Library services and facilities necessary for research support at the University of Venda in the rural areas of Limpopo Province in South Africa

Abstract

The objective of the study was to explore the types of available services and facilities provided by the University of Venda Library to support the researchers in their research work. Researchers in this paper embrace the post graduate students both the Masters and Doctoral students as well as academics doing research work. A quantitative method was utilised for this study. The self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data required in order to attain the objectives of the study. A purposive sample of four (4) library management from the university of Venda library, participated in the study. To consider the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, it was revised by professionals in the Library and Information Science field. Their input were included as necessary. The findings revealed that the library is playing an important role of providing most of the research support services and library services to support the researchers to have current information. The library resources, services and facilities were found to be provided by the library, although the library cannot be rated as having fully-fledged facilities for post graduate and researchers to work. The study recommended that all staff members regardless of whether they are professionals or not should receive training on how to serve library users especially the researchers because their needs are highly specialised to meet and supply them with current information. Additional innovative methods to distinguishing and reviewing library research support services and facilities that will enable the library to be fully fledged should be developed effectively. Moreover information-related training needs of researchers have to be established in collaboration with appropriate academic staff members.

Keywords: Academic libraries; Information sources; Library facilities; Library resources; Library services; Research support