Implementing Information Literacy through the Personal Librarian Model: Prospects and Challenges
Implementing Information Literacy through the Personal Librarian Model: Prospects and Challenges
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Date
2015
Authors
Owusu-Ansah M., Christopher
Vuyokazi, Gontshi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Balkan Libraries Union
Abstract
The paper explores the concept of Personal Librarianship which is fairly a novel concept in
the library and information science context in Africa. The Personal Librarian Programme
encourages students to build relationships with their personal librarians who provide learning
support, and introduce the library as an enabling environment that supports students’ learning
needs. The ultimate goal of this concept is to make First Year Students Information Literate.
The idea behind the programme is that the personal librarian becomes the student’s primary
contact throughout his/her studies. The study reviews the two most widely used models of
teaching and imparting Information Literacy by pointing out their strengths and weaknesses. In
the end, the research highlights the importance of complementing these existing efforts with the
Personal Librarian concept. The research also demonstrates the feasibility of implementing the
Personal Librarian Programme in a higher education context in Africa. Finally, the study elicits
some challenges in using the Personal Librarian Programme to implement Information Literacy.
Overall, the study contributes to efforts aimed at proactively engaging students to enhance their
competencies in information usage.
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Citation
OWUSU-ANSAH, C., & Gontshi, V. (2015). Implementing information literacy through the personal librarian model: prospects and challenges. Journal of Balkan Libraries Union, 3(2), 28-35.