Degrees held
- MIS, PhD (UKZN)
Research Interests
- Municipal and foster-care recordkeeping
- Migrated archives
- Archival lexicography development (ESARBICA)
- Religious archives
- Sports archives
Teaching Interests
- Archives and Records Management
- Knowledge management
- African LIS scholars
- E-government
- Digital Repositories
- Management of Information Centres and Libraries
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Chapters in Books
Books
Journal Articles
Google Scholar: Francis Garaba – Google Scholar
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6958-9819
- Nawe, T. and Garaba, F. 2024. An anthology of faith-based collections’ writings: tracking the genealogy of scholarship on this genre of archives. Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae 50(1): 1-11.
- Erima, J. A. and Garaba, F. 2024. Securing archives against all odds: the Kenyan story of digital archiving amidst risky disruptive technologies in selected universities. Mousaion: South African Journal of Information Studies, November, 18 pages. https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-659X/14696.
- Nenungwi, F. and Garaba, F. 2022. Knowledge management awareness in South African provincial government departments: The case of KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works, Pietermaritzburg. SA Journal of Information Management 24(1)a145:1-10.
- Nawe, T. and Garaba, F. 2021. The nexus between data, information and knowledge during the COVID-19 pandemic: navigating the Knowledge Management landscape in South Africa. Mousaion: South African Journal of Information Studies 39(3):1-18.
- Garaba, F. 2021. Migrated archives: time for closure to turn the wheels of reconciliation and healing for Africa. Journal of the South African Society of Archivists 54:1-11.
- Abule, M.A. and Garaba, F. 2021. Marketing strategies used by medical libraries of public universities for their information resources and services In the North-Western geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). Available: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/5367/
- Kutu, J. and Garaba, F. 2020. Investigation into factors inhibiting effective job performance of Academic Librarians at selected University Libraries in North Central Nigeria. Mousaion: South African Journal of Information Studies 38(2): DOI: https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-659X/7344
- Garaba, F. 2019. The record and memorabilia in school archives management in Pietermaritzburg (PMB) schools, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. Journal of the South African Society of Archivists 52:24-60.
- Garaba, F. and Mohammed, B. M. 2019. Challenges in the provision of public library services for sustainable rural development in the North-western zone of Nigeria. Proceedings of the DLIS 2019 International conference hosted by the Department of Library and Information Studies (DLIS), 15-17 April 2019 hosted by the University of Botswana, Conference Center. Gaborone: Department of Library and Information Studies. ISBN 9789996845871.
- Garaba, F. and Kabata, V. 2019. An assessment of the Kenya National Library Services (KNLS) strategy towards the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGS) 2030. Proceedings of the DLIS 2019 International conference hosted by the Department of Library and Information Studies (DLIS), 15-17 April 2019 hosted by the University of Botswana, Conference Center. Gaborone: Department of Library and Information Studies. ISBN 9789996845871.
- Kabata, V. and Garaba, F. 2019. The legal and regulatory framework supporting the implementation of the Access to Information Act in Kenya. Information Development. Available: https://doi.org/10.1177/0266666919856646 Accessed 28 August 2019.
- Kabata, V. and Garaba, F. 2019. Leadership and political will for implementation of the access to information (ATI) Act (2016) in Kenya. Records Management Journal 29 (1/2): 117 – 133.
- Mohammed, B. M. and Garaba, F.2019. An investigation on the forms of information sources and services utilised among rural dwellers from public libraries in the North- Western Zone of Nigeria. SA Journal of Information Management DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v21i1.1020.
- Mohammed, B. M. and Garaba, F. 2018. Rural dwellers and public libraries in the North West zone of Nigeria. Mousaion 36:1 –22.
- Garaba, F. 2018. Private archives in South Africa: their protection and access with particular reference to the now defunct Lutheran Theological Institute Library and Archives. ATLANTI: review for modern archival theory and practice 28(1):59-66.
- Garaba, F. 2018. The demise of the Lutheran Theological Institute Library and Archives in retrospect: reflections of a Manuscript Librarian in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Missionalia: Journal of Southern Africa Missiology 46 (3):355-366.
- Garaba, F. and Mahlasela, Z. 2018. The University of Fort Hare’s (UFH) corporate memory in the spotlight: retracing the institution’s centenary history through visual documentation. Archival Science 18(3):241-255.
- Garaba, F. 2018. The neglected fond in university archives: the case of Sport club records at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg (PMB) campus, South Africa. Records Management Journal 28 (2): 143-158.
- Garaba, F. 2016. User perceptions about archives at the Lutheran Theological Institute Library, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Afr. J. Lib. Arch. & Inf. Sc. 26 (1):73- 84.
- Garaba, F. 2016. Tabernacles of memory revisited: an assessment of the oral history projects in institutional repositories in the Pietermaritzburg Cluster of Theological Libraries (PCTL), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Information Development 32 (5): 1387-1401.
- Garaba, F. 2015. Dodos in the archives: rebranding the archival profession to meet the challenges of the 21st century within ESARBICA. Archives and Records: The Journal of the Archives and Records Association 36 (2):216-225.
- Garaba, F. 2015. Disembodied archives: the disconnectedness of records and archives management practices within the Pietermaritzburg Cluster of Theological Libraries, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Verbum et Ecclesia 36 (1), Art. #1357, 1-20.
- Garaba, F. 2014. Preparing collections for digitization: the case of religious archives in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Verbum et Ecclesia 35 (1) Art.# 1319:1-5.
- Garaba, F. 2014. Religious archives in the East and Southern Africa Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA): their importance and the need for a national framework. ESARBICA Journal 33:45-56.
- Garaba, F. and Zaverdinos, A. 2014. The Evangelical-Lutheran Church in South Africa: an introduction to its archival resources held at the Lutheran Theological Institute (LTI) Library, and the challenges facing this archive (Part 1 & 2). Missionalia: Southern African Journal of Missiology 42 (1-2):5-28 & 29-37.
- Garaba, F. 2014. From obscurity to frontline: striving for transformation for archives and the archival profession from an advocacy perspective for the Pietermaritzburg Cluster of Theological Libraries (PCTL) in South Africa. ATLANTI: review for modern archival theory and practice 24 (1):259-263.
- Garaba, F. 2013. Capturing the broad spectrum of human experience: some suggestions on the adoption of the hybrid model as an appraisal methodology. ATLANTI: review for modern archival theory and practice 23 (1):185-193.
- Garaba, F. 2013. Collection stewardship constrained by resources: the management of religious archives in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal region. Verbum et Ecclesia 34 (1) Art. # 788:1-11.
- Garaba, F. 2013. The FIFA goals landmark controversy: a case for records keeping in international sports management. ESARBICA Journal: Journal of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives 32:76-79.
- Garaba, F. 2012. Availing the liberation struggle heritage to the public: some reflections on the use of Web 2.0 technologies in archives within ESARBICA. Information Development 28 (1): 22-31.
- Garaba, F. 2012. The incunabula of African intellectualism and civilization: some reflections on the preservation of the Timbuktu manuscripts. Journal of the South African Society of Archivists 45: 95-102.
- Garaba, F. 2012. Towards public domain management of liberation struggle heritage records in Eastern and Southern Africa. African Journal of Libraries, Archives and Information Science 22 (2):133-142.
- Garaba, F., Stilwell, C. and Ngulube, P. 2011. The microfilm of the new millennium: the digitization of the liberation struggle heritage in east and southern Africa. Innovation: journal of appropriate librarianship and information work in Southern Africa 42: 33-53.
- Garaba, F. 2011. An endangered resource: the preservation of liberation struggle archives in east and southern Africa. Africa Research & Documentation 15: 25-36.
- Garaba, F. 2011. Provenance, identification, restitution and management of the liberation struggle heritage in the ESARBICA region. Journal of the South African Society of Archivists 44: 26-42.
- Garaba, F. and Ngulube, P. 2010. Moving with the times in search of permanence: the digitization of “liberation struggle” archives in southern Africa. Historia 55 (2):163 -181.
- Garaba, F. and Ngulube, P. 2008. A framework for an investigation into the management of former national liberation movements’ records and archives by national and private archival institutions in eastern and southern Africa. ESARBICA Journal 27:147-17.
- Garaba, F. 2007. The state of archival appraisal practices in the ESARBICA region. African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science 17 (1):59-63.
- Some African insights and perspectives into the family archive: the rigid dichotomy between the Timbuktu manuscripts, Thompson Samkange papers and the Sir Ernest Oppenheimer papers (forthcoming: article under review in Journal of Family History)
- Celebrating African Library and Information Science (LIS) scholars: Professor Patrick Ngulube’s works and contribution under microscopic review (forthcoming: Book chapter in festschrift)
- Conversations for reflection: the migrated archives untold story and missed opportunities for Southern Africa, Zimbabwe with the uncompleted cataloguing in the United Kingdom in the first decade of independence, 1980-1990 (forthcoming)
- The World Bank Group records management roadmap (2021) in the spotlight: benchmarking principles and practices at Umhlathuze Municipality, South Africa (forthcoming)
- Two peas in a pod: canalization and recordkeeping in foster care organizations in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (forthcoming)
- Doncabe, S. and Garaba, F. 2024. Enhancing SASA membership: partnerships to preserve South Africa’s archives (forthcoming).
Chapters in Books
- Erima, J. A. and Garaba, F. 2022. Mixing of Research Methods in Investigating Digital Archiving Practices at Selected Public Universities in Kenya. In: Ngulube, P. (ed). Handbook of Research on Mixed Methods Research in Information Science. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. pp.531-557.
- Garaba, F. 2025. Celebrating African Library and Information Science (LIS) scholars: Professor Patrick Ngulube’s works and contribution under microscopic review. In: Ngoepe, M. (ed). The pig, piglets and other archival stories: forging ahead with Patrick “the warthog” Ngulube. Pretoria: South African Society of Archivists.
- Nenungwi, F. and Graba, F. 2026. Users’ perceptions of library and service quality: determining the value of special libraries in the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In: Innovating in libraries (forthcoming)
Books
- Tapping the archives and memory banks: unravelling the history of Christon Bank Football Club, 1978-2010 (in preparation)
Lectures Presented
- Pockets of excellence and mediocrity: the state of archives in South Africa, 1994 -2016. Lecture presented at the International Institute for Archival Science of Trieste (Italy) and Maribor (Slovenia) “IIAS”, 26th IIAS conference, 27 October 2016.
Awards and Honors
- Canon Collins Scholar 2004-2009
Community Involvement
- Teaching and Learning Committee, 2016-2021
- Innovation: journal of Appropriate Librarianship and Information Work in Southern Africa (Journal editorship – 2024-)
- ERS Committee member 2022-
- Mousaion (Reviewer)
- Information Development (Reviewer)
- Journal of the South African Society of Archivists (Reviewer and board member)
- ESARBICA Journal (Reviewer)
- IGI Global (Reviewer)
Teaching Expertise
- Records and archives management
- Knowledge Management
- Librarianship
Student Supervision
Honours
Masters
PhD
Honours
- Bokolo, S. 2015. An investigation into records management practices in the Eastern Cape Department of Education. (completed and graduated 2016)
- Masiko, Y. 2015. Records management practices in higher education: a case study of the University of Fort Hare. (completed and graduated 2016)
- Matwasa, C. 2015. Information and Communication Technology usage by undergraduate students in academic libraries at University of Fort Hare. (completed and graduated 2016)
- Zuka, Z. 2015. Investigating the role of records management towards service delivery in the Home affairs Department: a case study of Alice, Eastern Cape. (completed and graduated 2016)
Masters
- Zonke Mtethwa. Knowledge retention practices: A case study of the Health Professions Council of South Africa, Pretoria (pending)
- Constance Ndumela. Smart Services initiatives, and the perception of quality by undergraduate 2nd year students, a case study at the UFS library, University of Free State (pending)
- Vanessa Letsoalo. Application of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies in Academic Libraries: a case study of the University of Pretoria, South Africa (pending)
- Ngidi, N. (pending)
- V. Gwane. MARC (MAchine-Readable Cataloging) in the Eastern Cape Library consortia
- Christobel Zungu. Recordkeeping in the time of COVID-19: an assessment of smarter working in the new normal at the Central Registry Office of the KwaZulu Natal Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (KZNDSAC) [pending]
- Mabaso Siphelele. Information sharing in rural schools in the Ulundi area, KZN
- Buthelezi Tholimpilo. Aligning Digital Records Management Systems with the NARSSA Act: a compliance assessment of the University of Zululand’s information governance framework (pending)
- Pumla Mapasa (pending)
- N. Phakhathi. Perceptions and expectations of matric upgrade students regarding service quality:a study at Bester Public Library within the eThekwini Municipal Libraries Department (pending)
- Nenungwi, F. 2018. Readiness for knowledge management implementation: the case of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Department of Public Works in Pietermaritzburg (completed and graduated 2018)
- Sosibo, B. 2015. An investigation into records management practices in support of service delivery; in the public health sector: the case of Victoria hospital, Eastern Cape Province. (completed and graduated 2019)
- Mdingi, N. 2016. The role of information technology in the management of records: a case study of the Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Eastern Cape. (completed and graduated 2019)
- T. 2019. Faith-based collections at African Enterprise: a case study of the Michael Cassidy collection (completed and graduated 2024)
PhD
- Emanuel Matlala. The management of records of the Provincial Government of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (pending)
- Ayanda Mdletshe. Information behavior of rural youth in agriculture in select municipalities in King Cetshwayo District (KCD) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa (pending)
- Asania Maphoto. Library services provision for offenders in selected Correctional Centre libraries in the Limpopo Province, South Africa (pending).
- Carolyne Shikuku. A framework towards implementing hyperautomation (HA) in selected public university libraries in Kenya (pending)
- Prince Mangele. Management and protection of personal information held by Botswana Government Ministries using the 2024 Data Protection Act. (pending)
- Kabelo Bruce Kgomoeswana. Stewardship of museum records in select museums in the Limpopo Province, South Africa (pending)
- Jane Kimbwarata. Integration of indigenous knowledge in the policy development process of sub-national governments in Kenya (pending)
- Nenungwi, F. 2024. Measuring and communicating the value of Special Libraries: the case of Provincial Government Departments in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (completed and graduating in 2025)
- Kavishe, G. 2019. Recordkeeping for good governance in Tanzanian public universities (completed and graduated 2024)
- Kutu, Jacob. 2016. Availability and utilization of information as determinants of job performance of librarians in selected university libraries in North- Central Nigeria (completed and graduated 2020)
- Ganiyu O. Q. 2016. Influence of information and communication technology (ICT) skills on knowledge sharing among librarians in federal university libraries in south-west Nigeria (completed and graduated 2020)
- Badamasi, M. B. 2016. Assessment of public library services provision to rural dwellers in local government areas for rural development in the North- West Zone of Nigeria (completed and graduated 2019)
- Abule, M. 2016. An assessment of the marketing of information resources and services in Special Libraries with particular reference to Medical Libraries of Public Universities in the North Western Geopolitical zone of Nigeria (completed and graduated 2022)
- Kabata, V. 2017. Preparedness of public bodies for the implementation of the Access to information (ATI) Act in Kenya (completed and graduated 2019)
- Erima, J. 2019. A digital archiving framework for archival repositories at selected public universities in Kenya (completed and graduated 2022)