The role of academic library in facilitating graduate and post graduate students: the case of the University of Peshawar, Pakistan.

Khan, Amjid ; Bhatti, Rubina ; Khan, Ghalib 等

Introduction and Background of the Study

The university library has a prominent role to play in supporting higher education to fulfill objectives of its parent body. Students in higher education are to be provided with the facilities necessary for mastering the subject matter, techniques, skills, habits of thought, and methods of work in their chosen field. Classroom instructions alone will not provide all the opportunities needed for attaining all these complex educational objectives. It is here that the libraries come to help the students. The university library is a collection of sources, services and the building in which it is housed. It provides access to various resources in order to support teaching, learning and research activities (Vishala & Bhandi, 2009). In academic institutes both academicians as well researchers mostly depend on the library resources and facilities. No doubt a quick and easy access to such resources accelerates both academic and research activities more effectively. According to Krolak (2005), a university library assist in finding, using and interpreting appropriate information that opens up opportunities for lifelong learning, literacy enhancement, informed citizenship, creative imagination, individual research, critical thinking, and ultimately, empowerment in an increasingly complex world. This equitable access to information is essential to enable educated and informed citizens to participate in a democratic global community. University is a community of scholars and students engaged in the task of seeking truth.

The university library also supports the course curriculum and assesses the researchers to extend their research work and create new knowledge successfully (Higham, 1980). Furthermore, Young and Belanger (1983) defines university library as: "a library, or system of libraries, established, supported and administered by a university to meet the information needs of its students, faculty and support its instructional research and service programs". These services are needed to enable an individual to develop full potentials and extend the horizons of perception, interests and skills. Khan and Bhatti (2012) noted that academic institutes could not achieve its twin task of spreading knowledge and extending its research progress till it has not first provided itself to enrich library resources and services. On the other hand, to offer quality information services, the university authority should have a cyclic and systematic evaluation policy in order to maintain and to further improve the quality of services to meet the information needs of users. According to Hussain and Abalkhail (2013), evaluation of the quality of library services could be achieved by taking feedback from users as they are the best judges to quality. It also assists to indicate the performance of the services provided for the library users. The role of a university library is obviously to meet the research and information needs of its community. If we look at the functioning of a university in the developed world, they manage to provide their clients with local and remote access to collections in all kinds of formats. This is not the case in the less developed countries like Pakistan. The university library collections have been based mainly on books and then serial publications like newspapers, magazines and journals (Ameen, 2005; Bhatti, September 2008).

Central Library University of Peshawar

The University of Peshawar, established in 1950, is the mother University of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. It is situated about 10 Kilometers North-West from the city center on the main Grand Trunk road leading towards Torkham (Pak-Afghan Boarder also called the Durand Line). It ranks as the 5th best university of Pakistan in the Higher Education Commission (HEC) ranking list. It has presently 6 faculties run by a teaching faculty of 592, three campuses, five constituent colleges, three constituent schools and over 14000 on campus students. The Central Library of the University of Peshawar is the largest and richest library in the Province. The existing four story building, with an area of 16000 sq. ft. (approx.) is located near the Administration Block, University of Peshawar. The library provides services and facilities to the staff and students. In addition to the usual stock, it houses a good Oriental Collection of valuable and rare books and manuscripts. The philanthropists of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have donated a number of collections on local history and tribal customs and traditions. Computer, internet and email facilities are available. The library is being completely refurbished and soon its operations will be digitalized. The Central Library of the University of Peshawar has been declared an official United Nations (UN) Library, which is one of the seven UN depository libraries. Publications and official UN texts are placed in a separate section called the UN repository section. The library regionally coordinates and facilitates the scholars with the HEC digital library access program, e-brary USA, along with other facilities (University of Peshawar, 2012). Regarding the library collections, University of Peshawar library is reported as the richest library in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa comprised of a total collection of 162570 which is 24% of the total collection of the all Public Sector University (PSU) libraries of KP. The library contains 700 manuscripts of the middle ages. There are 07 professional, 05 paraprofessional, 30 non-professional and 04 automation and digitization staff for the operations of the library activities (University of Peshawar, 2012).

Review of Literature

The provision of quality services in university libraries is considered a major issue university library circles. Librarians see the library more in terms of the provision of and access to service quality than as just a physical place. Technology and automation have also changed the way people perceive libraries. Fewer and fewer professors and students go to the library. They access the internet to collect information instead of using the library in the traditional way (Albanese & Oder, 2002; Herring, 2001). As a result, the role of libraries and librarians is also changing. Librarian themselves have been re-evaluating their role as reflected in many discussions and papers. They emphasize the provision of good library service as more important to the user than the mere physical library building. This perspective is evident in several studies conducted in Pakistani context (Bhatti, 2009; Kanwal, 2006; Khan & Ahmed, 2013; Khan & Bhatti, 2012; Rehman, Shfique, & Mahmood, 2011; Shan & Shaheen, 2013). Bhatti (September 2008) identified that "Pakistani universities have to meet global academic standards and inculcate universal academic values; on the other hand, they have to respond to the peculiar demands and needs of their community".

To start with, the investigator began literature search and collected selected documents on the topic of the research and related fields. For this purpose, Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertation (NDLTD) along with printed and online library science journals/Books were used as sources of information. The review of the related literature helped the investigator to identify previous and present studies on the same or similar topics and assisted the researcher to properly understand the issues involved in the present study in the right perspective.

Popoola (2008) surveyed the faculty awareness and use of library information resources and services in South-West Nigerian universities by using a systematic random sampling technique. A Sample of 446 faculty members (out of 4,459 populations) was selected with a response rate of 89.7% (400). The study found a significant difference in faculty awareness of available library information resources and services. They had a lack of sufficient knowledge with those resources and services that were pertinent to their teaching and research activities. The study indicated that one hundred and ninety respondents rarely used these resources. They were not aware of how to use them effectively. In addition, those who were fully aware, but occasionally used it, claimed that the libraries lacked current materials and good customer relations.

Arif and Mahmood (2010) examined the satisfaction level of users with the central library collection and services at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Islamabad, Pakistan. A semi-structured questionnaire was used as a data collection tool from the subjects of the study and a sample of 100 teachers out of 140 was selected randomly. A total of 87 respondents in which 56 (64%) were male and 31(36%) were female participated in the survey. The result indicated that a majority 46 (52%) of the respondents frequently visited the library followed by 41 (47%) respondents who occasionally visited the library. The respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the present library collection, online database, virtual reference service, interlibrary loan, photocopy facility and journals related to subjects. Moreover, they were satisfied with the location and the physical setup of the library. The study explored that majority of the respondents used library resources for teaching and research. About 47 (54%) of the respondents suggested that the library should arrange information literacy programs. They also suggested that competent and qualified library staff should be appointed at senior positions in the central library (55.6%).

Hiller (2002) studied the difference between the information needs of scientists, engineers and other academics at the University of Washington. The data was collected through a semi structured questionnaire. It was found that the primary use of library facilities by respondents was tended to use the library as a workplace rather than to find books or journals. However, there was no difference by academic area in remote use. The survey demonstrated respondents related to the disciplines of science, engineering and health sciences were more likely to use the library resources remotely rather than to visit the library. Though, they were satisfied with the overall performance of the library services.

Rasul and Singh (2010) examined postgraduate students' views on the role of university library services in facilitating their research and satisfaction with these resources. Data was collected randomly from 375 students in four Malaysian public universities. The results showed that the majority (90%) of the respondents acknowledged the role of university libraries in facilitating research. Most (72%) of the respondents were satisfied with the current role of libraries. Respondents suggested that library opening hours need to be increased for effective use of library resources and services for their research activities.

In Pakistan, Bukhari, Bukahri, Ranjha, Ahmad, and Naz (2010) conducted a study on library use by students of the Foundation University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Rawalpindi. The data was collected through a self-constructed questionnaire from 180 graduate students selected randomly. The findings showed that 47% of the respondents agreed with the statement that the "library had sufficient space for users", while 53% of the respondents were not agreed with this statement. 56% of the respondents agreed with the librarian attitude regarding borrowing books while 44% of the respondents were against this statement. Moreover, 46% of the respondents indicated that the librarians assisted them in searching their required information. The findings showed that 81% of the respondents complained about the lack of computers with internet connectivity. The study concluded that the library staff should help the students and facilitate them in consulting their relevant materials. A proper learning and study environment in the library was suggested for effective use of library resources. The study of Bhatti (2008) identified that reference section needs to work closely with faculty to enhance usage of periodicals by students.

Furthermore, a study conducted by Khan (2004) on the use of resources and services of the central library of University of Peshawar by the students and faculty members indicated that the majority of the respondents were aware about the library services such as reference, circulation, reprographic, newspaper clipping and internet services. On the other hand, 34% of teachers and 23% of students were not aware about the Current Awareness Services (CAS). The library resources were mostly utilized by researchers (82.8%) as compare to teaching staff (36%). Similarly, a vast majority (78.5%) of the researchers, 76.5% of the students and 26% of the teachers were satisfied with the circulation services and a very less number (18.5%) of researchers, 4% of teachers and only 2% of students showed their satisfaction with internet facility. A vast majority (96%) of teachers, 72.8% of researchers and 63% of students were not satisfied with interlibrary loan services. In addition, 86% of teachers, 65% of students and 54.2% of researchers were dissatisfied with the organization of library materials. In order to promote the usage of library resources and services more effectively, a majority of respondents recommended information literacy programs as well as the acquisition of up to date collection.

Results of a study conducted by Bhatti and Hanif (2013) on library usage and satisfaction by social scientists at Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan demonstrated that the social sciences faculty members mostly prefer to use textbooks and internet as the major sources of information. Most of the respondents preferred to use print format rather than digital. The study reported that majority of the respondents were not satisfied with the subscription of journals related to their field of interest. Moreover they also showed their dissatisfaction on library's overall services it provided to its users. However it is encouraging to note that a majority of the respondents were satisfied with the good attitude of the library staff.

In addition, Bhatti, Batool, and Malik (2013) conducted a study on the use of library by the Library and Information Science students at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur. Using a semi structured questionnaire, the data was collected from 64 students. The study reported that by average students visited the library once in a week. They used library resources and services mainly for reading books, making class assignments and for exam preparation. Most of the respondents indicated that they did not use catalogue cards, OPAC or librarians assistance for information retrieval. In addition, most of the students were satisfied with circulation, reference services and physical facilities. Major problems identified by majority of the respondents were power fluctuation, lack of computers, slow internet speed, and drop internet connections.

Khan and Bhatti (2012) conducted a study on the department libraries of the university of Peshawar to know their current status, services, issues, challenges and prospects. The study found that most of the departmental libraries were below standards. They lacked proper library facilities. Major problems identified were lack of budget, inadequate information technology infrastructure, inadequate administrative parameters, and lack of physical facilities. The study contained practical implications for university administration and management, librarians and information specialists for improving the current situation and the provision of better services.

Problem Statement

Universities are the highest seats of learning. They produce educated and skilled manpower to the nation. It is indispensable for university libraries and information center to equip the nation with all needed information in order to uplift their research and teaching prestige. To provide need-oriented environment, the university library has to evaluate its existing resources and services to further improve them for efficient and effective use. The central library, University of Peshawar is among the oldest libraries in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that not only facilitate its own academics, students and researchers but also support research activities in the region. Due to lack of research on individual Pakistani university libraries, there is a need to conduct such studies on periodical basis to assess the users' satisfaction with university library resources, services and infrastructure. In this regard, the present study has been conducted to indicate the frequency of use of different types of collection, facilities and services, and to find out the purpose and extent of satisfaction with central library resources and services from the perspective of graduate and post graduate students. This study also examines the perceptions of students about the attitude of library staff and problems faced by them when using these resources and services. Based on the findings of this study, some recommendations are presented in order to improve the existing situation to fulfill information needs of the faculty, researchers and students. The results of this study would enable the university authorities and library executives to discover areas of strengths and weaknesses in the services rendered to users. Objectives of the study

The main objectives of the study were to:

1) Explore the respondents' frequency and purpose of visiting the library

2) Determine the users' satisfaction with library resources and services

3) Assess perceptions of respondents about the attitude of the library staff

4) Analyze the provision of physical facilities in the library for the effective use of its resources and services

5) Identify the problems faced by respondents in the use of library resources and services

Research Methodology

Survey research method was used to collect needed information in order to achieve objectives of the study. A self-developed close ended questionnaire was developed to collect the data. To assess the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, it was discussed with several professors of Statistics and Library and Information Science and their suggestions were incorporated accordingly. SPSS-19 was used to calculate cronbach alpha coefficients for the scales which were found to be .93. Population of the study includes all graduate (Bachelor level) and post graduate (Masters and M. Phil/MS level) students studying in the faculty of Management and Information Sciences, and Faculty of Numerical and Physical Sciences of the University of Peshawar. The total population of the study constituted 975 students out whom a sample of 100 students was drawn. Keeping in view time constraint and large population of the study, the sample size was calculated in the Raosoft Software (http://www.raosoft.com) in order to select a standard size of the sample. Moreover tables of Krejcie and Morgan (1970) were also used for sample selection. It was interesting to note that all the sources gave almost same sample size as determined by the Raosoft calculator. The random sampling technique was used by distributing equal number of questionnaires among the subjects of the study. Out of a sample of 100, 91 responded to the survey instrument with a response rate of 91%. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-19) software was used for quantitative data analysis.

The Results

Respondents' Gender: Figure 1 shows that out of 91 respondents, 69 (75.8%) were male, while 22 (24.2%) were female students.

Faculty Wise Distribution of the Respondents

Faculty wise distribution of the respondents in table 1 shows that 47 (51.6%) were from the faculty of Management and Information Sciences while 44 (48.4%) were from the faculty of Numerical and Physical Sciences.

Respondents' Visits to the Central Library

Table 2 reveals the frequency of respondents' visits to the library. The findings show that the majority (n=42, 46.2%) of the respondents visited the library once a month, 18 (19.8%) of the respondents never visited the library, 15 (16.5%) of the respondents visited once a week, 9 (9.9%) of them visited twice a week, while only 7 (7.7%) of the respondents visited the library on a daily basis.

Purpose of visit to the library

Table 3 shows that the respondents' purpose of visiting the library was; to study course books (n=44, 23.5%), to obtain reference books/information (n=29, 15.5%), to retrieve specific information/unpublished material for research and to study in a quiet place (n=25, 13.4%) respectively. Moreover, some of the respondents used the library to; borrow books (n=17, 9.1%), and to use internet/e-resources and online databases (n=16, 8.6%), respectively. On the other hand, only 11 (5.9%) of the respondents reported that they visited the library to consult Theses/Dissertations, while 2(1.1%) of the respondents visited the library for reprographic services and to consult government publications.

Level of Satisfaction from Central Library Staff Attitude

The results of the study in Table 4 shows that most of the respondents were satisfied with the staff behavior, dealings and friendly attitude (mean value = 3.59, 3.56 and 3.55, respectively). However, some of the respondents were neutral on these statements; library staff provides quality services, library staff is difficult to approach and take interest in my information needs (mean value= 3.03, 2.88 and 2.83, respectively). On the other hand, the respondents were unsatisfied (mean value =2.44) about in-time response from library staff to their queries. These findings are similar to the findings of Khan (2004), Bukhari et all(2010), Hiller (2002) and Rasul and Singh (2010) who also reported similar results.

Respondents' Information Needs

The respondents were asked to show the extent to which the library meets their information needs. Table 5 indicates that majority (n=45, 49.45%) of the respondents reported that the library fulfilled their information needs up-to 25%, while 25 (27.47%) of the respondents said that the library meet their information needs up-to 50%. Twenty (21.9%) of the respondents reported that the library meet their information needs up-to 75%, while only 2 (2.1%) of the respondents reported that the library meet their information needs up-to 100 percent. Effectiveness of Library Services

The respondents' opinions regarding the effectiveness of library services were also measured. Figure 2 shows that majority of the respondents (n=41, 57%) expressed that the library services were "effective", while 25 (35%) of the respondents indicated that the library services were "ineffective". Among the respondents, 6 (8%) did not respond to the question. Satisfaction with Physical Facilities of the Central Library

Respondents' satisfaction with library's physical facilities is generally considered very important because users' dissatisfaction means that the facilities and services provided by the library are not up to the mark. Table 6 shows that the respondents were satisfied with library physical facilities such as; lighting system, ventilation facilities, reading tables, space for reading and computer facilities (mean value = 4.12, 3.90, 3.87, 3.86, and 3.56, respectively). However, the respondents were dissatisfied with research corner facility (mean = 2.36), air conditions system (mean = 2.33), display of new arrivals (mean = 2.26), conference room (mean = 2.25) and audio-visual facilities of the library (mean = 2.08). These findings corroborate the findings of Arif and Mahmood (2010) who also reported similar results.

Problems faced by Respondents

It was found that the respondents faced several problems while using library resources and services. Lack of electronic resources in the library was major problem encountered by the respondents (n=76, 83.51%), followed by inadequate collection (n=70, 76.92%) and insufficient physical facilities (n=69, 75.82%). Furthermore, the analysis indicated that most (n=68, 74.72%) of the respondents faced the problems related to library catalogue/OPAC, collection arrangement (n=66, 72.52%), computer facilities (n=59, 64.83%), services (n=55, 60.43%) and inadequate library timing (n=52, 57.14%). In addition, some (n=28, 30.76%) of the respondents faced the problem of punitive rules and regulations, followed by non-cooperative staff attitude (n=25, 27.47%) (Figure 3).This study confirms the findings of Khan and Bhatti (2012) who found that the departmental libraries in University of Peshawar were facing the lack of computers for users, lack of reprographic, abstracting and indexing services to facilitate their end users.

Findings

The findings of the study are summarized as follows:

1. 46.2 percent of the respondents visit the library once a month.

2. 23.5 percent of the respondents visit the library to study course books, consult reference books (15.5%) and to retrieve specific information/unpublished material for research activities.

3. Consequences of the findings show that some of the respondents visited the library to borrow books (9.1%) and use internet/e-resources (8.6%).

4. Majority of the respondents were satisfied from the staff behavior, dealings and friendly attitude with end users. On the other hand, they were unsatisfied with in-time responses from library staff to their queries.

5. The study indicated that 49.45% of the respondents fulfilled their information needs upto 25%, while 27.47% of the participants reported that they meet their informational needs up-to 50% from library resources.

6. Fifty seven percent of the respondents reported that the library provided effective services.

7. Respondents were satisfied with library lighting system, ventilation facilities, reading tables. However, they were dissatisfied with research corner facility, air condition system, display of new arrivals and conference room.

8. A large majority (83.51%) of the respondents indicated that they were facing the lack of electronic resources, inadequate collection (76.92%) and insufficient physical facilities (75.82%).

Recommendations

In the light of the findings the following suggestions are put forward to improve the existing library resources and services of the Central Library of the University of Peshawar. The suggestions can also be helpful to other university libraries having a situation similar to the library under study:

1. The library should organize proper Information Literacy (IL) programs for the users in order to make more effective use of available library resources and services.

2. The library should acquire relevant and up-to-date books and other electronic materials on different subjects to fulfill the information needs of the users to encourage them to visit and use the library resources on regular basis.

3. For this, the Library should conduct surveys to have a thorough understanding of the information needs and information-seeking behavior of its users.

4. The library catalogue should be updated regularly and the OPAC should be launched for remote users. A separate library website is also suggested for more efficient use of library resources and services.

5. The library timing should be extended and it is recommended that the library should remain open from 08:00am to 10:00pm. Moreover the library should also be opened on Saturday and Sunday.

6. It is recommended that the library should make policies in order to provide nascent information to the users.

7. The organization of library collection should be updated regularly to save time of the users and to provide in time maximum resources and services.

8. To improve the extent of satisfaction with "physical facilities", it is suggested that the library should increase furniture, develop research corner, air condition systems, natural and electrical lighting for the pleasant atmosphere of the library.

9. The university authority should allocate sufficient funds in order to improve the existing library infrastructure, physical facilities and collection.

10. The library should use modern information technologies to improve search for resources and also lengthen the library network for resource sharing of information.

11. Both professional as well as non-professional staff of the library should be trained enough to help the users in accessing and using the library resources more conveniently.

12. Competent and qualified library professional staff should be appointed to senior positions in the central library.

13. It is suggested that more concentration should be placed on library's physical infrastructure, resources and services in order to increase the satisfaction level of users.

14. It is suggested that more computer terminals with high speed internet connectivity should be installed in the library for users to make best use of online information resources and services.

Limitations of the Study

The study is limited to the Faculty of Management and Information Sciences and the faculty of Numerical and Physical Sciences of the University of Peshawar. The faculty of Management and Information Sciences is comprised of the Institute of Management Sciences, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Department of Library & Information Science, and Quaid-i-Azam College of Commerce while the faculty of Numerical and Physical Sciences comprised of the Department of Computer Science, Institute of Physics and Electronics, Department of Mathematics and Department of Statistics. The study does not include undergraduate students.

Conclusions

The results of the present study show that central library of the University of Peshawar is playing an important role in the promotion of education and research. The library resources and services have been appreciated by the users, but at the same time it was also pointed out that the library was unable to provide full-fledged facilities and a good reading and learning environment. This research shows that majority of the students usually visit the library to consult course books and reference materials while only a small percentage visit to borrow books. The use of electronic resources and non-book materials is very low. The library authority should purchase general as well as course books to maximize the usage of library resources and services. The university authorities should concentrate on to provide more facilities to the library for the use of electronic resources. The findings of this study also indicated that training for library staff on the use of latest information technology should be conducted to increase the use of the internet, electronic resources and to offer online and e-databases services more efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, the study suggests that the library staff should offer users' orientation programs regularly in order to satisfy users' expectations and information needs. The number of computers should be increased to facilitate maximum users. The university library authority should allocate sufficient fund to improve the existing physical infrastructure, library collection and services.

The findings of the present study would help university libraries to re-evaluate their resources and services for teaching, learning and research. The findings could help academic libraries in general, not just to improve their resources and services, but also to avoid problems faced by them from users' perspectives. In this electronic environment, the biggest challenge facing the library profession is staying relevant to its users. This environment of teaching, learning and research is changing rapidly, therefore, university libraries need to maintain their position as a key partner in the diffusion of knowledge and promotion of research by understanding, anticipating, and emphasizing the challenges in their respective areas. In addition, this creates possibilities for libraries to improve the quality of services to support academic and research activities more effectively.

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Amjid Khan

Librarian, Department of Pharmacy University of Peshawar & PhD Scholar (Department of Library & Information Sciences)

The Islamia University of Bahwalpur, Pakistan

Email: amiid.librn@gmail.com

Dr. Rubina Bhatti

Associate Professor, Department of Library & Information Science

The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Email: dr.rubytariq@gmail.com

Ghalib Khan

Librarian, The Law College, University of Peshawar & PhD Scholar (Department of Library & Information Sciences)

The Islamia University of Bahwalpur, Pakistan

Email: ghalibkhan1@yahoo.com

And

Muhammad Ismail

Assistant Professor

Department of Library & Information Sciences

University of Peshawar

Table 1 Faculty Wise Distribution of the
Respondents (n=91)

S.no.          Faculty          Frequency   Percent

1.      Management and             47       (51.6%)
          Information Science
2.      Numerical and              44       (48.4%)
          Physical Science
                Total              91       (100.0%)

Table 2 Respondents' Frequency of
Visits to Library (n=91)

S. no.   Visit to Library    Frequency

1.       Daily               7 (7.7%)
2.       Twice a week        9 (9.9%)
3.       Once a week        15 (16.5%)
4.       Once a month       42 (46.2%)
5.       Never              18 (19.8%)
         Total              91 (100.0%)

Table 3 Respondents' Purpose of Visit to Library (n=91)

S. no.             Statements                     Frequency

1.       To study course Books                   44 (23.5%)
2.       For reprographic Services                2 (1.1%)
3.       To borrow books                         17 (9.1%)
4.       To study reference books/Information    29 (15.5%)
5.       To use Online Databases                 16 (8.6%)
6.       To use Internet/E-Resources             16 (8.6%)
7.       To use Specific Information             25 (13.4%)
           /Unpublished material
8.       To study in a quiet place               25 (13.4%)
9.       To consult Thesis/Dissertation          11 (5.9%)
10.      To use Government Publications           2 (1.1%)

Note: Multiple responses were permitted

Table 4 Level of Satisfaction from Staff Attitude (n=91)

S. no.               Statements                    Mean

1.       Library staff treat me fairly             3.59
2.       Library staff are professional in         3.56
           their dealings
3.       Library staff is friendly                 3.55
4.       Library staff provide quality services    3.03
6.       Library staff is difficult to approach    2.88
7.       Library staff take interest in my         2.83
           information needs
8.       Library staff give my quick response      2.44

Scale: 5=Very satisfied, 4=Satisfied, 3=Neutral,
2=Un-Satisfied, 1= Very Un-Satisfied

Table 5 Respondents' Information Needs (n=91)

S.no.     Extent      Frequency

1.      Up to 25%    45 (49.45%)
2.      Up to 50%    25 (27.47%)
3.      Up to 75%    20 (21.9%)
4.      Up to 100%    2 (2.1%)
        Total         91 (100%)

Table 6 Respondents' Satisfaction with Physical
Facilities (n=91)

S. no.             Satisfaction             Mean

1.       Lighting facilities                4.12
2.       Ventilation system                 3.90
3.       Reading Tables/Chairs              3.87
4.       Space for reading                  3.86
5.       Computer facilities                3.56
6.       Research Corner                    2.36
7.       Air Conditioning/Cooling system    2.33
8.       Display of new arrivals            2.26
9.       Conference/Seminar Room            2.25
10.      Audio-visual facilities            2.08

Scale: 5=Very Satisfied, 4=Satisfied, 3=No opinion,
2=Dissatisfied, 1=Very dissatisfied

Figure 1 Respondents by Gender

         Frequency   Percent

Male     69          75.8%
Female   24.2 %      22

Note: Table made from bar graph.

Figure 2 Effectiveness of
Library Services

No Opinion    8%
Ineffective   35%
Effective     57%

Note: Table made from pie chart.

Figure 3 Problems faced by users

                                Average %

Collection                      76.92
Collection arrangement in ...   72.52
Physical facilities             75.82
Services                        60.43
E-resources                     83.51
Attitude of staff               27.47
Library Catalogue/OPAC          74.72
Library training                57.14
Computer facilities             64.83
Rules and regulations           30.76

Note: Table made from bar graph.