4.3. 7 Views on the role of the library
4.4 Response from the Librarian
4.4.1 The librarian's view of the role of the school library
The questionnaire for the school librarian first asked about her views on the role of the school library. She indicated that the library was a centre for acquiring knowledge and life long skills.
4.4.2 Selection policy
The librarian was asked if there was a library selection policy for the school library. She reported in the affirmative and added that this has been put in place by her (in other words she drew up the policy). When further asked on how the policy worked in terms ofthe acquisition ofmaterials, she highlighted that the policy was governed by the amount of funds available.Inother words, priority was given to the most important needs of the library.
4.4.3 Criteria used to select materials
The librarian made it clear that priority was given to requested fiction books. This was to help replace the obsolete books that were being weeded from the collection. She further highlighted that non-fiction relevant to the learners' and teachers' needs was also acquired. Correspondingly, she was asked to indicate the most important areas of need, and the results show that the library needs books in areas like biology, home economics, geography and South African theatre.
4.4.4 The Library collection
Asked to indicate the size ofthe collection. The librarian reported that there were 9109 books in the library. She gave a break down of the collection: there were 2033 English fiction and 955 Afrikaans; non-fiction and Reference books were grouped together to form 6121. Video cassettes numbered 172 and there were only three CDs.
The librarian was then asked to rate the quality ofthe library stock in relation to the learners' and staffneeds. The respondent said the stock was fair. A follow up question requested an explanation for being fair; in response, she said it was only fair because of a lack of funds. This, according to
her, had made it impossible for the library to improve, and further indicated that the collection also lacked audio visual materials.
4.4.5 Use of the library
When asked about the regular users ofthe library, the librarian pointed out that they were learners and teachers. She further revealed that the library was used most at the beginning ofthe year and middle of term.
The librarian was asked to indicate the average visits to the library by each teacher per term. The respondent highlighted that it was difficult because some came regularly and others did not. No figure was given.
The librarian stated that they had library periods slotted into the school time table, and that these periods were used by Grades 8 and 9 learners to do reference work. Grades 10 to 12 had a fortnightly period for changing, borrowing books and reading.
The reason for the use of the library by learners was to read magazines, newspapers, and to use books for assignments, to borrow novels, to meet friends, to study and to play games like chess and jig-saw puzzles. However, the materials used most were the novels and textbooks.
4.4.6 Access to other resources
The findings also reveal that there was no Internet services in the school library, although the library
is automated. She further pointed out that the reason was a result of lack of funds.
When she was asked ifthere was any form of co-operative relationship with another library, she indicated that there was such relationship between the school and the educational library (ELITS).
4.4.7 Required improvements
Asked about materials she would like to see added to the collection, the librarian indicated that terminals should be added to the existing ones so that learners could link to the computers, and facilities like television should be acquired so that learners could watch and learn by means of study-related videos.
4.4.8 Summary of findings on librarian
• From the findings of the research, it is evident that the librarian knows the importance of the library in an educational system.
• There is a selection policy in the school which was drawn up by the librarian. Itwas reported that the policy was governed by the amount of funds available, and priority was given to the most important materials requested.
• The findings also revealed that certain criteria were used for the selection ofmaterials as stated above. This also covers the most important areas of need.
• The librarian was experienced and knowledgeable about the size ofher library collection.
The respondent further rated the library collection and she reported that it was fair.
-Thelibrary was used most at the beginning and in the middle of the term, although the librarian was unable to rate the frequency of the teachers' visits to the library.
_ The result showed that there was co-operation between Russell High and the educational library (EUTS) in Pietermaritzburg.
- From the results, it is clear that learners mainly used the library materials during the library period.
- There was no Internet service in the school library and the librarian indicated the importance of such facilities, as it would, undoubtedly, enhance the information retrieval and dissemination capabilities of the library.