Acquisitions:

This section secures various materials for the library collection, whether by purchase, or donation or subscription. Its primary concern is to order, claim, renew and take receipt of materials for the library.

This section is responsible for acquiring new resources, such as printed books. The purchase of the recommended materials is determined by the available funds. Once an item is located for purchase, its bibliographic record is listed on the library’s catalogue and the item is ordered. On receipt, the item is checked, payment is processed and the item is prepared for shelving.

Cataloguing

This section creates and maintains the bibliographic records in the library’s online catalogue (uKwazi) that provides information about resources available. Cataloguing activities performed by staff include:

• descriptive cataloguing and authority maintenance;

• subject analysis and classification of resources in all formats; and

• maintaining the accuracy of information in uKwazi.

The above activities are performed according to international standards utilising the following tools:

• Resource Description and Access (RDA);

• Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH);

• Dewey Decimal Classification System (DDC); and

• MARC21.