This document discusses the different types of creators, custodians, and disseminators of information in Africa. It defines creators as authors and artists who produce information through research, writing, and publishing. Custodians, such as libraries, schools, and non-formal educational institutions, are responsible for protecting, caring for, and maintaining information. Disseminators spread information to reach many people using various methods like media (social media, newspapers), publishing houses, and libraries. The document provides examples and details of each type and how they contribute to the information environment in Africa.

1. Information
Environment in Africa
Handout 2: THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
CREATORS, CUSTODIANS & DISSEMINATORS
Fabian Kapepiso

2. Handout 2 Outcomes
● Upon completion of this handout, students should be able to:
 Discuss why African creators of information struggle with publishing and
selling their works, why they leave Africa to work abroad, and the remedy
for the situation.
 Explain how libraries, schools and academic institutions, and non-formal
educational institutions are custodians of information.
 Discuss how information is disseminated through media, libraries, and
publishers
 Define and provide examples of custodians, disseminators and creators
of information.

3. 1. Creators of information
● Creators include authors and artists
● Authors as creators & how they create
information: research and publishing,
writing fiction & poetry, teaching and
lecturing in schools & universities
● Web enviro. offers creators of info.
opportunities to create, publish,
distribute & disseminate their works to
a lot of users (people or public)
● Examples of web platforms used by
creators of information are : Amazon
Kindle Publisher, Goodreads, Tumblr,
Medium & YouTube

4. 2. Custodians of information
● Custodian refers to a person
who has the responsibility for
taking care of or protecting
something.
● The synonyms of custodian
include curator, keeper,
conservator, guardian,
overseer, superintendent;
caretaker, steward, warden,
warder, attendant; watchdog,
protector, defender (Oxford
Dictionary, 2018).
● It also refers to “a person or
organisation that is responsible for
protecting, caring for, or maintaining
something or someone”, e.g. the
library is a traditional custodian of
information (Cambridge Dictionary,
2018).
● We can, therefore, say that
custodians of information refer to
people or organisations responsible
for the protection, care, or
maintenance of information.

5. 2.1. Libraries as custodians
● Digitisation of important or valuable library materials
● Building and managing digital resources
● Maintain the availability of publications through short-term and
long-term storage and preservation.
● Update the collection to meet the needs of information
● Use security strips to prevent theft of library materials
● Make e-resources accessible and available to users to
complement the physical materials
● Replace damaged materials or repair them if possible

6. 2.2. Schools and academic institutions
● Custodians of information through their libraries, teachers,
lecturers, and librarians
● Updated information materials availability
● Support teaching and learning activities
● Educators and promoters of digital literacy
● Promote computer skills and digital technologies
● Academic institutions publish and disseminate research
findings
● Share and distribute knowledge through teaching
● Creating opportunities for creativity and collaboration

7. 2.3. Non-formal education institutions
● Non-formal education (NFE) or
“informal learning” is defined as
any organised, intentional, explicit
effort to promote learning to
enhance the quality of life through
non-school settings (Heimlich
cited in Rubin, 2010, p.19)
● They keep (preserve) historical,
scientific and cultural materials
● Exhibits materials to the public
● Share stories and histories of the
materials they keep.

8. 3. Disseminators of Information
● Dissemination refers to the spread of information and knowledge with
the purpose or aim of reaching many people.
● Information dissemination requires systematic planning, collection,
organisation, and storage of information for delivery and use by the
community or users.
● Information dissemination constitutes an important and critical factor for
learning because people depend on information to be informed.
● Information is a vital necessity for humankind because it serves a
desire of curiosity and questioning.
● Examples of disseminators: media, publishers, and libraries/librarians

9. 3.1. Media
● Selective Dissemination of Information
(SDI) indicates that the media would
present specific topics for a specific
target audience.
● Disseminating information holds the one-
way communication model where there is
no interaction with the consumers
(public).
● Media dissemination includes posters,
radio, TV, and publications (newspapers,
etc.).
● Media dissemination of info. only involves
informing the public. The purpose is to
create awareness and reach the public.

10. 3.1. Media…continued
● A single information medium cannot be depended upon for the
dissemination of different types of information
● Different people and age groups prefer different mediums or media for
their information.
● Media disseminators include oral communication, TV, SMS, cell
phones, and social media.
● How information is disseminated by the media:
● Placement of important issues on the main headlines & covering them
as main stories.
● Filtering and shaping the reality into something more appropriate to its
viewers. Place focus on certain issues appropriate to the audience, e.g.
corruption and land expropriation.

11. 3.1.1. Social media
● Social media, including SMS,
blogs, and news portals have a
high impact and coverage ratio.
● Popular and critical tools of
information dissemination.
● They can enhance the decision-
making process and equip people
with fresh information since more
data is provided than it is the
case with traditional media.

12. 3.2. Publishing
● Some research takes a long time before being published. Thus,
information is disseminated slowly, and by the time it is published, some
of the information or research may be out of date.
● Some publishers restrict access to certain information or research. They
need a certain amount of money to disseminate information.
● Universities pay significant annual subscription fees to publishers to
allow professors and students to access information.
● Information is disseminated through distributors and promotions.
● Open Access (OA) publishing disseminates information and research
quickly without any fee to anyone. Publishers disseminate information in
physical and digital formats. Most of these publications are for sale.

13. 3.3. Libraries/librarians
● The core business of libraries is to provide and disseminate
information to the public.
● Through the provision of relevant information at all levels, libraries can
support governments, policymakers, civil society, and communities by
serving as channels for disseminating information relevant and
effective to address the needs of citizens.
● In order for libraries to properly execute the dissemination of
information, its services must be expanded through innovation,
multimedia and media communication technology to deliver value-
added development services.
● Information dissemination and knowledge can be made possible by
the Internet as well as social media platforms.

14. 3.3.1. Formats
● Libraries provide access to information in electronic formats such as
CD-ROMs, World Wide Web and online databases, in addition to books
or physical materials.
● Libraries act as selective filters and quality instruments, making
available to users only those publications that are relevant and
sufficient.
● The Internet has become the primary platform for libraries to build and
deliver (disseminate) information resources, services and instructions.
● In the digital age, information is disseminated in various formats: text,
audio, video and electronic, as well as via social media platforms.

15. References
● Cambridge Dictionary (2018). Custodian. Retrieved
September 4, 2018, from
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/custodia
n
● CollegeGrad (2018). Publishing industry (except software).
Retrieved from
https://collegegrad.com/industries/publishing
● Dhawan, S.M. [2015]. Basics of information dissemination.
Retrieved from http://fliphtml5.com/xrsa/ndqs/basic
● Ginsburg, J. (2004). Legal issues in production,
dissemination, and use. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215729/
● Harzing, A-W. & Adler, N.J. (2014). Disseminating
knowledge: from potential to reality – new Open-Access
journals collide with convention. Retrieved September 13,
2018, from https://harzing.com/download/predatory.pdf
● Kleiteria Tweets [2018]. Dissemination of information in
media. Retrieved from
https://mkleit.wordpress.com/dissemination-of-information-
in-media/
● Mandal, A. (2015). What fiction has to say about
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fiction-has-to-say-about-the-libraries-of-the-future-
36314
● Mayega, S. (2008). Library and information
services in the digital age, in Fourth Shanghai
International Library Forum (SILF 2008), Shanghai
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Retrieved September 17, 2018, from
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● Obasola, O.I. (2012). Libraries as channels for
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http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/843
● Oxford Dictionary (2018). Custodian. Retrieved
September 5, 2018, from
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/custodi
an

16. ● Reitz, J.M. (2006). ODLIS: online
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Retrieved September 4, 2018, from
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