An evaluation of children and youth’s usage of the Lubuto model library services.
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Date
2018-12
Authors
Akakandelwa, Akakandelwa
Chanza, Namunza
Chisenga, Kenneth
Mwiya, Lungowe
Matani, Mfumukazi M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University Of Zambia School of Education Department Library and Information Science
Abstract
The main objective of this study was evaluate the usefulness of services offered by Lubuto Model
Library to children and youths. The specific objectives of the study were: to establish the extent to
which the children and youths use the services being offered at Lubuto Model Library, to
investigate the social-economic benefits children and youth derive from their usage of Lubuto
Model Library, to establish the extent to which the children and youths are satisfied with the
services offered at Lubuto Model Library, to assess the challenges children and youths face when
using the services offered at Lubuto Model Library, and to investigate the impact of the mentorship
program offered at Lubuto Model Library on the children and youths. The study used both
convenience and purposive sampling to sample the respondents. Data was collected using
administered questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic
techniques while quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Packaging for Social Sciences
(SPSS) version 23 to generate frequencies, charts and other descriptive statistics.
Ninety-three percent of the respondents were regular users of Lubuto Model Library, of which
49% visited the library daily while 44% visited the library on a weekly basis. The majority of the
respondents visited the library for the following services to attend the reading program (43%), to
attend the mentorship program (20.5%), and to use the computers and the Internet (20.5%). Some
of the social-economic benefits respondents derived from the use of the Lubuto Model Library
included improved reading skills (17%), obtaining sex education (14%), access to free computers
and Internet (12%), enabled them choose careers (9%), and them discover their talents
(8%),enabled them receive mentorship, received counselling (6%), provided facilities to do their
homework (6%), enabled them to make friends (4%) and to connect with their families (4%),
enabled them receive scholarships (3%).
Respondents were satisfied with the library staff’s hospitality and commitment (88.8%), the social
interactions that the library was facilitating (83.7%), the movies they had been watching (79.6%),
literacy programs (77.6%), the general environment (76.5%), the available books (72.2%). The
major challenges respondents were facing as they used the Library include noise (31.4%),
difficulties in accessing books (16.2%), and inadequate toilet facilities (1.5%).
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The respondents reported that the mentorship program enabled to develop high levels of selfesteem,
abstain casual unprotected sex, develop self-confidence, improve social interaction, attain
sex education and knowledge on HIV/AIDS, knowledge on gender roles, obtain scholarships,
return to school, develop personal hygiene, and access to counselling.
The study recommends that the Ministry of General Education, through the Zambia Library
Service, should work in collaboration with the Lubuto Library Partners and other nongovernmental
organizations to provide similar library services across the country.
Description
Keywords
Lubuto library project--Ndola--Zambia. , Social work with youth. , Libraries and community. , Children's libraries--Activity programs.