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20 January 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Dr Anamika Megwalu, an assessment and engineering librarian at San Jose State University in California in the United States (US), addressed a group of staff from the UFS Department of Library and Information Services.

Dr Anamika Megwalu, an assessment and engineering librarian at San Jose State University in California in the United States (US), pointed out that building a lasting and sustainable relationship with departments and upholding quality in the library environment is key. 

She addressed a group of colleagues from our Department of Library and Information Services (LIS) on 25 November 2020.

Tight budgets call for proper assessment

Her presentation, titled Library Collection Development, was aimed at sharing her experience of working in the collection development and liaison sections within the LIS ecosystem. 

“This librarian-cum-computer science lecturer has the benefit of both worlds, having worked in private and public academic libraries such as Stafford University and City University of New York respectively,” says Monde Madiba, Deputy Director: Collection Development and Management of LIS at the University of the Free State.

San Jose, the oldest public university in the western US, is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, serving more than 33 000 students enrolled in 10 colleges and 67 departments.

According to Dr Megwalu, the tight budgets that public academic libraries such as San Jose receive, call for proper assessment of library collections in order to deal with the constraints. She emphasised the need to “uphold quality within the constraints”.

Moving from collecting information to creating information

Some of the ideas that Dr Megwalu shared for conducting assessment and collection development, includes the following:
• Change the library’s image from being a collector of information to being the creator of information.
• Consider the size of the different departments: some may need little or no attention due to size, while others may need close attention due to intensive research by lecturers within the department.
• Identify gaps and focus your attention on filling them with the relevant collection.
• Make sure that you are aware of the accreditation period of different programmes, since the role that academic libraries play in collection development is recognised by such agencies.
• Build a lasting and sustainable relationship with departments. This includes knowing the lecturers’ research interests, assisting the newly established departments, attending free webinars, and participating in student activities.
• Ensure equal distribution of the budget and ensure that everyone has equal access to it.
• Create a timetable where everyone knows when to submit requests for prescribed books. Make it clear that it takes approximately three weeks on average for ordered books to be delivered.
• Develop department-specific collection development policies.
• Be ready to move with the times, e.g. replace DVDs in favour of video-streaming services.
• Shift towards a 100% electronic reference collection.
• Consider having an electronic version for popular but currently in-print collections.
• Develop an indigenous collection based on the contributions of communities around the university.
• Create a portal for open educational resources (OERs) from participating institutions across the globe.

“Dr Megwalu’s presentation was not only informative but a testimony that collection development and assessment are dynamic and driven by passion and love,” says Madiba.

News Archive

Young dynamic lawyer in the Mail and Guardian Top 200
2016-06-27

Description: Adv Loyiso Top 200 M and G Tags: Adv Loyiso Top 200 M and G

Adv Loyiso Makapela
Photo: Stephen Collett

Each year the Mail and Guardian produces a special report on that year’s top 200 young South Africans who inspire, have talent, and drive. This year, we celebrate one of our own, Adv Loyiso Makapela, who has been nominated as one of the top 200 Mail and Guardian Young Achievers of 2016 under the category of Education. Loyiso is an outstanding academic, lecturer and mentor. At age 27, she is the youngest lecturer in the Faculty of Law.

With two Master’s degrees under her belt, she has been awarded the Desmond Tutu Doctoral scholarship by the National Research Foundation and will commence her PhD at both the University of Stellenbosch and Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam July 2016. With a keen focus on research, she has presented papers and chaired sessions at various conferences locally and internationally in, for example, the United Arab Emirates and Greece, and in Oxford, England.

“The fact that I was nominated under the category ‘Education’ is undoubtedly one of my proudest achievements to date, because there is nothing I am more passionate about and love than the education of young South Africans, particularly women. This is only the beginning, and I hope my story and accomplishments will inspire others to walk out in determined pursuit of their goals and dreams,” said Loyiso.
She is in the final stages of launching a lifestyle website that aims to engage young and ambitious South African women, titled “Young Women of Power”. Through this platform, Loyiso hopes to bring together influential women in business and politics, to empower and enlighten younger women.

The Mail and Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans have, over the years, positioned themselves as leaders in their fields and gained local and international acclaim. The selected 200 will be announced later this month.



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