(Re)thinking and (re)positioning library programmes and services in public high schools in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Well-designed and well-planned library school programmes and services are essential to improve the development of reading and information literacy skills, particularly of the learners, which are crucial for the acquisition of life-long learning and independent study and accessing skills. However, because of inadequate and inefficient school library services in most South African schools, teachers and learners are deprived of opportunities to benefit and practically learn library programmes essential for the acquisition of knowledge, skills, competencies, values and orientations. They are also denied fundamental library services due to them. Based on one part of the research project which investigated the resource provision in public high schools in Limpopo province, South Africa, the purpose of this article is to investigate the programmes and services offered by the different library facilities in public high schools in Limpopo province.

Although the study took a largely quantitative research design, it was mixed with qualitative data collection methods. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from the principals or teacher-librarians, while an interview schedule was used to collect qualitative data from the education officials through face-to-face interviews. The findings established that owing to lack of functional libraries in most schools, there are very few schools offering library services and programmes. The study recommends that the national Department of Basic Education (DBE) should ensure that a school library policy with clearly defined library programmes and services is formulated, approved and implemented as a matter of urgency.