An automated library circulation system for Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to design an automated circulation system for Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery Library that provides a convenient, easy-to-use, internet based application for librarians and users to track and manage the library resources. The objectives of the study were to; establish the current status of circulation at Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery Library, find out how circulation of library materials at MSNML is managed, identify the challenges in circulation of library materials at MSNML and propose an automated circulation system for MSNML. The study employed a case study research design since the study targeted a particular institution that is Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery Library. The study adopted interview, questionnaire and observation methods to collect data. Purposive sampling was used to select 64 respondents who participated in the study. The study found out that majority of library users at Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery Library were students. Majority of the information resources in the Library were text books accessed by the users to meet their learning teaching and research needs. Library staff use counter books and registers in the management of the information resources and users details. The major challenge faced with the library circulation system is the inadequate information resources caused by inadequate funding in the Library. The study concluded that the an automated circulation system would help the library staff provide library resources to the users, inadequate information materials and inadequate funds as the major challenges would be solved by increasing the library funding so as to support the library users meet their needs. The study recommended that the library staff should increase on the library funding, develops a library circulation policy, acquire more computers for the users to access and more staff with technical IT skills, should digitize all information materials to promote the access and provision.