimbeni, M. and Desmond, D. 2011. Availability of
books as a factor in reading, teaching and learning
behaviour in twenty disadvantaged primary schools in
South Africa. South African Journal of Libraries and
Information Science, 77(2): 95-103.
Rajagopaul, R. and Raju, J. 2011. Job functions of
university and university of technology graduates and
diplomates in special libraries and engineering firms:
a comparison. Infotrends: An International Journal of
Information & Knowledge Management, 1(1): 1-13.
Raju, R. and Raju, J. 2011. A crack in the ‘dam(ned)’
wall: cooperation and collaboration among higher
education libraries in South Africa. Innovation: A Journal
for Appropriate Librarianship and Information Work in
Southern Africa, 42: 79-97.
Peer-reviewed published conference proceedings
Kwanya, T.k., Stilwell, C.S. and Underwood, P.G. 2011.
The potential of Library 2.0 in buttressing prosumption
culture among researchers in Kenya. In C. Despres (ed.),
Proceedings of the Seventh European Conference on
Management Leadership and Governance, 6-7 October
2011, France. Reading, UK: Academic Publishing Limited.
ISBN 978-1-908272-17-1.