Library Patronage Research Articles

Library Service Usage, Barriers, and Strategies to Enhance Patronage Among Working Students

This study aimed to investigate the challenges faced by working students in patronizing library services in Nigeria and to propose tailored solutions to enhance their patronage. A descriptive survey research design was used to collect data from 110 working undergraduate students, which was then analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings showed that busy job schedules, limited time on campus, and the fact that they mainly come to the campus for lectures are the primary reasons why working students rarely patronize the library. However, most of them expressed the need for library access tailored to their unique needs, which includes remote or distance approach. The preferred methods for accessing library services among working students include selective dissemination of e-books to their emails and having librarians available on a dedicated WhatsApp number. Additionally, they indicated openness to the idea of using chatbots to respond to their library requests. The study concluded that the use of technology such as email, instant messenger, and chatbots can address the challenges hindering library patronage by working students. Thus, the study recommends that library administrators invest in developing and adopting these technologies to meet the demands of working students in Nigeria.

Strategi Promosi Perpustakaan dalam Meningkatkan Jumlah Kunjungan Pemustaka di Perpustakaan Daerah Deli Serdang

The purpose of this research is to find out how librarian tactics encourage library use and increase interest in visits. in the Deli Serdang regional library, to find out the causes of the low interest in visiting public libraries in Deli Serdang and the challenges of librarians in encouraging public library patronage in Deli Serdang Regency. This type of research combines field study methodology with qualitative research. Librarian The research topic is the Deli Serdang Regency Public Library. There are three techniques used to obtain data: observation, interviews, and documentation. Data presentation, data reduction procedures, and data analysis methods were all carried out in accordance with descriptive analysis. Based on the research results, the author can determine librarian tactics to encourage increased interest in visiting libraries in the Deli Serdang regional library, including by conducting mobile library activities, holding reading competitions for the community. Furthermore, knowing the lack of library collections, facilities and infrastructure, as well as inadequate library services is one of the factors causing the low interest in visiting public libraries in Deli Serdang. Librarians also face challenges in efforts to increase interest in visiting the Deli Serdang Regency public library.

Effects of Political and Socio-economic Dynamics on Library Development and Utilization in Nigeria

This paper presents qualitative analyses of case study discussions on the importance of libraries and the effect of political and social-economic dynamics on libraries in Nigeria with particular reference to public, national and academic libraries. It traces historical antecedents of selected libraries with a view of buttressing the point of libraries’ relevance from the ancient times to the modern information society.The article adopted an exploratory research design. Secondary data were obtained using a desk review of existing literature on state of Nigerian public, national and academic libraries. Theoretical framework based on library social responsibility and the role of government in the provision of library and information needs of the people is employed and discussed. They include planning process and critical discourse and informational justice (as part of social justice). Challenges facing libraries in Nigeria are identified to include adverse policies, paucity of funds and general government apathy to library development. As a panacea to the identified challenges confronting most Nigerian libraries, the paper recommends that librarians should continue to play their advocacy roles for their libraries, by continual soliciting for increased percentage of funds through budgetary allocation of both the federal and state governments.Also, good reading habit should be inculcated among pupils and students in order to increase the number of library patronage which would in turn encourage support for library development by the stakeholders.

Personal book collections in the library fund of the Military Medical Academy

The purpose of the article is to reveal the role and importance of personal book collections for the formation of the library fund of the Military Medical Academy, as a unique information resource for educational, scientific and practical activities. The historical chain of library patronage is traced in the form of the donation to the library of entire book collections or their fragments by private individuals - representatives of various estates and social groups: statesmen, princes, merchants, publishers, bibliophiles. Information is provided on the largest donations of books and book collections by professors of the Academy and their heirs, on the further fate of these gifts. Among the professors-donors, the names of the leaders of the library are named: V.A. Manassein, A.R. Voynich-Syanozhentsky, D.P. Radoslavova. The origins of the formation of a long tradition of arranging separate cabinets for storing personal libraries of prominent representatives of medical science are considered. In different historical periods, there were personal cabinets of A.G. Bakherakht, Ya.V. Willie, D.I. Kashlakova, S.P. Botkin. The tradition continues to this day: in September 2022, the VMedA library solemnly accepted part of the personal book collection of Academician V.O. Samoilov, placed in a special cabinet, stylized as antique library furniture, which was taken care of by the students and followers of the scientist. Nowadays, the criteria and approaches to evaluating personal libraries are changing: the preservation of their integrity is of particular importance. There comes an understanding that the personal libraries of scientists are of particular interest for historical research: to study the biography, creative path, sources of intellectual development, the network of scientific communications of their owners, to reconstruct their personality and their fate. But only if the libraries are available for study in their entirety, without exceptions. Most of the collections turned out to be scattered in the fund without any hope of re-creation and reunification, at least virtual - in the form of bibliographic lists. Based on the foregoing, it was concluded that there are a number of problems in maintaining the collection unity of personal book collections, modern methods for solving these problems, including those based on the use of special library technologies, are proposed.

Influence of Librarians' Attitudes on Users' Patronage in Private University Libraries in Lagos State, Nigeria

The study investigated the influence of librarians' attitudes on users' patronage in private university libraries in Lagos State, Nigeria. Survey design was used for the study. The study population comprised 5,616 undergraduates in five selected private university libraries in Lagos State, Nigeria. The sample size of 365 was determined using Research Advisor’s Table. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the participants and questionnaire was used to collect data. The collected data was analyzed using frequency, percentages, mean, standard deviation, and simple linear regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis. The findings of the study revealed that three dimensions of librarians’ job attitude measured; interpersonal relationship (M=3.28), professionalism (M=3.16), and perception and image (M=2.97) were all highly rated by the respondents. The study further revealed that the librarians’ attitudes significantly influenced library patronage of undergraduates in private university libraries in Lagos State, Nigeria (R2= 0.034, β = 0.185, t(300) = 3.263, p < 0.05). The study concluded that librarians’ attitudes had a significant influence on library patronage in private university libraries in Lagos State. Based on the outcome of the study, it is recommended that the librarians should increase their self-confidence by being proactive and strive to be in the forefront of university activities in order to gain more visibility and launder the image of their profession.

Outreach Programs Revitalizing the Patronage of Public Libraries in Nigeria

Patronage of public libraries in Nigeria has declined over the years and is in urgent need of revitalization. Outreach efforts would revitalize the interest of university students in the patronage of public libraries in Nigeria because they need access to resources, especially when on holidays. The study investigates the outreach programs used to revitalize the patronage of public libraries in Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was utilized in the study. The population comprised a sample of 3,457 Adeleke University undergraduates. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that public libraries in Nigeria are underutilized by Adeleke University undergraduate students. This low patronage may be ascribed to poor outreach efforts, outdated technology, distance, inadequate facilities, and a poor road network. Outreach programs such as developing and producing library mobile applications, providing free internet access, virtual reality availability, hosting health talks, free streaming services, and making kinetic bikes available to charge phones can be effective in revitalizing public library patronage. As a result, the study suggests that outreach efforts be included in public library initiatives to engage younger users. This includes updating the public library's aging technology, notably by incorporating mobile applications into its operations.

The influence of library marketing on patronage among faculty members in federal polytechnics in South-West, Nigeria

This study investigated the influence of library marketing on patronage among faculty members in federal polytechnics in South-West, Nigeria. The study was anchored on two relevant theories which are; Expectation Confirmation Theory and Social Marketing Theory. Descriptive survey design was employed. The population comprised all the academic staff on full-time appointment in federal polytechnics in South-West, Nigeria totaling 2,393. Two-stage sampling technique was employed to select 957 which formed the sample size of the study. The instrument used for data collection was an adapted questionnaire validated using Cronbach alpha in which an overall reliability coefficient of 0.975 was obtained. A total of 871 valid copies of questionnaire which were retrieved from 957 copies administered to the respondents representing 91% response rate, were used for data analysis. Data on research questions were analysed using descriptive statistics while hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance using linear regression analysis. Findings revealed low level of library patronage among the faculty members ( ̅ ); minimal adoption of marketing strategies by the polytechnic libraries ( ̅ ), and a significant positive influence of marketing on library patronage (R2 = 0.349; calculated value = 0.000 >α-level =0.05). The study concluded that library marketing is a significant predictor of patronage among faculty members in federal polytechnics in South-West, Nigeria. Consequently, it is recommended that polytechnic library managers and staff should continue to design and implement effective marketing strategies that could efficiently communicate the resources, services and facilities to the faculty members using relevant media and channel.

E- Publishing effects on paper based traditional libraries

The study looks at electronic publishing and its impact on the traditional library. Publishing has always compliment librarianship. Without publishing of paper books there is not going to be a single book on library shelves. E- Publishing on the other hand looks at books; documents and other print media with do not take the traditional publishing form or process. E- Publishing differs from the traditional publishing in two ways. First is the process through which printing of E-publications take place. Per the study that was conducted, it was found out that e publishing has significant effect on traditional paper libraries and has reduced the library patronage by 55%. it is also evident that that though online publishing has effect on librarianship, not all book, journals, document, information resources can be found in the online or digitally(electronically). This means that the traditional library is still relevant in today’s information age. This is because for THE Fear of piracy, copyright infringes and plagiarism, some authors do not want an electronic version of their intellectual property.

Influence of Resource Availability on Library Patronage by Undergraduates in Private Universities in Lagos State, Nigeria

Library patronage is a measure of user satisfaction. The study examined library patronage of undergraduates in private universities in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study employed survey design and questionnaire was used for the data collection. The population of the study comprised 5,616 undergraduates. Three hundred and sixty-five (365) respondents were sampled based on Research Advisor’s Table for determining sample size. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that undergraduates in private universities often patronized the university libraries in Lagos State, Nigeria. Subject specific materials (x̅= 2.52) were mostly consulted, followed by project and dissertations (x̅=2.44) and reference materials (x̅=2.18). The finding also revealed that resource availability had a significant influence on library patronage of undergraduates (R2= 0.073, t(300) = 4.873, p < 0.05). The study recommended that the library management should take proactive measures to improve library resources underutilized by the students under study. Keywords: Library patronage, private university, resource availability, undergraduates.

Demographic Variables and Library Patronage of Undergraduate Students at Universities in South West Nigeria

This study investigated the influence of demographic variables, such as gender, age, and the levels of study, on the library patronage by the undergraduate students at universities in South West Nigeria. It also focused on the improvements and innovations wanted by the undergraduate students in the library in view of the technological advancements ushered in by the fourth industrial revolution, and the hindrances to the patronage of the library. A survey research design was adopted using a sample size of 1 333 respondents selected out of the total population of 239 048 undergraduate students at universities in South West Nigeria. A questionnaire was used to collect the data, which were analysed using frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation, Pearson’s chi-squared test and regression. The study found that the demographic variables have a significant influence on the library patronage. The most important improvements and innovations wanted by the respondents included high speed internet facilities, the introduction of artificial intelligence and robotics, increased subscriptions to more databases such as Scopus and Web of Science, and stocking the library with recent information materials that comprise both print and electronic materials. Hindrances and factors that discourage library patronage are limited and non-functioning workstations, poor networks and outdated collections. The study recommended that Nigerian university libraries provide high speed internet facilities, introduce artificial intelligence and robotics to the operations and services of the libraries, increase their academic subscriptions, and stock the libraries with recent collections.

Election Voting and Public Library Use in the United States

Objective - This study examines whether a correlation exists between state-wide voting in federal elections and state average per capita visits to public libraries in the U.S. In so doing, it provides insight into the extent to which library patronage is affiliated with political leaning. Methods - An analysis of data from the 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 Public Libraries Survey and election results from the 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 Presidential and House of Representatives elections (by state) is performed with the assistance of Tableau, a data visualization program. Scatter plots provide a visual representation of the data, while correlation coefficients indicate the strength of relationship between voting and library visits per capita. Results - The findings reveal no significant relationship between public library use and the vote share of a political party in elections among a state's population. Conclusions - The political leaning of a state appears to have no correlation with the frequency of library usage among that state’s population.

EXAMINES ACADEMIC LIBRARY USERS’ EXPERIENCE TOWARDS LIBRARY PATRONAGE IN STATE UNIVERSITIES IN SRI LANKA

Libraries and information centers are service units held with the responsibility of providing varied information services based on a number of resources. It covers tangible assets, namely library building, equipment, furniture, information resources and staff. The intangible element has been the information services provided by the libraries. The tangible assets and intangible services of libraries are changing greatly due to the development and changes in the area of information technology. The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate to accomplish the relationship between Service Quality dimensions, customer experience (CE) library patronage (LP) and library user attitude (LUA) in the context of university library service quality in Sri Lanka. In addition, it investigates the mediating effect of customer experience in the relationship between dimensions of library service quality and the library patronage. Article visualizations:

Evaluating the Effect of Academic Library users’ Experience towards Library Patronage in State Universities in Sri Lanka: Development of a Conceptual Framework

Libraries and information centers are service units held with the responsibility of providing varied information services based on a number of resources. It covers tangible assets, namely library building, equipment, furniture, information resources and staff. The intangible element has been the information services provided by the libraries. The tangible assets and intangible services of libraries are changing greatly due to the development and changes in the area of information technology. Libraries may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about great design. It’s easy to assume the user experience of a library is limited to navigating a maze of bookshelves in reality; there has been a recent push among librarians and library professionals to apply user experience best practices to the design of their services. Library UX professionals include librarians and library staff members who specialize in improving the user experience of their libraries through research and design.

Provision of Games: A Strategy for Enhancing Sustainable Library Patronage by Students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri

Journal of Anthropology and Archaeology is a peer-reviewed international journal, which publishes original papers promoting theoretical, methodological and empirical developments in the discipline of socio-cultural anthropology.

Library usage by university accounting students: a comparison of contact and open distance learning institution in South Africa

The level of library patronage among accounting students is examined both in a distance and a contact learning institution in South Africa. We used a structured questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 500 accounting students from both a distance and a contact learning institution in South Africa, out of which 379 returned a completed questionnaire, representing 76%. Findings show an apathy among South African university accounting students towards library services patronage, which is exacerbated by lecturers' practice of giving assignments that do not require students to search for information beyond what is in their recommended textbooks. The most significant factor that influences universities' accounting students' patronage of library resources is the expertise and interaction with library staff. This confirms the Expectation-Confirmation Theory that accounting students from both institutions examined based their level of satisfaction on their perception of the library services they received. Library management needs an understanding of the teaching and learning practices of the accounting discipline and collaborate with curriculum developers to improve accounting students' usage of library resources. In future, the number of universities offering accounting programmes in South Africa needs expanding and so that university libraries can cater for higher numbers of accounting students.

Better with coffee: Synergies and library patronage

Agglomeration effects are a relatively well‐studied phenomenon in the marketing literature, but few works have attempted to quantify the benefits to a library of having another business nearby. Taking advantage of a closure for renovations, we quantify the causal effect of having an open Starbucks on the gate count at a nearby college library. We estimate about a 10% increase in foot traffic at the library associated with the coffee shop being open. At the same time, we see no increase in demand for other library services, implying that the appeal may be to a group of more casual users of the library as a “third place.”

Globalization, modernization and functionality of the public library system in Nigeria

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to find out: the functionality of public libraries in the provision of needed information resources; the impact of the use of modern electronic gadgets as the level of patronage; the influence of old technology use on libraries; and the globalization effect on the user behavior toward public libraries. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted the descriptive survey design since the opinion, perceptions and observation of public library users were examined. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 185 respondents. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The instrument was validated by research experts in the area of test and measurement and in library and information science research. A reliability test was carried out using 25 academic library users in Delta State University, Abraka, to establish a coefficient of 0.87 using Cronbach’s α. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics for research questions while the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient analysis and linear regression analysis were used to test hypotheses. Findings Public libraries in Nigeria are functional and accessible. There is inadequacy in modern information and communication technology devices that aid information provision and dissemination, Globalization and modernization has negatively impacted the patronage of public libraries. The influence of deterritorialization has influenced the user attitude toward regular use. Globalization has made time and space much more closer, thereby reducing contact and interaction between library staff and users in the public library system. Globalization and/or modernization has brought not only challenges to public libraries, but also opportunities to exploit. Research limitations/implications The findings of the study were drawn from one sampled area to represent the entirety of the country. The respondents were public library users who were found using public libraries; therefore, less time was allocated to answering research instrument, thereby potentially and probably not responded to with utmost concern. Practical implications Public library functionality will be deterred if necessary actions are taken to improve the quality of service provision. There will likely be a reduced patronage of public libraries if users do not get the most recent information as supposed. There is already a negative effect of globalization and modernization on the functionality of public libraries. There is an urgent need to update and modernize public libraries across the nation for effective and efficient service delivery. Social implications Globalization has led to the reduction of interpersonal and social interaction which is supposed to promote friendliness between public library users and the staff. It also promoted the use of modern technologies such as telecommunication devices, information disseminating gadgets in homes while inhibiting public library patronage time and space is now been maximized for the benefit of library users who are distant from the public library location in as much as information has become accessible at their fingertips. Originality/value This research was carried out by the author (Dr (Mrs) P.U. Otolo) and is fully individual. All authors cited are duly acknowledged.

English

This study investigated the availability of Captions Resources and Library Patronage by Hearing Impaired Students in University Libraries of South-South Nigeria. One research question and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study and were tested at .05 level of significance. Survey research design was employed. The population for the study was 57 hearing impaired students from 10 universities in South-south Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was used in the study. A structured questionnaire was developed and used to elicit information from the respondents. Frequency distribution and percentages were used to determine the level of availability and use while Pearson Products Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used to test the hypothesis. The findings revealed that significant relationship exists between availability of captions resources and library patronage by hearing impaired students. The findings also revealed the non-availability and patronage of captions resources by hearing impaired students. The study concludes that the provision of captions resources for the hearing impaired students in university libraries in South-south Nigeria will increase patronage. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that universities in South-south Nigeria should provide captions resources for the hearing impaired students in their respective libraries. Key words: Captions resources, interactive searching, relay services, functionality.

Facility allocation strategies and the sustainability of service delivery: Modelling library patronage patterns and their related CO2-emissions

Service accessibility and urban transportation choices are crucial in cities' endeavours for securing social equality and environmental sustainability. They are particularly relevant when the public service network is to be rationalized. In this paper we provide a practical example of comparing the impacts of current varying service allocation strategies on travel behaviour and the resulting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. We take libraries as a local public service to examine the CO2 emissions resulting from residents' library trips in the capital region of Finland. Our analyses are based on data on library use (library loan database, N = 420,000), accessibility (comparable models of travel-time by car, public transportation and non-motorized transport) and customer transport choices (survey, n = 584). Our results show that (1) 52% of library customers use a library that is accessible from their home with minimum CO2 emissions (the “climate-optimal” facility provider), (2) the remaining 48% that choose a non-optimal facility provider produce nearly 90% of the total CO2-emissions related to library customer flows and (3) the service allocation strategies of the different municipalities lead to markedly different CO2-emission patterns resulting from service usage. To conclude, sustainability measures (in our case the CO2 burden) provide useful information on the impact of a service network structure which may be used alongside economic rationales.

Have libraries in private institutions of higher learning in Malaysia lost their original purposes? What else does the evidence say about gender issues?

The original purposes of a library as a place for knowledge fulfillment alongside other social responsibilities are perceived to have eroded over the years. This could be due to the emergence and dominance of the ever progressive digital media and has likely changed the availability and mode of access to knowledge thereby affecting library patronage. This paper attempts to validate the above perception of the utilization patterns of library in private institutions of higher learning. It has been observed that students still visit libraries. However, the intentions of their visits are more for general or self utilization purposes rather than for intellectual pursuits. The study has revealed that more than 65% of the students surveyed spent their time doing personal work in the library without utilizing other library services and facilities. This has raised a real concern that libraries are now made places for social gathering and self utilization. Gender has turned out to be non-significant factor in this research. Key words: Library, self utilization, general utilization, specific utilization.