Guidelines for improving library services, A case study at IUIU Kampala campus
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The study was carried out at Islamic university in Uganda Library Kampala campus. The aim of the study was to come up with the guidelines for improving library services in order to satisfy the library users of the university and also to help patrons get easy access to all resources brought to the library at their convenience. The objectives that guided the project were to find out who the library users are, to identity the types of library services at IUIU library, to examine challenges facing the library in provision of library services and the guidelines for improving library services that would address challenges associated with the library.
The researcher used a qualitative research design and this sought to describe the findings in details. The researcher interviewed a total of four library staffs of which one of them was a senior librarian, the other being the deputy librarian and the two staff working in the library and they all responded. The methods used to collect data included interviews and observation accompanied by their respective instruments it also involved data analysis and ethical considerations.
Major findings of the study were identified according to the respondent’s views over library services provided for example electronic resources, manual book, web-based current awareness services provided by the library e.g. personalized services and email alerts, challenges faced with the provision of web-based current awareness system for example poor internet network, poor power supply and lack of enough IT skills and the benefits of having a guidelines of improving library services in the library so that the users can be satisfied in the library.
The proposed guidelines for improving library services for IUIU library Kampala was designed following the findings from chapter four. Conclusions were drawn according to the research findings of the study whereby majority of the respondents said that coming up with the guidelines of improving library services would benefit them and the entire university programs since it will provide solutions to the challenges faced by the library. The researcher identified the factors that hinder the development of the provision of library services in IUIU library some of which are; lack of financial resources, inadequate librarians, lack of enough space, poor security of information materials, inadequate information materials, limited computers, slow internet connectivity, opening and closing time of the library among others. The researcher was then able to recommend guidelines that can be adopted so as to improve on the library services provided in IUIU library Kampala campus like staffing, training, adjusting the opening hours among others.