Conference Papers, Presentations & Posters (Department of Library Services)

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Integrated Big Data Analytics Conceptual Framework for Information Sharing across the fast-moving consumer goods industry
(IEEE, 2022-12) Ayomoh, Michael; Yadavalli, Sarma; Radebe, Bhekifa
Industrial revolution 4.0. (I.R.4.0) has augmented the number of cyber-physical systems (CSP) that generate., store and process data at an unprecedented rate hence., requiring big data (BD) and big data analytics (BDA) technologies. The FMCG consist of complex and dynamic entities., wherein., physical goods and information exchange occur and generate massive amounts of data., classified as big data (BD)., which is siloed., fragmented., etc. and requires BD technologies to be processed. The absence of information integration and data defusion deprives the FMCG SC of opportunities to achieve and maintain balanced demand and supply., reduce inventory holding costs and improve logistic efficiency. The utilization of technologies such as Hadoop., etc. to process and integrate the massive amounts of BD provides streamlined information processes., reduced operational costs., information integration and fusion throughout the diverse SC to achieve accurate., timely and reliable data/information was presented in this paper using a BDA conceptual framework.
Special Collections: Research and Reflection
(2024-11) Haw, Nikki; Haw, Nikki
The Freedom in the Archives event asked how anti-apartheid activism has been captured, commemorated and continues to drive research in post-apartheid South Africa and beyond. This presentation discusses these aspects with regard to the DLS Special Collections and shows how collections that have previously been regarded as less important can become our most valued research resources.
Collaborate and uncomplicate: best practices for managing and maintaining African languages collections
(2024) Warricker, Adrienne; Nel, Marguerite A; Kekana, Raesibe M; Sithole, Tebogo
In the past decades, South Africa's democratic advancements have significantly transformed the needs of academic library users. Driven by the User Experience (UX) movement, along with other factors, these have fostered a push for more inclusive and user-oriented collections. Concurrently, the field of African languages literature has expanded, with a notable increase in both publishers and publications. Managing and maintaining African languages collections in libraries involves unique challenges, largely stemming from historical imbalances. These collections have often been underdeveloped, underrepresented, and neglected in academic libraries. The diversity of languages and genres and the non-standard formats of many books, require dedicated attention and problem-solving from a multidisciplinary team. This presentation will explore the complexities of cataloguing and shelving African languages literature and highlight the collaborative efforts that have led to a more efficient system. We will discuss specific obstacles, such as the need for accurate cataloguing in multiple languages and the practical challenges of organising books from various genres in a continually growing collection, and keeping them tidy, to ensure a pleasant user experience. By detailing the successful partnership between information specialists, cataloguers, and shelving staff, we will demonstrate how a coordinated approach has significantly improved the management of the African languages literature collections. The implementation of these best practices has streamlined library operations, improved communication between units, and enhanced the user experience. This has made it easier for patrons to access and enjoy this rich and diverse collection while creating space for future additions. This presentation aims to provide insights and practical strategies for libraries facing similar challenges, fostering greater appreciation and accessibility of African language literature.
An introduction to theological resources represented at Special Collections
(2024-10) Haw, Nikki; Haw, Nikki
The DLS Special Collections Unit curates a number of collections related specifically to the study of theology. In addition, the Van Warmelo collection covers many subjects related to Traditional African Religions which still need to be explored. This presentation gives a brief overview of these collections and their potential for future research.
Intra-host quasispecies reconstructions resemble inter-host variability of transmitted chronic hepatitis B virus strains
(bioRxiv, 2023-05-15) Le Clercq, Louis-Stéphane; Bowyer, Sheila M.; Mayaphi, Simnikiwe H.
The hepatitis B virus is a partially double stranded DNA virus in the Hepadnaviridae family of viruses that infect the liver cells of vertebrates including humans. The virus replicates through the reverse transcription of an RNA intermediate by a viral poly-merase, akin to retroviruses. The viral polymerase has high replication capacity but low fidelity and no proofreading activity resulting in a high mutation rate. This contributes to the emergence of a cloud of mutants or quasispecies within host systems during infection. Several host and viral factors have been identified that contribute to mutations and mutation frequency in shaping viral evolution, however, because the dynamics of viral evolution cannot be understood from the fittest strain alone, the need exists to sequence and reconstruct intra-host diversity, recently made possible through next generation sequencing. Due to the extensive pipeline of bioinformatic analyses associated with next generation sequencing studies are needed to ascertain if quasispecies reconstruction methods and diversity measures accurately model known diversity. Here, next generation sequencing and various quasispecies reconstruction methods are used to model the natural evolution of viral populations across the full genome of hepatitis B virus strains from South Africa. This study illustrates that (i) different methods of quasispecies reconstruction reconstruct the same amount of diversity, (ii) intra-host diversity derived from full quasispecies analyses re-sembles diversity measures obtained from previous methods, (iii) inter-host diversity resembles the diversity between closely related quasispecies variants, (iv) diversity is increased in HIV-negative individuals, and (v) corroborate that seroconversion of HBV biomarkers increases mutation rates.
The construction of occupational professionalism among business rescue practitioners supplying professional bodies.
(The Centre for Business & Economic Research, 2021-07) AYAYA, ONESMUS; Pretorius, Marius; AYAYA, ONESMUS; Pretorius, Marius
The study aimed to explore the construction of professionalism in a multiple professional bodies (MPB) landscape in South Africa (SA) and demonstrate how this construction can be used to enhance a professional accreditation regime. Professional accreditation has become a pre-requisite for business rescue practitioners (BRPs). The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) licensing is linked to multiple professional bodies’ knowledge and practices but are not generic. This study was guided by one key question: How do PBs providing BRPs construct professionalism, and to what extent can the existing construction of professionalism facilitate the development of a professional accreditation regime? A qualitative research design used required research to use four consecutive steps, namely (a) interviewing member services managers at four professional bodies (PBs); (b) systematic content analysis of codes of professional conduct and policy statements to identify constituent professionalism notions; (c) a systematic search of the literature to identify notions of professionalism mentioned in definitions and explanations of the construct; and (d) analysis of notions of professionalism using the constant comparison procedure to reveal key themes. A total of 90 separate notions of professionalism were identified in the 192 scholarly papers included in our study. The identified theme within business rescue practitioner (BRP) professionalism (emphasising relational aspects) points to practitioner dealings with (i) clients (business rescue candidates); (ii) government and others; (iii) the PB; and (iv) oneself to gain the essence of occupation. There is fragmentation between the constructed conceptualisations of professionalism among PBs, leading to an incoherent and inconsistent expert accreditation regime. The results from these steps were used to advance a programmatic framework to construct professionalism in an MPB landscape and a future research agenda
Innovate and Integrate: Key Trends and Developments in Library Technical Services
(2024-06) Nel, Marguerite; Nel, Marguerite Alice
Traditionally, cataloguers played essential roles in libraries to ensure that materials were organised, accessible, and easily discoverable by users. While the core principles of cataloguing remain the same, many of these tasks have evolved with the introduction of new technologies and methodologies in the field. In this presentation, we will explore some of the most significant advancements in the ever-changing landscape of the modern 21st-century library, with a particular focus on how these influential trends shape the future of library technical services.
The 3-approach-7-principles strategy to improve interaction and engagement in existing blended modules
(2015-06-11) Maimela, Chipa
Lecturers at institutions often struggle with the amount of time and work that they are dedicating to improve their online courses. Those who make time to update their online courses often concentrate on features that only store information for the students to retrieve later and do not necessarily consider the broad spectrum of the features that can be used to improve the interaction and engagement between the lecturer and the student. The presentation seeks to emphasise the use of methods that can improve the design of an existing blended course. Chapters
Artificial Intelligence and its Impact on Library Staff Learning and Development
(2024-03-18) Maimela, Chipa
Artificial Intelligence and its Impact on Library Staff Learning and Development. Libraries worldwide are undergoing a significant transformation as they embrace digitization. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a crucial factor in shaping library operations. This presentation examines the impact of AI on the learning and professional development of library staff, with a focus on "The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Library Staff Learning and Development." This study investigated the various ways in which AI influences the growth and skill enhancement of library professionals. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in libraries calls for the examination of its diverse implications for library personnel. This presentation delves into the nexus between AI and the domain of learning and development, emphasizing the pressing need for libraries to embrace technological advancements. As libraries transition to digital environments, the responsibilities of library staff shift, necessitating a sophisticated understanding of how AI influences professional growth. This presentation delves into the ways in which AI technologies, including automated cataloguing and metadata creation, as well as AI-driven reference services, are transforming the roles and duties of library staff. Furthermore, the necessity of ongoing training programs will be investigated to enable library professionals to competently navigate and effectively utilize AI technologies. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the ethical factors that must be considered when implementing AI, such as data privacy, fairness, and transparency. This study emphasizes the significance of fostering an ethical AI culture within libraries to ensure the responsible and equitable use of AI technologies. The presentation highlighted several key themes, including the need for technological literacy, automation of routine tasks, and collaborative nature of AI implementation in library services. Technological literacy is a crucial component in the incorporation of AI into library services, and it is essential to provide library staff with the skills necessary to harness AI's potential of AI. This can be achieved through structured training programs that focus on hands-on experiences, collaborative initiatives, and ongoing professional development. The practical aspects of these programs are of paramount importance for ensuring that library staff become proficient AI users. AI's influence on cataloguing procedures is far-reaching and transformative. By relieving library staff of their tedious cataloguing duties, AI enables them to focus on higher-level strategic pursuits. This situation facilitates a deeper examination of the reciprocal relationship between AI adoption and professional development opportunities stemming from the streamlined cataloguing processes. User experience is significantly enhanced by AI-driven technologies, which constitutes the central theme of this study. AI-powered recommendation systems play a vital role in customizing user interactions. This presentation also delves into the ways in which library staff can hone their abilities to interpret user data, refine AI algorithms, and ensure that AI complements rather than detracts from human elements in library services. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the automation of repetitive and routine tasks has emerged as a transformative element in various industries, including libraries. By participating in these mundane activities, AI allows library staff to focus on intellectually challenging tasks, which in turn necessitates continuous learning and development. This presentation examines the consequent reallocation of responsibilities, highlighting the significance of these changes and the opportunities they create for library staff to contribute actively to the strategic objectives of their institutions. This presentation highlights the significance of fostering close collaboration between library professionals and AI developers, emphasizing the importance of ongoing learning, understanding technical complexities, and actively contributing to the seamless integration of AI technologies. The dynamic and constantly evolving nature of AI necessitates continuous monitoring and evaluation by library staff to assess its performance, adaptability, and impact of AI tools on library services. This iterative evaluation process is crucial for maintaining optimal functionality and ensuring that the AI aligns with the changing needs of library users. This presentation highlights the transformative capacity of artificial intelligence (AI) in the context of library staff learning and development. Although AI has the potential to revolutionize information services, its integration is challenging. Resistance to change, fear of job displacement, and concerns about algorithmic biases are some of the hurdles library staff may encounter. To overcome these challenges, a proactive and collaborative approach to learning, adaptability, and collaboration is necessary. Moreover, this study emphasizes the need for future research to explore how libraries can leverage AI to provide equitable and inclusive information. This presentation emphasizes the need for library staff to cultivate dynamic skill sets, engage in continuous learning, and actively contribute to the ethical and effective integration of AI into library services. This presentation contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the evolving roles of library professionals in the era of AI, paving the way for future research and informed practice.
SDGs embedded on the institutional data repository : research data management envisaged?
(2023) Ramokgola, Mankaleme Rosina
Universities are regarded as research, knowledge and innovation hubs for solving global and societal problems. Universities are expected to be involved and contribute in different levels i.e. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 agenda. Research work connected to the SDGs addresses global challenges. University of Pretoria as one of the education sectors and research- intensive university should respond and contribute towards the success of SDGs. University’s contribution is needed to achieve all of the SDGs. Academic libraries are custodians and play a pivotal role in research, supporting, promoting and disseminating research related to SDGs for visibility and societal impact. They also provide access to scholarly resources including dataset related to the SDGs. Disseminating scholarly resource, and open data on the institutional repository and licenses for using it will accelerate progress, increase impact and make SDGs possible. Librarian are the key players in supporting the UN SDGs 2030 agenda for sustainability in research institutions. Librarians ensure research produced at the universities is managed, curated, stored, shared and re- used.
Integrating AI chatbot on the academic library website
(2023) Ramokgola, Mankaleme Rosina
The evolution of the 4th Industrial Revolution, machine learning, Artificial intelligence (AI),and the advancement of technology changes the way we work and in particular how libraries are known to operate and offer services. Change is inevitable, 21st-century libraries need to adopt and deploy new digital technology to stand the times. Academic libraries are knowledge hub, their role and functions keep on changing in building tools to promote access and discovery. AI chatbots are digital technologies that change the user experience and customer service landscape. They are powerful digital information service tools of AI for libraries. We are living in an era where people prefer chatting to talking. AI positions academic libraries to be a hub of technology that enhances learning space, to improves existing products and services. AI is also imperative in enhancing engagement and interaction. AI chatbot can be seen as a reference service marketing tool to familiarize users with a variety of library resources and services. The library website serves as an access point and virtual point of contact for interacting with users. It is an information service tool where users find information or even learn about library products/services, facilities, news, and events. Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are game changers that can be incorporated into academic libraries’ operations as service enhancement tools that change the user experience landscape. They also change the user-seeking behaviour. The paper will also attempt to evaluate the impact of IA chatbot both at the operational level and its usefulness to the client service portfolio. By integrating the chatbot on the library website, academic libraries can gain new insights into the kinds of information users search on the library’s website and search phrases they use according to specific topics.
When metadata management meets UN SDGs : highlighting the role of the University of Pretoria libraries
(2023-10) Moreana, Mercia; Maritz, Marinda; Makhera, Pfano
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations (UN) is a global call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. These goals encompass a broad range of interconnected issues, such as eradicating hunger, promoting gender equality, fostering sustainable cities, and combating climate change. As the world strives to achieve these ambitious targets, data and information play a pivotal role in monitoring progress and designing effective strategies. With higher education institutions well positioned to contribute to the successful implementation of the SDGs, sustainability is viewed as an essential aspect of a university's reputation. Yet, it still remains a challenge for most universities to report the impact and evidence of their research and contributions to the SDGs. The metadata librarians at the University of Pretoria (UP) libraries have therefore taken up the unique task of developing metadata on the institutional repository (UPSpace) and enriching keywords, to link research output towards the UN SDGs. They are aiming to align research outputs that date back to 2015 to display their researchers’ engagement. This task started at the Jotello F. Soga library (Faculty of Veterinary Science) as a pilot project and is now expanded to the other faculties of the university. This presentation focuses on the role of metadata in advancing the SDGs at the University of Pretoria. The UP metadata librarians are mapping research outputs on their institutional repositories as a collective, guided by the structured metadata framework that they have created. This will aid in measuring the University of Pretoria's SDGs contribution nationally and internationally. Metadata refers to data that provides information about other data, helping to organise, describe, and facilitate the discovery of information resources (Liu, Fu and Liu, 2023). In the context of SDGs, metadata plays a crucial role in mapping and categorising relevant information resources to specific goals, targets, and indicators. The data sources include research projects, academic publications, institutional initiatives, and community engagement activities, all linked to the SDGs.
Library life pulse survey : a wake-up call for UP Library awareness efforts
(2023-06) Soyizwapi, Lindiwe; Ntshabele, Zenzile Busangani
Library user experience through time : a cross-generational analysis
(2023-09) Ntshabele, Zenzile; Soyizwapi, Lindiwe
The Department of Library Services conducts quality surveys as one of the tools to assess the quality of services, library spaces and resources. LibQUAL has previously been used to assess the user’s expectations and perceptions. However, in 2022 the Library started a journey to explore user experiences by using the Library Life Pulse Survey which measures impact and experiences rather than perceptions. The literature offers the use of the generation lens as an analytical tool to fit for the higher education environment which invests in multi-generations. There is no consensus if generational differences will not just result in stereotyping and generalizations. We are of the view that this lens offers a great opportunity for user segmentation and understanding users’ preferences in order to develop services tailored for their specific needs. We compare differences in library users experience across generations using the Kruskall-Wallis Test. The results show significant differences across difference library facets among generation, with the biggest disparities among generation X and generation Z. We therefore conclude that one size doesn’t fit all, and that libraries must consider the variations in preferences and behaviors of different generations when engaging, designing, and providing services to different user groups to avoid unintentional exclusion.
Full Genome Amplification and Quasispecies Reconstruction of the Hepatitis B Virus from Next Generation Sequencing Data
(Faculty of Health Sciences, 2014) Le Clercq, Louis-Stéphane; Bowyer, Sheila M.; Mayaphi, Simnikiwe Horatious
The Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a DNA virus that infects most vertebrates and is part of the Hepadnaviridae family. Transmission of HBV occurs through bodily fluids such as blood and sexual contact. HBV targets the liver cells of mammals, including humans, and can result in acute or chronic infections. The virus replicates within host liver cells by reverse transcription of an RNA intermediate and also integrates into the host genome. HBV undergoes high mutation rates due to its error-prone replication, leading to a diverse population of viral variants. Consequently, It has several genotypes (A to J). In chronic infections, HBV forms a complex mixture of viral variants within the host, known as a quasispecies consisting of major, intermediate, and minor variants. As selection occurs on the entire viral population, and progresses over the course of infection, the dynamics of viral evolution cannot be understood from the fittest strain alone. Therefor, quasispecies reconstructions present a unique avenue to gain novel insights into the emergence of novel strains. This research seeks to enhance our understanding of HBV quasispecies dynamics.
An examination of virtualization technologies for enabling intelligent edge computing
(IEEE, 2023-07-07) Afachao, Kevin; Abu-Mahfouz, Adnan Mohammed
At the frontier of computing today is the Internet of Things, rapidly connecting things and incorporating them into its larger ecosystem. Driving the rapid rise of the Internet of Things is the Edge Computing framework. While the Edge Computing framework has its shortcomings, it can be enhanced with the use of Artificial Intelligence and Virtualization technologies. This paper discusses several papers and earlier surveys focused on enabling virtual services in Intelligent Edge Computing. Few works are dedicated to advancing virtualisation's incorporation in Intelligent Edge Computing. However, the current works studied provide an insight into the research’s direction. Furthermore, future directions are stated and highlighted to encourage research in this domain
A review of Intelligent IoT devices at the edge
(IEEE, 2023-05-15) Afachao, Kevin; Abu-Mahfouz, Adnan Mohammed
The Internet of Things is fast expanding with paradigms to describe its new frontiers. A more closely tied term to the Internet of Things is Edge Computing, which describes empowering devices at the edge with intelligence. One characteristic of these edge devices is the improved latency provided against Cloud computing. The network edge is an under-utilized area and by merging intelligence with edge computing devices, we can effectively exploit it with novel approaches. This paper seeks to bring to light several “Internet of Things” devices at the edge and their capability in bringing intelligence to the network edge. A novel approach is introduced by comparing devices concerning the processing capability, memory capacity and applications. It is then clear, that there are many devices today on par with smartphones equally capable of deploying intelligence at the edge.
Running virtual services for the intelligent edge : a review
(IEEE, 2023) Afachao, Kevin; Abu-Mahfouz, Adnan Mohammed
Linking Veterinary Science Faculty Research and Activities to the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of the Library
(2023) Nel, Marguerite Alice; Breytenbach, Amelia
There are widespread opportunities for higher education institutions to contribute to the successful implementation of the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Consequently, sustainability is now viewed as an essential aspect of a university's reputation and prestige globally, and research applications and grants are increasingly subjected to alignment with the SDG targets of research funders. Nevertheless, while there are extensive initiatives and SDG-focused research undertaken by universities, there is still a significant gap in documenting and reporting the evidence and assessing the conformity between activities of teaching, research, community engagement, and campus operations. With academic libraries mandated to align with the core business of the higher education system, it is sensible to congruently explore opportunities to support the strategies of their parent institutions. Academic libraries hence have a responsibility to consider ways to support SDG-related research and activities of their faculties. Essentially, librarians are perfectly positioned to apply their information management skills, information organizing tools, and information communication infrastructure knowledge to facilitate the discoverability, retrieval, and promotion of evidence on SDGs. The Jotello F. Soga Library, at the University of Pretoria, serves the Veterinary Science community of South Africa. This paper will report on the initiatives undertaken by librarians at this specialised library to organise (through tags in the metadata records), communicate, and promote the UNESCO SDGs related to veterinary science. It will in particular explain how the library’s open-access platforms were utilised to report sustainability-related research and activities of the Faculty of Veterinary Science to the local and global veterinary community and society in general.
Open Access repositories as an for Open Journal Systems and enhancer for the SA-SDGs hub : South African perspective
(2023) Matizirofa, Lazarus; Selematsela, Daisy

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