Inclusiveness of the Library Services available for Distance Education students at University of Zambia

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue IX, September 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Inclusiveness of the Library Services available for Distance Education students at University of Zambia

Fabian Kakana, Kasonde Mundende, Gistered Muleya, Francis Simui & Boniface Namangala
Institute of Distance Education, University of Zambia

Abstract: This paper explored the ‘inclusiveness’ of the library provided services for all students at the University of Zambia. A survey with a sample size of 54 respondents that included library staff, lecturers, Institute of Distance Education staff and students on distance learning mode. The major findings were that the majority of respondents indicated that University of Zambia library had introduced a number of services with a view to widening access to library materials by all categories of students including those on distance mode and those who attended evening classes. The services introduced included establishing Provincial libraries, subscription to various e-resources (e-books and Journals), establishing an institutional repository and many more electronic based platforms. While the University of Zambia has widened access to library services, there are still challenges bordering on attitudes and quality of infrastructure and learning materials that need further improvement to guarantee full inclusiveness for all distance education students.

Key words: Distance Education, Open Access, Library services, University of Zambia

I. INTRODUCTION

Distance Education at university of Zambia was established in 1966 following the Lockwood commission’s recommendation to establish the University of Zambia. With the establishment of the university the commission recommended that the university develops degree programmes that would be also offered to the external students (Lockwood, 1963, Siachiwena, 1988; Simui, Namangala, Tambulukani & Ndhlovu, 2018; & Simui, Chibale, & Namangala, 2017). It was recognized then that it was necessary to offer alternative mode of study to those who had no opportunity of enrolling full time. Since then university of Zambia has been offering distance education programmes alongside fulltime programmes). Distance education was also meant to capture those who could not enrol fulltime at the institution. With the increase in enrolments of conventional and distance students the university was under pressure to provide adequate facilities and services including library services one of the key learner support.

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