Access to e-government services by citizens through public/community libraries in Namibia

Abstract

The role of public/community libraries in promoting national development is undeniable. It is therefore not surprising that these libraries are being heralded as partners in e-government service delivery. The libraries however experience challenges in providing this important service, many of which emanate from poor funding. The paper presents findings of a study that was conducted in urban, semi-urban and rural public/community libraries in Namibia to determine access to e-government services through public/community libraries. Related studies have highlighted the digital divide between rural and urban settings as one of the factors influencing e-government service delivery. There is an imbalance in the provision of technology infrastructure between rural and urban areas in Namibia. The study therefore was based on the assumption that the setting of the library will have an influence on access to e-government services. The study employed a survey research design using a questionnaire for data collection, which was administered via email. The study population were all 65 community libraries, of which 64 took part in the study and the units of analysis were library staff, of which 75 completed the questionnaire. The findings show that the e-government services that users were accessing through the libraries included downloading and completing employment forms, employment information, and filing tax returns. The challenges included few workstations in libraries, unreliable Internet connectivity and slow Internet access (i.e. slow bandwidth). The library setting had no impact on access to e-government services, suggesting that these other factors could equally be affecting libraries regardless of setting and that there could be other factors at play. The study recommends that a study be conducted to gather the perspective of the users which may highlight what these other factors are.