Performance Measurement and Project Evaluation for African Rural Information Services

Sturges, R. P.; Wallis, S.

doi:10.1177/0266666994239967

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 9 publications

(8 reference statements)

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“…Continuing dialogue and participatory evaluation will enable the service providers to ensure that the service stays in touch with needs, especially the new needs that it should be able to stimulate. (Sturges and Wallis, 1999) Starting from what seems to be the irrational, understanding it, working with it and treating the community in which the seeming irrationality arises as partners, will ensure that more effective services can emerge.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Information Services and the Irrational

Sturges

Gooch²

2006

Information Development

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Examples of seemingly irrational responses to information delivery in the developing world are explored and the underlying rationality considered. Witchcraft, tribal loyalties and tradition, along with very local economics are some of the legitimate components of the filter through which new information must pass to be accepted. Better attempts to understand apparent irrational attitudes will lead to the development of more effective information services.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Information Services and the Irrational

Sturges

Gooch²

2006

Information Development

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“…There have been some studies on the impact assessment of rural libraries. Sturges and Wallis (1999) provided three examples of impact evaluation studies of rural libraries in Tanzania, Botswana and Malawi. Although these studies were useful, the authors suggested that the planning of measurement and evaluation needs to be rigorous, and argued that the spirit of evaluation in developing countries needs to be strongly participatory.…”

Section: Review Of Related Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rural library services II

Islam

Ahmed

2012

New Library World

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PurposeThis is the second article focusing on rural library services in Bangladesh. The main aim of this paper is to empirically measure the performance and impact of rural library activities in northern districts of Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachThe study was carried out separately in ten rural communities with library facilities. Background data about library collections were collected. Point‐of‐exit interviews with library users were carried out to gather their opinion on library collections, performance and impact.FindingsThe point‐of‐exit interview highlights the users' demographic characteristics, their library use and information needs, and their opinion on library collections, performance and impact. The constraints faced by users in using these libraries are also identified. The results show that most users are generally satisfied with the performance and impact of these libraries.Originality/valueThis paper is the first attempt to measure empirically the performance and impact of rural library activities in Bangladesh. The authors expect more research on impact assessment of rural library activities in other developing countries.

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“…Libraries and literacy: 'one of the best systems in the world because everyone can use it' 1995; Hull 1999; De la Peñ a Cook and Barber 2001). In developing countries, where the rates of illiteracy are much higher, there are a few examples of collaboration between libraries/community centres and the adult education movement and the state, for example in Tanzania, Malawi and Botswana (Sturges and Wallis 1999). The weight of opinion seems to be, however, that as African public libraries are so closely modelled on the Western model, they are disconnected from communities they are to serve, and therefore not fulfilling an effective role (cf.…”

Section: Public Libraries and Adult Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%