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Faculty of Theology and Religion

Welcome to the library LibGuides of the Faculty of Theology and Religion.

Embedded Information Literacy

Curriculum Renewal Program at the University of the Free State

The Center for Teaching and Learning hosted the first cohort of staff members from academic and support departments as part of the curriculum renewal programme from 3-7 June 2024.

Mr. Mahlaga Molepo attended and completed the programme as part of the goal of renewing the curriculum for library/information literacy training offered in support of the academic project in the Faculty of Theology and Religion.

As part of the output from the curriculum renewal program, Mr Mahlaga Molepo created an integration map, a study guide, and a manual for the information literacy module offered to undergraduate students and embedded in the Introduction to the Old Testament (TOTT1513) in the Faculty of Theology and Religion.

Have you ever wondered how information literacy helps students at university complete their academic tasks?

The Embedded Information Literacy module aims to expand your knowledge about information literacy and its importance in your academic, professional, and personal life.

Information literacy is a field that integrates a student’s ability to reflect on the discovery of information, understand how information is produced and valued, and use the information to create new knowledge and think ethically about information use. You will learn how to identify, use, and evaluate information sources.

This module provides a comprehensive overview of information literacy and is embedded within the Introduction to the Old Testament (TOTT1513) module in the Faculty of Theology and Religion. Topics include: what is information literacy? The relationship between information literacy, technology, and information explosion, discover information platforms and data sources, information records and sources, and evaluation of information sources.

Research affects teaching in several ways. Firstly, results from research can inform new pedagogical approaches and the development of new learning materials in library training programs. Secondly, research can influence the redesign and renewal of library training materials to cater to diverse user needs. Research also helps identify gaps in library training practice and existing theories on library training.

The following peer-reviewed publications are a testimony to the importance of research in librarianship:

Library catalogue and electronic resources

What is Kovsiecat?

  • The library catalogue at UFS (also called the KOVSIECAT), is an inventory of all items found within the library, either physically or electronically.
  • The catalogue is organized and indexed so that you can search by a variety of fields, e.g. Keyword, Subject, Title and Author.
  • The Kovsiecat indexes all the books, eBooks. DVDs, CDs and Theses written by UFS students.

To access the Library Catalogue (kovsiecat)

  • From the UFS`s home page, click on resources and a dropdown list will appear                                                  
  • Select CATALOGUE (Kovsiecat) then you are directly on the large search box, and you may enter your search terms.

Electronic resources

Watch the video on how to access the electronic databases.

Main Databases for Theology and Religion

Main databases for theology and religion:

  • ATLA Religion Database: the premier database for theology and religion.
  • New Testament Abstracts: indexes articles and books on New Testament topics and scripture passages from 1981 to present. Includes some full text articles.
  • Old Testament Abstracts: indexes articles and books on Old Testament topics and scripture passages from 1979 to present. Includes some full text articles.
  • JSTOR: a large multi-disciplinary database which includes mainly full-text e-journals. Important note: in most cases, recently published issues of journals (within the last 3-5 years) are NOT available in JSTOR.
ATLA Religion Database is the premier scholarly database for the study of religion and for Biblical scholarship. 
Journal articles, book reviews and collections of essays are included and journals are carefully selected based on their scholarly merit and scope.
All major religious faiths and major denominations as well as numerous language groups are covered. 
Coverage extends back to 1949 and has retrospective indexing for some journals as far back as the 1800s. 
ATLA's indexing of multi-author works, such as Festschriften and conference proceedings, is unique among religion databases as ATLA indexes each individual essay.  Areas of coverage include the Bible; archaeology & antiquities; church history, missions and ecumenism; pastoral ministry; world religions and religious studies; theology; philosophy; and ethics.
To search ATLA for information about specific books, chapters or verses in the Bible click on "Scriptures" located at the top of the page while in the advanced search mode or use the Scripture Citation Index by clicking on "Indexes" at the top of the page and selecting "Scripture Citations" from the drop-down box.
 
Old Testament Abstracts Online 
The Catholic Biblical Association and the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) partner to produce this scholarly source of articles and other information on the Old Testament.
 
New Testament Abstracts Online 
This database is jointly produced by Boston College and the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) and is an in-depth source of articles for New Testament scholarship.

Library Hours

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