Browsing by Author "Kabalo, Erasto Clavery"

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    Assessment of librarians’ competencies in cataloguing and classification at the university of Dar es Salaam
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2023-05) Kabalo, Erasto Clavery
    An assessment was conducted at the University of Dar es Salaam to ascertain librarians’ competencies in cataloguing and classification, specifically, the focus was on three elements of librarians’ competence; attitude, knowledge and skills. Qualitative data was gathered; interview method was conducted to 6 key informants. Primary data was also collected from 80 respondents through self-administered questionnaires. The assessment was quantitatively analyzed using SPSS and the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to ascertain the causal-effect relationship between librarians’ competencies and effectiveness in classification and cataloguing. This study revealed that librarians possess necessary skills and knowledge required for cataloguing and classification. On librarians’ attitude the findings exposed that librarians have positive attitude toward cataloguing and classification. The study identified several challenges such as lack of training opportunity, cumbersomeness of the exercises, obsolete and inadequacy tools and lastly poor interest in cataloguing and classification exercise. SEM results indicated that librarians’ skills and attitude have a significant relationship with Effectiveness in Cataloguing and Classification. The findings imply that a unit increase in librarian skills will have a 26% effect on Effective Cataloguing and Classification. More so, findings entail that a unit increase in Librarian Attitude has a 38% effect on Effective Cataloguing and Classification at UDSM library. Conversely, SEM results confirm that librarians’ knowledge has a statistically insignificant relationship with Effective Cataloguing and Classification at UDSM library. The findings imply that mere knowledge without the right attitude and supportive skills reduces librarians’ competencies in partaking cataloguing and classification activities. Accordingly, insights from key informants reveal that, for effectiveness of cataloguing and classification processes, complimentary factors such as consistency, clarity, sufficient timeline, strict supervisions, incentives and motivations should be considered. Therefore, the study recommended that UDSM library should organize in-service trainings, refresher workshops and seminars on cataloguing and classification, aiming at; equipping and updating the library staff on methods of cataloguing and classification; eliminate fear of doing original cataloguing, removing negative attitude towards cataloguing and classification, fund allocation, update library staff on the recent development on computerized cataloguing and classification.