Book Availability in the University of Ilorin College of Health Sciences Library
I.A. Alao, A.L. Folorunso, and H.T. Saka
Abstract
This paper reports on a patron-based book availability study carried out at the University of Ilorin College of Health Sciences Library, Nigeria, in May 2007. The purpose of the study was to determine book availability rate and performance levels for the library. Data were collected and analyzed using questionnaires and Kantor’s branching technique respectively. Of the 2,221 titles reportedly searched, 1,345 were found while 876 were not found, giving an overall book availability rate of 60.5 percent for the library. The values of the performance measures for the library were 87 percent, 88 percent, 87 percent and 90 percent for the acquisitions performance, circulation performance, library operations performance and user performance measures respectively. An analysis of the search failures vis-á-vis the total number of the titles searched in each case suggests that users might be leaving the library without two of every five books needed. The first situation does not give the library cause for concern, but the measures relating to library operations, circulation procedures and user lapses informed the on-going review of all aspects of the performance measures over which the library has control.
Introduction
Naturally, an adequate collection is a prerequisite for effective library services. Therefore, it is important to develop the collection conscientiously and evaluate it from time to time. Unfortunately, as Morgan (1995) has noted, collection evaluation is not commonly undertaken by most librarians for reasons such as lack of time, shortage of staff, and pressure from other jobs.
Thus, even though the University of Ilorin College of Health Sciences Library was established in 1979, it was not until May 2007 that efforts were made by the present researchers to evaluate the library in terms of the availability of its book collection. This resulted in part from a need to justify a request for an increase in the library’s book fund from the college's authorities. Specifically, the objectives of the evaluation were:
- To determine the overall book availability rate for the University of Ilorin College of Health Sciences Library; and,
- To find out the library's level of performance with regard to four parameters, namely acquisitions performance, circulation performancee, library operations performance and Library user performance measures.