Book Availability in the University of Ilorin College of Health Sciences Library

Authors

  • I. A. Alao
  • A. L. Folorunso
  • 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.

Author Biography

I. A. Alao

I.A. Alao is Acting College Librarian in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Ilorin in Nigeria.

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Published

2010-04-28

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2007)

Section

Articles

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