Job satisfaction was investigated at a South African university library undergoing change on many fronts. The study included 31 members of staff and the data were gathered via interviews/questionnaires, informed by standard HRM job satisfaction theory. The study found a "love-hate" relationship between respondents and their work. The key positive finding is that 61% report overall job satisfaction-with the core work of an academic library, providing for the information needs of clients, the source. However, only 51% claim to be proud to work at their library and 50% are open to other job offers. Causes for the restlessness include a sense of stagnation, frustration with inadequate resources, and anger at poor remuneration.
The article argues that the construct of social capital offers South African public librarianship fresh vision-urgently needed if it is to fulfil its potential role in social inclusion. Social capital refers to the stocks of social trust. norms and networks that a community can draw on to solve common problems. A wide body of research in Southern Africa bears witness to its role in the success of development projects. Restrictive economic policies, coupled with new demands. have put pressure on public libraries and research points to a prevailing low morale among their staff, who, it is suggested. find themselves caught in the transition towards new models of service. Government's acceptance of social capital as a crucial tool in the developmental state and the news of its intervention to transform South African public libraries suggest the need to articulate the library as "a place for all". In reaction to neglect in the literature of social capital, internationally. librarians have documented their building of social capital through their education, information and community programmes. This work offers South African librarians a rich resource to draw on in their search for new direction and vision.
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