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Background: Knowledge management (KM) holds a major influence on the effective delivery of services in government departments as it is tactically affiliated to the formation, composition, and sharing of information to prevent ‘reinvention of the wheel’ by staffs when performing their jobs. However, few government departments within the South African context have implemented formal KM initiatives.Objectives: This research sought to examine the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works (Pietermaritzburg) employees’ awareness of any KM initiatives, their benefits, and barriers that are preventing the successful implementation of a formal initiative.Method: A survey research approach was utilised in which structured questionnaires were administered to respondents. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS).Results: The research established that KM initiatives are being practiced informally within the Department and there is a reasonably high level of awareness of these initiatives together with the benefits associated with them. The lack of a dedicated unit for KM and KM professionals are some of the barriers to the successful implementation of formal initiatives.Conclusion: The research concluded that the Department is in dire need of a formal KM initiative to reap the potential benefits and improve service delivery.

The study assessed the oral history projects undertaken between 1994 and 2014 within the Pietermaritzburg Cluster of Theological Libraries to ascertain the depth and breadth of their collections in as far as documenting the voice of the indigenous clergy is concerned. Data collection instruments used for the study were interviews, both face-to-face and telephonically, documentary analysis, email correspondence and database checks. The findings revealed that the School of Theology, now the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics (SRPC), at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, was at the forefront in this collection drive and that theological libraries were generally lagging behind; that ethnographical, literacy and content challenges are prevalent and that there is a dearth of material pertaining to religious archives on the National Register of Oral Sources (NAROS) database, which does not bode well with regards to the management of this ecclesiastical heritage. The study also revealed that there was a need for a co-ordinated oral history collection strategy to avoid duplication of effort. The study recommended that for religious archives to be effectively managed, private archives need to be properly legislated like their public counterparts, hence the need for a new national model in this regard irrespective of the perceived institutional imperatives.

Background: Rural dwellers need timely, accurate, pertinent and reliable information for sustainable rural development. However, in Nigeria it is estimated that over 70% of people are living in rural areas who are mainly non-literate people who cannot read and write in any language. It is against this background that this article sought to investigate the forms of information sources and services utilised among rural dwellers from public libraries in the North-West zone of Nigeria to find out whether they are relevant and appropriate to the nature of this group of people. Objectives:The study aimed at investigating the forms of information sources and services utilised among rural dwellers from public libraries in the North-West zone of Nigeria for sustainable rural development. Method:Wilson's 1981 model suggests that information-seeking behaviour arises as a result of a need perceived by an information user, who, in order to satisfy that need, makes demands upon formal or informal information sources and services. Hence, the model was adopted to underpin the current study. A structured questionnaire was designed and personally administered to the study participants. The quantitative data were analysed using the SPSS software and descriptive statistics.Results: Despite the fact that most of the rural dwellers in the North-West zone of Nigeria are non-literate people, it is evident from the results that there is utilisation of various forms of information sources and services from public libraries. The predominant forms of information sources utilised among rural dwellers from the libraries were printed materials, posters, flyers and audiovisuals. However, the forms of information services provided to rural dwellers by the libraries were traditional library services and awareness campaigns about government policies. Conclusion:The study revealed that utilisation of public libraries' information sources and services among rural dwellers in the area under study revolved around printed materials and traditional library services. It is evident that most of the library users among rural dwellers were those who were literate, as the non-literate people who were the majority did not patronise the libraries. Thus, this study will assist authorities of the public libraries in the area under study to provide relevant and effective information sources and services to rural dwellers for sustainable rural development.

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