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The purpose of this study was to determine norms against which the characteristics of community library services could be tested. The five oldest community libraries in the Pinetown (South Africa) public library system were examined. Results showed that certain public library systems, like Pinetown, have made significant progress toward becoming active, service-oriented community libraries. (Author/AEF)

To be academically successful a university student is required to read extensively on topics related to his or her field of study. The current proliferation and availability of electronic academic reading materials on various online platforms require academic staff to gain an understanding of their impact on the format preference and reading behaviour of students. Knowledge of emerging trends can guide academic staff to provide reading materials in the format best suited to the reading preferences of students. To establish the current format and reading behaviour trends a multiple case study design was employed targeting undergraduate students from the University of Zululand, South Africa and Delta State University, Nigeria. A questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 237 students. A combined return rate of 69.9% was achieved. The findings revealed a strong preference for reading textbooks in printed format. The preference for reading documents in electronic or print format was influenced by factors such as the length of the document, the purpose of reading the document, and whether the document is written in the student's native language or not. External factors such as access to electronic gadgets and data, and the cost thereof, as well as peer pressure also influenced preference for a specific format. The study recommends that regular surveys should be conducted in academic institutions to keep track of current and changing trends in the format preferences and resultant reading behaviour of the students to enable academics to adapt their prescribed reading materials to a format best suited to the students' preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mud crab (Scylla serrata) burrows in an estuarine mangrove intertidal zone were identified as potential microhabitats for small fishes. The pool-like habitats, created by these burrows, were sampled for fishes during nocturnal and diurnal low tide events, over the new moon period. A total of 1103 fish, comprising a single gobiid species (Redigobius dewaali), were collected from eight burrow-pools. The utilisation of these burrow-pools by large numbers of a single ichthyofaunal species suggests that there is a degree of commensalism between S. serrata and R. dewaali in these intertidal habitats. This work presents further evidence for the ecological importance of burrowing crabs in mangrove ecosystems. Mud crab (Scylla serrata) burrows in an estuarine mangrove intertidal zone were identified as microhabitats for a specific gobiid (Redigobius dewaali). The utilisation of these burrows by large numbers of a single fish species suggests that there is a degree of commensalism between S. serrata and R. dewaali in these intertidal habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal sector entrepreneurs, particularly women, are providers of livelihoods in many poor and marginalised communities, especially in developing countries, including South Africa. These entrepreneurs are linked largely with the tourism industry by exchanging their goods, services, skills and knowledge with the industry. They are, however, prohibited from trading in some designated areas. This prohibition is closely related to the nature of the sector and types of business activities performed. This article aims to establish whether women entrepreneurs from the informal sector contribute significantly to the tourism industry and thus to the economy of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. Focus-group discussions, interviews, observations and content analysis were used to collect data from these entrepreneurs and leaders in the eThekwini Municipality. The findings suggest that the tourism industry is a crucial sector in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality in terms of its contribution to the economy and is closely supported by informal sector entrepreneurs. However, even though these women entrepreneurs are regarded as contributing significantly to the tourism industry in this Municipality, their contribution is limited by a variety of reasons ranging from a lack of business skills and knowledge and the nature of their businesses to the by-laws of the municipality. A proper understanding of the importance of the informal sector entrepreneurs to the tourism industry and the revision of by-laws to accommodate issues involving these entrepreneurs will give this sector an opportunity to strengthen the tourism industry and thus the economic base of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parliamentary libraries are important in their principal role as information providers to parliamentarians. They are expected to offer a wide variety of specialized services, often under very pressing conditions. Despite not being very effective on the African continent, the South African parliamentary libraries are valued service centers known to actively disseminate information. This study aimed to determine their role as information providers. A survey, in the form of a questionnaire, was used to obtain data about the libraries and the services they provide. It was found that depending on the staff available the libraries offered a number of services to parliamentarians, which ranged from lending services to providing in-depth reports on issues of the day. Library collections ranged from printed sources to electronic and audiovisual records. Computers are used in all the libraries, both for administrative purposes and for information acquisition and dissemination. Numerous innovative methods have been adopted to in form users about the available services, and presently, the electronic medium is also used as an alerting tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]