1. "The transformation of a science librarian: a 2.0 experience"
PavlinkaKovatcheva, Sciences Librarian
University of Johannesburg, South Africa
SLA- PAM Networking Breakfast and Business Meeting,
Tuesday,15 June 2010, New Orleans

2. Presentation Outline
Overview of the South African Environment
The South African Higher Education System
South African Research Environment
South African Academic Libraries
University of Johannesburg
Transformation of a Science Librarian
Conclusion
3. Whats Hot in 2010
Overview of the South African Environment
4. From Apartheid to Democracy
South Africa is society in transition
Population 49 320 million
11 official languages IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001)
Race/Ethnicity - Black African 79%, White 9.6%, Coloured 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001)
Literacy rate - 86% (2003 est.)
Many challenges: Poverty; Unemployment (25.2%); Crime; Race & Equity; Devastating impact of HIV and AIDS,
5. The South African
Higher Education System
6. The South African Education
Education gets ~ 20% of total Government expenditure
Backlogs left by 40 years Apartheid Bantu education
Today-still imbalances in poorer rural areas
High illiteracy rate ~ 24% (6-8 million adults over 15 years)
7. The South African Higher Education
2004 started with reforms in the HE
Mergers/Incorporation of small universities /technikons into larger institutions
From 32 to 23 Public Universities
Divided into three type of Universities

11 Traditional Universities (Theoretically oriented)

8. 6 Universities of Technologies (Vocational/Practical) 9. 6 Comprehensive Universities (Combination of both)Large in student numbers
Focus on Research
Focus on 1st generation students
10. 11. Top Africa Universities Ranking(Jan 2010)
http://www.webometrics.info/top100_continent.asp?cont=africa
12. South African Research Environment
SA Universities Ranking
PAM Research in South Africa
13. National Research Foundation
The NRF provides services to the research community especially at Higher Education Institutions and Science Councils with a view to promote high-level human capital development.
National Research Foundation aim:
To promote and support research through funding, human resource development and the provision of the necessary facilities in order
To facilitatethe creation of knowledge, innovation and development in all fields of science and technology, including indigenous knowledge,
and thereby to contribute tothe improvement of the quality of life of all the people of the Republic.
14. Country Ranking: Physics & Astronomy
15. SA Physics & Astronomy:Subject categories
16. Country Ranking: Mathematics
17. SA Mathematics:Subject categories
18. Comparison Report: Mathematics
Comparison Report: Physics & Astronomy
19. South African Academic Libraries
20. SA University Libraries
SA Libraries Initiatives
SA Libraries Challenges
National Consortiums (SANLiC)
Library Associations (SAOUG; LIASA; SLIS, etc.)
Carnegie Foundations for SA Libraries
Open Access in SA SciElo
Institutional Repositories
Web 2.0 technologies
Mobile technologies
Mergers
Budget cuts
Consortiums (prices)
Inadequate infrastructures
Information Literacy
Computer Literacy
Bandwidth
Access to Internet
Rural vs Urban
Cultural diversity
Equity
Education system
21. University of Johannesburg
Faculty of Science
22. University of Johannesburg (UJ)
University of Johannesburg (2005+)
Merger of Technikon Witwatersrand, Rand Afrikaans and Vista Universities
Over 45,000 students
9 Faculties
On 4 Campuses
http://www.uj.ac.za
23. UJ Research Output
24. 25. UJ Faculty of Science overview
14 Departments
2 Campuses
2009 - 145 permanent & 88 non-permanent academics
93% of the Academics are with Masters
55% are with Doctorate degrees
2009 Student Enrolments

Undergraduates 2488

26. Postgraduates49264 research-orientated visits abroad (both African and Non-African).
18 international and 14 national agreements were made in the research workers individual capacities.
14 post-doctoral fellows in the Faculty in 2009
The number of NRF rated staff in 2009 is 32.
Faculty Community involvement
27. Faculty of Science: Research Profile
Accredited/Subsidised Journal
Publication units
Summary of outputs
Totalsubsidised units: 122.63(18% increase from 2009)
ISI journals: 108.29(42% increase from 2008)
SA journals: 3.83units
Books: 1.5units
Proceedings:9(Based on 50% formula)
Postgraduate: 20 PhD & 53 M
Postdoctoral Fellows:14
Presentations at international conferences: 143
Presentations at national conferences:149
28. UJ Physics Department
Research areas:
Condense Matter
Astrophysics
Particle Physics
- From 2009 a Masters course in Nuclear Energy
- Particles-Solids integration group wiki: http://physics.uj.ac.za/psi

The ATLAS experiment (LHC, CERN)