ABSTRACT
This project is aimed at
examining the problems and prospects of reference services in academic librarians,
using the Anambra State University Uli campus library as a case study and how
to evaluate the strength and weakness of the reference services in an academic
librarian. It will also help to know the problems caused by the library clientele
and profile solution toward the problems. This project work is design to know
the functions of reference librarian and services to make prospect in the
reference section of a library. Chapter one of this project works treats
Background to the study, research questions, significance of the study, scope
and limitation of the study, definition of some terms as it concerns to this
work. Chapter two treats literature review which covers areas like Reference
materials, staffing of the reference section, management of reference section,
problem facing reference section. Chapter three treat methodology which
comprises of research design, population of the study, sample and sampling
technologies, research instrument, and method of data analysis. Chapter four
treats data analysis, presentation of result and discussion of findings. While
Chapter five treats summary of the work conclusion and recommendation for
further study.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title
page - - - - - - - - -i
Approval
page - - - - - - - -ii
Dedication
- - - - - - - - -iii
Acknowledgement
- - - - - - - -iv
Table
of content - - - - - - - -vii
Abstract
- - - - - - - - -x
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the study - - - - 1
1.2
Statement of the problem - - - - 6
1.3
Purpose of the study - - - - - 8
1.4
Research questions - -- - - - 9
1.5
Significance of the study - - - - 10
1.6
Scope of the study - - - - - 11
1.7
Definition of the terms - - - - 12
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE
REVIEW
2.1
Introduction - - - - - - - 14
2.2 Reference material and source - - 16
2.3
Staffing of the reference section - - 17
2.4 Management of reference section - - 18
2.5
Problem facing reference section- - 19
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Design of the study - - - - - 22
3.2 Area of the study - - - - - - 23
3.3 Population
of the study - - - - 23
3.4
Sample and sampling techniques - - 23
3.5
Instrument for data collection - - - 24
3.6
Validation of the study - - - - - 25
3.7 Reliability of the instrument - - - 25
3.8 Distribution and retrieval of instrument 26 3.8 Data
analysis - - - - - - 26
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 Data analysis, presentation of result and
discussion of findings - - - - - 28
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1
Summary - - - - - - - 33
5.2
Conclusion - - - - - - - 35
5.3
Recommendation - - - - - - 36
References
- - - - - - - 39
Appendix
I - - - - - - - 41
Appendix
II - - - - - - 4
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the study
Reference
service is one of the essential services of the library. Meaning reference service
is the activities, roles, functions and services rendered by the reference
librarian constitute reference service. According to Prytherch, (2002) He
states that: “reference service deal with the provision of reference work by
library staff”.
According
to Ohio Library Council, (2005) Reference services is “A way for libraries to
meet the needs of their user (clientele) communities”. Reference service
involves instructing clients to operate independently and at own pace to uses
electronic and print resources of the library, it also involved personal
assistance given to the users to enable them meet their needs.
James
(2005) states that reference work started in the late 19th and early
20th centuries to respond to several forces and trends. In the next several
decades from the 1930s through the 1950s, a new technology that provides,
access to the library to a lager member and much wider variety of people was
introduce. That technology is obviously, the telephone and the reference
literature of the day speaks of its advantages but also its challenges. For
example, having distinguished between “important questions coming in via the
telephone those business men and involving important topics from less
important” ones from club woman planning programs, context questions like
should this service be centralized or dispersed? Should it be staffed
differently from the desk? What information resources should be dedicated to
it? And many more.
According
to (ALA RUSA, 2008) reference service includes reference transactions and other
activities that involve the creation, management, and assessment of information
or research resources, tools and services. Creation and management of
information resources includes the development and maintenance of research
collections, research guide, catalogues, database, web-sites, search engines
etc that patrons can use independently, in-house or remotely to satisfy their
information needs. Assessment activities include the measurement and evaluation
of reference work, resources and services.
According
to Esharenana, (2008) sees reference section as that section of library which
provide a variety of services and perform functions necessary to assist the
users including provision of information service on demand and in providing institution
in the use of library, selected of documents and organization of reference
materials.
According
to Obiora, (2004) states that reference sources are publications – book and
non-book materials consulted only within the library for specific facts or
definite piece of information on a subject. There are two types of reference
sources, general reference sources which include Encyclopedia, Directories, Dictionaries,
Yearbooks and Handbook while special or subject reference sources are
Mathematics, Biology, and Library Science.
According
to Esharenana, (2008) states that reference question is a sentence, phrase or
word posed by a patron to the reference librarian asking for information or
assistance in order to meet the need.
According
to Ramum (2003) reference policy is regarded as a kind of set of plan and as a
kind of framework within which reference staff and clienteles work.
Ahi
Rusa, (2003) states that a reference librarians is person that provides
reference service. He should posses a wide range of intellectual interest,
desire to assist the patrons, flair for organizing documents ability to search
literature and adequate knowledge of the library and external resources.
According
to Scott (2007) is pubic service counter where professional librarian provide
library users with direction on how to make use of library materials, advise on
library collection and services and expertise on multiple kinds of information
from multiple sources.
According
to Anderson (2005) digital reference is a service and the reference transaction
is a computer mediated communication.
1.2 Statement
of Problems
The
aim of this study is to critically analyze the problems and prospect towards
the services in the reference section and equally to view the problems that
have prevented it from executing effectively and efficiently the
bibliographical functions in the library.
One
observes that the very rapid expansion of our reference sources have reached a
stage of concern. One finds that the library does not tackle the problem of
acquisition of up-to-date reference materials like journals to keep the
clienteles (students and lecturers even the parent institution) abreast of the new
trends in their various field of study.
Development
of the reference collection and organization which effect in the backbone of a reference
eservice should also be looked into. A maximum attention would equally be paid
to the relevance of the exiting services, to see how it meet the needs of the
patrons, because the effective use of these materials depends on the services
provided by the reference personnel or librarians.
1.3 Purpose
of Study
The
purpose of this study is to know the problems and prospect of reference
services. Therefore the researcher will be able to find out the following
purposes:
i.
To know if the
reference section of the academic library is well organized.
ii.
To know if there
reference services are being rendered in line with other reference services in
other libraries.
iii.
To identify the
strength and weakness of the library’s reference collection because any
effective reference service may not be feasible without an appropriate and
adequate reference collection.
iv.
To enable the
researcher carry out the findings so that to make recommendation for effective
reference services in the library.
v.
To take the
library to another level through the reference services.
1.4 Research
Questions
For
the success of this study, this study demands an answer to the following
questions:
i.
Is the reference
section of the academic library adequately organized to perform its functions?
ii.
To what extent
can the reference materials in the library said to be appropriate for the needs
of the clientele?
iii.
Are the
reference services being rendered in-line with other reference services in
other libraries?
iv.
Does the library
make available all the useful reference materials needed by the users for them?
v.
Does the library
clientele find it easy with the reference librarian in terms of research?
1.5 Significance
of the Study
1.
This study will
lay on the reference services in academic library users.
2.
It will provide
a useful information on how reference services are being searched by the users.
3.
It demonstrates
to library staff the feelings of its clientele towards the type of reference
materials they provide for them.
4.
The
recommendation to the made will be the one that if implemented will enhance an
effective reference information services of the library to its user.
5.
To enable
adequate access to the materials be the library users.
1.6 Scope
of the Study
This
study is restricted to the university of Anambra State Uli Campus library. The
reference services rendered to the users are deeply discussed.
Reasonable
conclusion and recommendation was made because of limited time and space placed
on this research, make it impossible to evaluate in details everything about
the problems and prospect of Anambra State University reference library
section. Only activities performed in the library and the general overview of
their statistical record and their reference materials have been look into.
The quality of staff was also evaluated,
the nature of their work and services towards their users.
1.7 Definition
of terms
Reference Services:
According to Ala, (2008) reference
service involves reference activities that includes the creation, management
and assessment of information, research resources, tools and services. Creation
and management of information resources include the development and maintenance
of research collections, catalogues, research guides, databases, web-sites,
search engines etc.
So
that patrons can use independently to satisfy their information needs.
Therefore reference is sees to be an act of documenting important materials for
future use while services is the ability to make sure that reference section is
functioning effectively. It deals with provision of reference work by library
staff.
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