Collaboration through partnership at UNISA Library: extending library services to students wherever they are..

CTICC-Terrace Room

UNISA Library service is a network of libraries that spreads across all provinces of South Africa, and a campus in Akaki, Ethiopia. The vision of UNISA “Towards the Africa UNISA the African University in service to humanity” inspires the UNISA Library services to go beyond the network of UNISA libraries, reaching students wherever they are. In line with UNISA motto “learn wherever you are”, UNISA library services responded by extending its services to students so that they can learn wherever they were with both digital and print content. The library has set up tears of collaboration that extends the reach of branch libraries services via mobile libraries, to public libraries and to multipurpose/tele-centers, thus extending services to reach students who often would not have their own technology to access UNISA’s vast digital and print content.

The paper discusses the impact of the multi-tiered partnerships of UNISA Library on the learning outcomes. The model utilised at UNISA Library demonstrates the enabling power of institutional vision and an implementation plan that seeks to ensure effective support of students, breaking isolation, and supporting student success. The paper will discuss that in a developing country context, it is not sufficient to avail learning content digitally but that learners often need assistance to get equipment to access digital content, as well providing some content in print.