Provision of public libraries in rural areas of Mpumalanga province of South Africa: a case study of Moloto village

Abstract in English, Ndebele and Northern Sotho

The access to reliable and relevant information is essential for making informed decisions towards achieving educational and developmental goals. Public libraries contribute to social and economic development by offering information vital for informed participation in societal activities, including access to opportunities. This is crucial for people in rural areas, where opportunities are hard to find because of underdevelopment, compared to urban areas. The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of the absence of a public library in the Moloto Village community, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Public libraries play a critical role in providing access to information that enables communities to meet their diverse information needs. The study employed a qualitative research method, with 41 participants selected through purposive sampling from various categories within the Moloto Village community. Data was collected through structured interviews and focus groups and then analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed a significant need for a public library in Moloto Village, as the lack of access to information, education and related support materials adversely affects the community’s education, social, cultural and economic lives. Based on this finding, the study recommends the establishment of a well-resourced, maintained and regularly updated public library to meet the information needs of the different populations that make up the community, including learners, post-school education and training students, work seekers, farmers, business owners, elderly individuals, artists and people living with a disability.

Makgobapuku a setšhaba a tliša tlhabollo ya setšhaba le ya ekonomi ka go fana ka tshedimošo ye bohlokwa ya go thuša batho gore ba tšeye karolo ye e nago le tsebo mererong ya setšhaba, go akaretšwa le go fihlelela menyetla. Se se bohlokwa kudu bathong ba metseng ya dinagamagae, moo menyetla e sego bonolo go e hwetša ka lebaka la go hloka tlhabollo, ge go bapetšwa le metseng ya ditoropo. Morero wa diphatišišo tše e be e le go nyakišiša seabe sa go hlokega ga bokgobapuku bja setšhaba mo Motseng wa Moloto, ka Mpumalanga, Afrika Borwa. Makgobapuku a setšhaba a bapala karolo ye bohlokwa ka go fana ka tshedimošo yeo e thušago batho go fihlelela dinyakwa tša bona tša tshedimošo tše di fapanego. Go fihlelela tshedimošo yeo e nepagetšego le ya maleba go bohlokwa kudu go dira diphetho tše di fihlelwetšwego ka tsebo go dinepo tša thuto le tša tlhabollo. Diphatišišo tše di šomišitše mokgwa wa dinyakišišo tša boleng, moo batho ba mosomme nne tee 41 ba kgethilwego ka mokgwa wa morero ka boripana go tšwa dikarolong tše di fapanego tša setšhaba sa motse wa Moloto. Dintlha tša tshedimošo di kgobokantšwe dipoledišano le batšeakorolo le dihlophana tša tše šedi gomme tša sekasekwa ka mokgwa wa tema. Diphihlelelo di utollotše tlhokego ye kgolo ya bokgobapuku bja setšhaba motseng wa Moloto, ka ge go hloka tshedimošo le ditlabakelo tša ditirelo, go swana le makgobapuku, gona le khuetšo e mpe mo mererong ya thuto, tša setšo, tša leago le tša ekonomi ya setšhaba. Ka lebaka la diphihlelelo tše, diphatišišo di šišinya go hloma bokgobapuku bja setšhaba bjo bo tlabaketšwego gabotse, bo hlokomelwago le go sepela lebaka ka mehla go fihlelela dinyakwa tša tshedimošo tša dikarola tša fapafapana tša setšhaba, go akaretša barutwana, baithuti ba thuto ya godimo, batho ba go nyaka mošomo, balemi le barui, badikgwebo, batšofadi, badiragatši le babokgabo, le batho ba go phela ka bogole.

Ukufumana ilwazi elithembekileko nekungilo kuqakathekile lokha nawuthatha iinqunto ezinubuhlakani ukufezekisa lokhu okunqophileko kwezefundo netuthuko. Amabulungelo weencwadi anomfakela ekuthuthukiseni umphakathi nomnotho ngokunikela ngelwazi eliqakathekileko ekudlaleni indima emphakathini nokufumana amathuba. Lokhu kuqakathekile emiphakathini yemakhaya, lapha amathuba angatholakali lula ngebanga lokungakathuthuki nasimadanisa neendawo zemadorobheni. Umnqopho werhubhulolo leli kukwenza iphenyo ngomthelela wokungabikhona kwebulungelo leencwadi emphakathini weMoloto, esiFundeni seMpumalanga eSewula Afrika. Amabulungelo weencwadi womphakathi adlala indima eqakathekileko ekunikeleni ngelwazi elithembekileko nekungilo elenza bona umphakathi ukghone ukufeza iindingo zabo zokufumana ilwazi elihlukileko. Lesisifundo sisebenzise indlela yokurhubhululo enembako, nalaba abazibandakanyileko abamatjhumi amane nanye (41) abakhethwe ngendlela yokusampulwa ngehloso eengabeni ezahlukeneko emphakathini. Ilwazi litholokale ngokunikela ngemibuzo eenqhemeni ezikhethekileko ngokusenzisa indlela yokuhlaziya imimingo. Ilwazi elitholakeleko liveza bona kufuneka ibulungelo leencwadi emphakathini weMoloto, njengoba ukutlhayela kokuthola ilwazi, ifundo nezinye iintlabagelo zokufunda kunomthelela kufundo yomphakathi, zehlalakuhle, zamasiko begodu nakwezomnotho. Ngelwazi elitholakeleko, lesisifundo siveza bona kunesidingo esiqakathekiko sokwakhiwa kwebulungelo leencwadi eMoloto elineentlabagelo ezipheleleko, elitjhejwako begodu elithuthukiswa njalonjalo ukuhlangabeza iindigo zelwazi zabantu ngokuhlukana kwabo, kufaka umphakathi, abafundi, abafundi bamaziko aphakamileko, abafundi abasathwasako, abafuna umsebenzi, abalimi, abosomarhwebo, abantu abadala, abenza zobukghwari nabantu abakhubazekileko.

M. Inf. (Information Science)

Information Science