Search results

This study empirically analyse the lived and individual experiences of internet use time among postgraduate students in a period where the line between the virtual and real is blurred. The infusion of the internet in higher education has not only facilitated the production of new knowledge but has also led to reports of internet addiction among many users during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns. This study aims to evaluate the level of internet addiction among postgraduate students and the supportive information services role that librarians could provide.

In this study, 279 postgraduate students completed a quantitative survey targeted at all the postgraduate students at a university campus in South Africa. Data was collected using an adopted internet addiction test questionnaire. The data was descriptively and inferentially analysed.

As many as 61 (22.7%) are always online, with most of the respondents, 112 (41.6%) spend 10 h or more on the internet daily. Laptop computers at 44.7% emerged as the primary electronic device used by postgraduate students for accessing the internet, surpassing the prevalence of mobile phone usage. On internet addiction level, internet use time had a statistically significant relation with problematic internet use levels in respondents. These results suggest that the increased uncontrolled internet use could negatively interfere with productive academic work of postgraduate students. However, based on the inferential statistical results, it can be concluded that academic use of the internet does not contribute to increased levels of internet addiction. The study recommends that librarians should provide literacy education and resources on how to use the internet safely and responsibly, including tips on setting boundaries, managing time online and productively using online information resources.

The study assesses problematic internet use among postgraduate students and provides suggestions on supportive information services that librarians could provide in an era where many library information services provision and higher education are hinged on the internet.

This paper delves into the pivotal role of public libraries in supporting and promoting literacy, with a particular focus on their relevance in financially and infrastructurally low-resourced territories (FILTs). Literacy, being a fundamental skill, empowers individuals, enriches education and contributes to social and economic development. Nonetheless, numerous FILTs encounter substantial obstacles in granting access to quality education and fostering literacy skills among their people. As an opinion piece rooted in empirical literature, this paper serves as an introductory exploration, acknowledging that it only skims the surface of raising awareness.

This paper expands upon the existing body of literature concerning public libraries and the imperative for literacy programs. It purposefully addresses a range of issues that may appear contradictory in FILTs, primarily due to economic constraints. However, from the authors’ perspective, these issues actually highlight the vast potential for intervention and progress.

Numerous evident strategies can be identified to attain the goal of an enlightened and educated nation, fostering empowered individuals. One such approach involves prioritizing the promotion and support of literacy programs in public libraries. Nonetheless, there is a pressing need for heightened awareness regarding the significance of adopting a holistic perspective when addressing various interconnected issues. This includes the long-term advantages associated with an educated and literate society, particularly in FILTs.

The literature within the field of library and information science offers scarce publications regarding literacy support programs in libraries, despite the fact that fostering informed and literate citizens is a prominent goal in the mission and vision plans of numerous FILTs. This paper presents an exploratory perspective, aiming to raise awareness about the significance of considering diverse approaches to support and promote literacy in public libraries within FILTs. It also proposes the development of a framework as a means to facilitate this endeavor. While the context of the paper is framed for FILTs, aspects of the framework may also be useful and applicable in other well-resourced regions and libraries.