Abstract
The study investigated the awareness and use of library catalogue for accessing information resources by users of Federal University of Kashere (FUK) Library. Four research questions guided the study. Survey research design was used, registered users of the University Library between 2016-2019 numbering 920 formed the population of the study where a sample of 272 (30% sample) was used based on 95% confidence level and 5% confidence interval of Sample Size Calculator. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire. Data generated was analyzed using simple percentage and descriptive statistics. The findings of the study revealed that majority of the respondents were aware of library catalogue existence; they were more informed about card catalogue usage than OPAC for retrieving information resources. In effect, the respondents use card catalogue regularly compared to the OPAC. Majority of the respondents used the library for research work rather than for leisure and recreational purposes. Poor computer skills hindering navigation when searching OPAC and inability to locate materials on the shelves, indicated in the catalogue as being available were the challenges affecting the use of catalogue as an information retrieval tools. The study recommended that the library management should organize a periodic user education, orientation and sensitization programmes for the undergraduate users to create awareness and enable them gain the needed skills to use the library catalogue maximally when searching for information resources. Guidelines on how to use catalogue and library in general should be prepared and issued to registered users. Regular shelf reading should be done so as to establish right contact between library users and library materials.
Highlights
IntroductionUniversity library provides well stocked information resources and trained personnel to organize available information materials and assist faculty members and student users in the retrieval and use of these resources
It could be concluded that majority of the respondents used the library for research work rather than for leisure and recreational purposes
Higher number of the respondents indicated poor computer skills hindering navigation when searching online public access catalogues (OPACs) 96 (37%) and inability to locate materials on the shelves, indicated in the catalogue as being available 58 (22%) were the challenges affecting the use of catalogue as an information retrieval tools
Summary
University library provides well stocked information resources and trained personnel to organize available information materials and assist faculty members and student users in the retrieval and use of these resources. The library as a service oriented organization must provide the bibliographic resources and services channeled towards the fulfillment of its parent institution’s goals and objectives. The library ensures that the resources acquired are well organized to allow easy access by the library users [1]. The traditional goals and objectives of the library catalogue are to enable users to search a library's collection to find items pertaining to specific titles, authors, or subjects. Library catalogue is considered as an interface of information retrieval system which assists information searchers to access resources of libraries using several access points
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