Using a Multi-Methods Approach to Investigate Disaster Preparedness of Community Libraries in the North West Province of South Africa

Abstract

Disasters can occur anywhere, and no organisation is immune to disasters. Community libraries in South Africa have experienced disasters over the past years, ranging from natural disasters to human-made disasters. This research aims to investigate the disaster preparedness of community libraries in the North West Province of South Africa. A multi-methods approach that involved questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis was used. The study results revealed that although community libraries have experienced disasters, they considered them as once-off events. Consequently, disaster management was not part of the collection management policy. However, disaster management should be a key component of collection development, and it should be part and parcel of a collection management policy.

When a disaster strikes: Are libraries in the Philippines ready?

“…For instance, Ayoung et al (2016) found that libraries in Ghana are ill-equipped to withstand and avert disasters. Similarly, community libraries in South Africa’s North West Province seldom prioritize disaster preparedness, with librarians mistakenly believing that libraries are immune to disasters and that disaster preparedness is not their responsibility (Chizwina and Ngulube, 2021). Likewise, a disaster management plan is also absent among the majority of academic libraries in south-eastern Nigeria (Chiderah and Iroeze, 2021) and Sri Lanka (Wijayasundara, 2021).…”