An electronic library user registration system for Makerere Institute of Social Development Library, Kampala

Abstract

In order to achieve an easier method of user registration in libraries, designed and implemented Electronic User Registration Systems are being pushed as a replacement for the manual User Registration Systems. The project aimed at designing an Electronic User Registration System for Makerere Institute of Social Development. A case study research design was used and both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were adopted in the study. A sample size of 44 respondents was used consisting of both the library staff and students while adopting a qualitative research approach in discussing findings. Library staff included were 4 and 40 students were involved. Data was collected using semi structured questionnaires, unstructured interviews and participant observation. And it was qualitatively analyzed and presented with the help of tables. Major finding was that the current user registration system at Makerere Institute of Social Development Library is manual and paper-based registration. Basing on the research findings, it was found that the library was experiencing a lot of problems while using the manual registration system especially the delays that was brought about by long queues making it cumbersome, time and capital consuming for both librarians and library users. A manual Electronic User Registration System can prove to be a challenge for both the library staff and the users associated with challenges like; Long lines, time consumption, it is tiresome difficult to maintain statistics with the manual system. From the findings above, the most appropriate system to clearly solve the delays in the manual registration system was to design an Electronic Library User registration system. The designed was tested at the same time, validated and the results show that the system is able to register library users at Makerere Institute of Social Development. The study therefore recommended Makerere Institute of Social Development library to adopt the proposed Electronic User Registration System to provide a centralized database of books and management of library circulation activities. Major recommendation was that the management of the institute should adopt the proposed Electronic User Registration System because of its many benefits. Other recommendations are that: Makerere Institute of Social Development management should endeavor to train librarians on how to operate the designed system so that they can meet the user’s needs. In addition, more budget for the library should be increased for purchase of equipment like computers, scanners and above all the users should be sensitized about the system.