AIS3705 PRACTICAL
PORTFOLIO 2025 –
ASSIGNMENT 6 2025
(Answer Guide) – Due
17 OCTOBER 2025
QUESTIONS WITH 100%
VERIFIED AND
CERTIFIED ANSWERS.
, 1
AIS3705 PRACTICAL PORTFOLIO 2025 – ASSIGNMENT 6 2025 (Answer Guide) –
Due 17 OCTOBER 2025
VERIFIED AND CERTIFIED ANSWERS. WRITTEN IN REQUIRED FORMAT AND WITHIN
GIVEN GUIDELINES. IT IS GOOD TO USE AS A GUIDE AND FOR REFERENCE, NEVER
PLAGARIZE. Thank you and success in your academics.
UNISA, 2025
Contents
2.1 Reflection on Assessment 1 – Institutional Profile and SWOT Analysis ....................... 2
2.2 Reflection on Assessment 2 – Research Problem, Objectives, and Methodology ............... 6
2.3 Reflection on Assessment 3 – Information Literacy and User Education ............................. 10
2.4 Reflection on Assessment 4 – Marketing of Information Services......................................... 14
2.5 Reflection on Assessment 5 – Academic Integrity and Turnitin Awareness ........................ 18
3. Integration and Professional Growth ............................................................................................ 23
4. Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 27
References ........................................................................................................................................... 28
, 2
2.1 Reflection on Assessment 1 – Institutional Profile and SWOT Analysis
The first portfolio assessment involved conducting a comprehensive SWOT analysis of
the National Library of South Africa (NLSA). This task aimed to assess how strategic
management tools can be used to evaluate institutional performance and align library
operations with national information and development goals. Through this process, I
gained an in-depth understanding of how environmental scanning and strategic
planning contribute to effective library management, particularly within public sector
institutions such as the NLSA.
One of the most valuable lessons from this assessment was the strategic importance
of environmental awareness in library and information service (LIS) institutions. A
SWOT analysis serves as both a diagnostic and planning instrument that enables
organizations to identify internal capabilities (strengths and weaknesses) and external
conditions (opportunities and threats) influencing performance. This exercise illuminated
how libraries, like the NLSA, operate within complex socio-economic and technological
environments that constantly evolve. As Bryson explains, strategic planning in the public
sector requires systematic environmental analysis to ensure that institutional missions
remain relevant and responsive to external change. This understanding was especially
useful in recognising how libraries must proactively adapt their services to align with the
country’s digital transformation and knowledge economy agenda.
Another significant insight from this assessment was the role of strategic alignment
between institutional objectives and national development priorities. The NLSA’s
mission to promote equitable access to information is directly linked to the national
goals of education, literacy, and lifelong learning. By situating the SWOT analysis within
the South African context, I realised that libraries are not isolated service units but
integral actors in social development. This aligns with the Department of Arts and
Culture’s Library and Information Services Transformation Charter, which calls for
inclusive, accessible, and technology-enabled information services that empower
citizens. Thus, the exercise enhanced my appreciation of how LIS professionals must
, 3
not only manage resources but also ensure that their work contributes to broader social
outcomes such as knowledge equity and democratic participation.
A further lesson learned was the importance of identifying and leveraging
institutional strengths for strategic positioning. The NLSA’s unique advantages such
as its national mandate, legal deposit status, skilled professionals, and rich archival
collections constitute powerful enablers of service delivery and institutional resilience.
However, these strengths can only generate sustainable impact if effectively harnessed
and aligned with modern technological and social demands. I learned that strategic
management in libraries is not merely about preserving heritage but about repackaging
and redistributing it in innovative ways that meet contemporary user expectations. For
example, digitisation of heritage materials and expansion of virtual library services
represent opportunities to both preserve cultural identity and extend access to a global
audience.
Equally, the process of identifying institutional weaknesses underscored the
importance of internal reflection and accountability. The NLSA, like many public sector
libraries, faces challenges such as limited digital transformation, outdated infrastructure,
staff shortages, and low public awareness. These weaknesses are not merely
operational but systemic, reflecting historical underinvestment in LIS infrastructure.
Analysing them compelled me to think critically about how professional librarians can
advocate for resource allocation, staff development, and modernisation within
bureaucratic structures. As Fourie and Dowell note, 21st-century librarianship requires
both managerial adaptability and user-centred innovation to remain relevant. I came to
understand that overcoming internal weaknesses is as much about leadership and
advocacy as it is about funding and policy reform.
The opportunities identified in the SWOT process particularly the potential for
digitisation, partnerships, and indigenous knowledge promotion highlighted how libraries
can reposition themselves as hubs of innovation and cultural preservation. This
perspective shifted my view of libraries from passive repositories to dynamic centres of
knowledge creation and dissemination. Partnerships with universities, NGOs, and
PORTFOLIO 2025 –
ASSIGNMENT 6 2025
(Answer Guide) – Due
17 OCTOBER 2025
QUESTIONS WITH 100%
VERIFIED AND
CERTIFIED ANSWERS.
, 1
AIS3705 PRACTICAL PORTFOLIO 2025 – ASSIGNMENT 6 2025 (Answer Guide) –
Due 17 OCTOBER 2025
VERIFIED AND CERTIFIED ANSWERS. WRITTEN IN REQUIRED FORMAT AND WITHIN
GIVEN GUIDELINES. IT IS GOOD TO USE AS A GUIDE AND FOR REFERENCE, NEVER
PLAGARIZE. Thank you and success in your academics.
UNISA, 2025
Contents
2.1 Reflection on Assessment 1 – Institutional Profile and SWOT Analysis ....................... 2
2.2 Reflection on Assessment 2 – Research Problem, Objectives, and Methodology ............... 6
2.3 Reflection on Assessment 3 – Information Literacy and User Education ............................. 10
2.4 Reflection on Assessment 4 – Marketing of Information Services......................................... 14
2.5 Reflection on Assessment 5 – Academic Integrity and Turnitin Awareness ........................ 18
3. Integration and Professional Growth ............................................................................................ 23
4. Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 27
References ........................................................................................................................................... 28
, 2
2.1 Reflection on Assessment 1 – Institutional Profile and SWOT Analysis
The first portfolio assessment involved conducting a comprehensive SWOT analysis of
the National Library of South Africa (NLSA). This task aimed to assess how strategic
management tools can be used to evaluate institutional performance and align library
operations with national information and development goals. Through this process, I
gained an in-depth understanding of how environmental scanning and strategic
planning contribute to effective library management, particularly within public sector
institutions such as the NLSA.
One of the most valuable lessons from this assessment was the strategic importance
of environmental awareness in library and information service (LIS) institutions. A
SWOT analysis serves as both a diagnostic and planning instrument that enables
organizations to identify internal capabilities (strengths and weaknesses) and external
conditions (opportunities and threats) influencing performance. This exercise illuminated
how libraries, like the NLSA, operate within complex socio-economic and technological
environments that constantly evolve. As Bryson explains, strategic planning in the public
sector requires systematic environmental analysis to ensure that institutional missions
remain relevant and responsive to external change. This understanding was especially
useful in recognising how libraries must proactively adapt their services to align with the
country’s digital transformation and knowledge economy agenda.
Another significant insight from this assessment was the role of strategic alignment
between institutional objectives and national development priorities. The NLSA’s
mission to promote equitable access to information is directly linked to the national
goals of education, literacy, and lifelong learning. By situating the SWOT analysis within
the South African context, I realised that libraries are not isolated service units but
integral actors in social development. This aligns with the Department of Arts and
Culture’s Library and Information Services Transformation Charter, which calls for
inclusive, accessible, and technology-enabled information services that empower
citizens. Thus, the exercise enhanced my appreciation of how LIS professionals must
, 3
not only manage resources but also ensure that their work contributes to broader social
outcomes such as knowledge equity and democratic participation.
A further lesson learned was the importance of identifying and leveraging
institutional strengths for strategic positioning. The NLSA’s unique advantages such
as its national mandate, legal deposit status, skilled professionals, and rich archival
collections constitute powerful enablers of service delivery and institutional resilience.
However, these strengths can only generate sustainable impact if effectively harnessed
and aligned with modern technological and social demands. I learned that strategic
management in libraries is not merely about preserving heritage but about repackaging
and redistributing it in innovative ways that meet contemporary user expectations. For
example, digitisation of heritage materials and expansion of virtual library services
represent opportunities to both preserve cultural identity and extend access to a global
audience.
Equally, the process of identifying institutional weaknesses underscored the
importance of internal reflection and accountability. The NLSA, like many public sector
libraries, faces challenges such as limited digital transformation, outdated infrastructure,
staff shortages, and low public awareness. These weaknesses are not merely
operational but systemic, reflecting historical underinvestment in LIS infrastructure.
Analysing them compelled me to think critically about how professional librarians can
advocate for resource allocation, staff development, and modernisation within
bureaucratic structures. As Fourie and Dowell note, 21st-century librarianship requires
both managerial adaptability and user-centred innovation to remain relevant. I came to
understand that overcoming internal weaknesses is as much about leadership and
advocacy as it is about funding and policy reform.
The opportunities identified in the SWOT process particularly the potential for
digitisation, partnerships, and indigenous knowledge promotion highlighted how libraries
can reposition themselves as hubs of innovation and cultural preservation. This
perspective shifted my view of libraries from passive repositories to dynamic centres of
knowledge creation and dissemination. Partnerships with universities, NGOs, and
