User-friendly libraries for active teaching and learning. A case of business, technical and vocational education and training colleges in Uganda

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-07-2017-0073
Published date14 May 2018
Date14 May 2018
Pages275-294
AuthorFredrick Kiwuwa Lugya
Subject MatterLibrarianship/library management,Library & information science
User-friendly libraries for active
teaching and learning
A case of business, technical and vocational
education and training colleges in Uganda
Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya
The Library, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report the training of college librarians,academic and management
staff, IT managers and students on how to organise, manage and use a user-friendly library. In Uganda, as in
many countries, the problem is that school and/or college libraries are managed by librarians who may have
good cataloguing and management skills, but who do not have the pedagogic skills and knowledge of the school
curricula that are necessary for librarians to be able to guide and mentor both teachers and students or organise
curriculum-related activities or facilitate research. The development of user-friendly libraries contributes in
improving education quality through nurturing the interest of students and teachers in literacy activities and
active search for knowledge. Under the stewardship of the Belgium Technical Cooperation and the Ministry of
Education in Uganda, library stakeholders were trained on how to put users rather than themselves in the
centre of the librarys operations and introduced to active teaching and learning methodologies and activities
with emphasis on getting engaged in transforming spaces, services, outreach to users and collections. Several
measures, short and long term were taken to address the gaps limiting the performance of the librarians. Given
the disparities in the traineeseducation level and work experience, the training was delivered in seven modules
divided into three units for over eight months in 2015. By the end of the training, trainees developed unique
library strategic plan, library policies and procedures, capacity to use library systems, physical design and
maintenance systems, partnerships, library structure and staff job descriptions.
Design/methodology/approach To effectively engage the participants each topic was conducted using
active teaching and learning (ATL) methodologies, including: lecture with slides and hands-on practice each
topic was introduced in a lecture form with slides and hands-on exercises. The main goal was to introduce the
participants to the concepts discussed, offer opportunities to explore alternative approaches, as well def‌ine
boundaries for discussion through brainstorming. The question-answer approach kept the participants alert and
to start thinking critically on the topic discussed brainstorming sessions allowed thinking beyond the
presentation room, drawing from personal experiences to provide alternatives to anticipated challenges. The goal
here was for the participants to provide individual choices and approaches for real life problems; group
discussions: case study/ scenario and participant presentations participants were provided with a scenario and
asked to provide alternative approaches that could solve the problem based on their personal experience at their
colleges. By the end of the group discussion, participants presented a draft of the deliverable as per the topic under
discussion. More so, group discussions were an excellent approach to test participants teamwork skills and ability
to compromise, as well as respecting team decisions. It was an opportunity to see how librarians will work with
the library committees. Group discussions further initiated and cemented the much-needed librarianacademic
staff college management relationship. During the group discussion, librarians, teaching staff, ICT staff and
college management staff, specif‌ically the Principals and Deputy Principals interacted freely thus starting and
cultivating a new era of work relationship between them. Individual presentation: prior to the workshop,
participants were sent instructions to prepare a presentation on a topic. For example, participants were asked to
Author wish to extend his sincere thanks to Belgium Technical Cooperation and Ministry of
Education staf‌ffor the support given to him through his work on the TTE project, most especially on
the User-Friendly Libraries Project. Special thanks go to Mr Hannes Decraene, Ms Barbara Radelli,
Ms Shelley Heugen, Mr Robert Buwule and all the staf‌fof the four participating institutions. May the
Almighty God Bless you all.
User-friendly
libraries for
active teaching
275
Received19 July 2017
Revised25 September 2017
Accepted17 December 2017
Informationand Learning Science
Vol.119 No. 5/6, 2018
pp. 275-294
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2398-5348
DOI 10.1108/ILS-07-2017-0073
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2398-5348.htm
provide their views of what a user-friendly librarywouldlooklikeorwhatwouldconstituteauser-friendly
library; the college library of HTC-Mulago was asked to talk about their experience working with book reserves,
challenges faced and plans they have to address the challenges, while the college librarian from NTC-Kaliro was
asked to describe a situation where they were able to assist a patron, the limitations they faced and how they
addressed them. Doing so did not only assist to emotionally prepare the participants for the training but also
helped to make them start thinking about the training in relation to their libraries and work. Take-home
assignment: at the end of each session, participants were given home assignments to not only revise the training
material but also prepare for the next day training. Further the take-home assignments provided time for the
participants to discuss with their colleagues outside of the training room so as to have a common ground/
understanding on some of the very sensitive issues. Most interesting assignment was when participants were
asked to review an article and to make a presentation in relation to their library experiences. Participant reports:
participant reports resulted from the take-home assignments and participants were asked to make submission on
a given topic. For example, participants were asked to review IFLA section on library management and write a
two-page report on how such information provided supported their own work, as well as a participant report came
from their own observation after a library visit. Invited talks with library expert: two invited talks by library
experts from Consortium of Uganda University Libraries and Uganda Library and Information Science
Association with the goal to share their experience, motivate the participants to strive higher and achieve great
things for their libraries. Library visitation: there were two library visits conducted on three separate days
International Hospital Kampala (IHK) Library, Makerere University Library and Aga Khan University Hospital
Library. Each of these library visits provided unique opportunities for the participants to explore best practices
and implement similar practices in their libraries. Visual aids videos, building plans and still photos: these were
visual learning aids to supplement text during the lectures because they carried lot of information while initiating
different thoughts best on the participantspast experience and expertise. The training advocated for the use of
ATL methodologies and likewise similar methodologies were used to encourage participants do so in their
classrooms.
Findings Addressing Key Concerns: Several measures, both long and short term, were taken to address the
gaps limiting the performance of the librarians. The measures taken included: selected representative sample of
participants including all college stakeholders as discussed above; active teaching and learning methodologies
applied in the training and blended in the content of the training materials; initiated and formulated approaches
to collaborations, networks and partnerships; visited different libraries to benchmark library practices and
encourage future job shadowing opportunities; and encouraged participants to relate freely, understand and
value each others work to change their mindsets. College librarians were encouragedto ensure library priorities
remain on the agenda through advocacy campaigns. Short-term measures: The UFL training was designed as a
practical and hands-on training blended with individual and group tasks, discussions, take-home assignments
and presentations by participants. This allowed participates to engage with the material and take responsibility
for their own work. Further, the training material was prepared with a view that librarians support the academic
life of teaching staff and students. Participants were tasked to develop and later f‌ine-tune materials designed to
support their work. For example, developing a subject bibliography and posting it on the library website
designed using open source tools such as Google website, Wikis, blogs. The developed library manual includes
user-friendly policies and procedures referred to as dos and donts in the librarythat promote equitable open
access to information; drafting book selection memos; new book arrivals lists; subscribing to open access
journals; current awareness services and selective dissemination of information service displays and electronic
bulletins. Based on their library needs and semester calendar, participants developed action points and timelines
to implement tasks in their libraries at the end of each unit training. Librarians were encouraged to share their
experiences through library websites, Facebook page, group e-mail/listserv and Instagram; however, they were
challenged with intimate internet access. College libraries were rewarded for their extraordinary job. Given their
pivotal role in the management and administration of f‌inancial and material resources, on top of librarians, the
participants in this training were college administrators/ management, teaching and ICT staff, researchers and
student leadership. Participants were selected to address the current and future needs of the college library.
These are individuals that are perceived to have a great impact towards furthering the college library agenda.
The practical nature of this training warranted conducting the workshops from developed but similar library
spaces, for example, Aga Khan University Library and Kampala Capital City, Makerere University Library,
International Hospital Kampala Library and Uganda Christian University Library. Participants observed
orientation sessions, reference desk management and interviews, collection management practices, preservation
and conservation, secretarial bureau management, etc. Long-term measures: Changing the mindset of librarians,
college administrators and teaching staff is a long-term commitment which continues to demand for innovative
interventions. For example: job shadowing allowed college librarian short-term attachments to Makerere
ILS
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