increasing the utilisation of the college library...

Annals of Library Science and Documentation 1984,31(1-2),44-51

INCREASING THE UTILISATION OF THE COLLEGELIBRARY - IS IT BEYOND CONTROL?

An ideal library should have schemes whichpromote self-learning among individuals througheffective utilisation to the maximum possibleextent the available library facilities, therebyenhancing the utilitarian value of the libraryand justifing the investment on it. A study oflibrary centred education conducted at MadrasInstitute of Technology' sh.ouis that it is aneffective means to increase library utilisation.

INTRODUCTION

Continuous scientific research, inventions, inno-vations and creativity not only lead to informa-tion explosion but also pose a challenge to thescientists and technologists in retrieving infor-mation. "The information scientists arc calledupon to build an infrastructure of informationtransfer with the main objective of providingthe right information to the right person at theright time"[l]. New techniques have beendeveloped to access computerised data basesfor information through on-line/off-line facili-ties; The information explosion and the newtechniques of retrieval have hardly affected theaverage college libraries, since conditions in amajority of these institu tions have been stag-nan t over decades.

PRESENT STATE

The less prepared students working for industry,find it difficult to follow their industrial leadersworking on contemporary research, design ordevelopment problems. Moreover, the impor-tance of a solid foundation is most apparent toa student only after graduation, since a professoris no longer available to provide him guid-

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S. PICHURAMANS. GOP ALAKRISHNANMadras Institute of Technology LibraryAnna University, Madras-400044

ance. [2]. Colleges, therefore, aim at providinga balanced and broad-based curriculum andopportunity for the development of the poten-tial of students. The library accordingly isexpected to support teaching, research andextension programmes of the college inachieving its objective. The library has animportant role to play in the development ofthe potential of the students. "It is a well-known fact that the effectiveness and indeedthe usefulness of a library are measured pri-marily by its reading public" [3] .

College libraries continue to be a mereformality or in some cases just an ornament.A library is mostly used as a warehouse ofbooks. The faculty do not utilise the libraryservices to the possible and desirable extentdue to lack of time or interest. Many seemto have the impression that they can managewith their old stock of information and know-ledge. They have, therefore, not considered thelibrary as a necessary source of informa-tion[ 4,5] . There is no wonder, therefore, ifstudents too have not realized the importanceof library. The students and faculty alike havenot recognized and valued the potentials oflibraries. There is reason to believe that studentsfeel that there is no correlation between the useof library and the grades they obtain[6]. Thisseems to be the basic reason for the inadequateuse of library by students.

INFLUENCING FACTORS

Based on attitudes and use patterns of bothstudents and teachers, it appears that themajority do not use the library because thecomplex nature of the libraries and unfami-

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UTILISATION OF COLLEGE LIBRARY

liarity with the system make them confusedand frustrated and finally force them to turnaway from the librariesj Z]; On the other hand,in many colleges, there are no reading facilitiesat all for students and in some colleges eventhough facilities are available, only a very fewuse the libraries [8]. The real challenge, there-fore, is to innovate means and methods toattract more students and teachers to thelibraries and to enthuse them to utilize thefacilities effectively.

Before considering such means and methods,the factors which influence the utilization oflibraries should be identified in order to makethe best choice or to use the best method. Theconventional closed access system, inadequatespace and congestive atmosphere are known asnegative factors which hinder utilization. Othermain factors which affect utilization are:

1. Library rules,2. Stagger system,3. Non-issue of books during the examina-

tion period,4. Ignorance about the resources,5. Apathy of students,6. Apathy of teaching staff,7. Financial problems.

Library roles

Rigid rules framed for the purpose of stream-lining the procedures for both the users and thelibrary staff discourage users. Lack of flexibilityin library rules sometimes causes frustrationamong the users and leads to mutilation ofbooks.

Stagger system

Observation shows that most of the collegelibraries have systematised the issue procedureadopting the stagger system, in which books fora particular class are issued on a particular day.Arrangements are made in such a way that allthe classes are covered within a week. Thoughthis system permits the use of less librarystaff, it keeps away the enthusiastic readers,thus defeating the real purpose of the library.A person has to wait for one week for his nextchance. The stagger system in issue procedure

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is found to be the mam reason for low utilisa-tion of libraries.

Non-issue of books during the examinationperiod.

After a great deal of efforts, the students locateand select the books meeting their requirements.In the hope that they can prepare for the uni-versity examination using the books thus obtain-ed, the students later realise that their expecta-tion have not materialized. In an attempt tosafeguard the college property, the librarianrecalls all the books before the examination.The hall tickets of the students are used as thebest weapon for this purpose. The librariangets the satisfaction that he has adhered to therules, but he fails to recognize that he haskept aside the very basic law of library science"BOOKS ARE FOR USE". This leads tomutilation of books.

Ignorance about the resources

The college libraries are seldom utilized to thedesired .level, because the users do not have theopportunity to realize their potentialities. Inone study it was found that "Prospectiveteachers were not capable of using librarymaterials satisfactorily and their knowledgeof available library resources was limited" [9] .There is very little utilisation of books otherthan the textbooks, even though these booksprovide simple and more useful material thanthe prescribed textbooks.

Apathy of Students

Much of the literature is made available tostudents. But studies reveal that only a fewstudents use the libraries sufficiently for thepurpose of general reading. Sometimes formali-ties keep the students away from the library.The student generally docs not like to approachthe library staff for assistance.

Apathy of teaching staff

Increasing the utilization of libraries in collegesis more the responsibility of teaching communi-ty rather than that of librarians. Following only

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PICHURAMAN & GOPALAKRISHNAN

one textbook not only limits the scope of thestudents to acquire knowledge, but also keepsthe students away from the libraries. In practice,it is noticed that the members of the teachingcommunity not only stick to one textbookbu t also give the exact pagination to be referredto by the students. This ultimately leads to thecraze for particular books and also to a certainextent tearing of the required pages from thebook. Quite often, if a student raises intricatequestions or requests the teaching staff fortextbooks, the student gets the advise:

"If you are taking down the notes given byme in the classroom, a good second divisionis certain. Why do you bother about thebook? This is the beginning and also the endof reading performance by many studentsin many of the colleges" [ 10].

Financial problems

The libraries are conventionally treated asaccessories [ 11]. A second place, is, therefore,given to the budgets of the libraries. Librarybudget is the one that is pruned wheneverthere is shortage of funds. Usually inadequateattention is paid to the needs of the libraries.As the basic needs are not met, the aims ofincreasing the utilization of libraries andtheir development are rarely fulfilled.

INCREASING THE UTILIZATION

Motivation

"Educational psychologists, supported by well-established empirical evidence, are quick topoint out that the straight lecture methodwithout opportunity for discussion is one ofthe least effective methods of instruction"[12].Accelerating the utilization of libraries, likeincreasing the production in industries, cannotbe achieved all of a sudden. Students shouldbe encouraged to read books in the libraryoutside the textbooks prescribed. The Uni-versity Grants Commission in its revised guide-lines for restructuring of the courses at thedegree level has said "The existing teachingmethods, which are largely based on rotememory, lectures and reproduction, should

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be replaced by new teaching methods whichcan awaken curiosity of students, encourageself-study habits and promote problem-solvingskill in them. There must be some componentin the curriculum which requires every studentto use the library for reference work. Oncesuch a component is introduced, this shouldbe taken into account in strengthening thelibrary for reading and reference materials,including journals" [13] .

Use of library by students, as stated,depends on faculty motivation. Dr. S. Sathikhpoints out four levels of teaching:

1. Giving facts and figures2. Explaining/relating the facts3. Demonstrating/proving the facts4. Inspiring/motivating to search for them-

selves.

These are given in the increasing order of moti-vation. Motivation should be of the kind thatwill inspire students to work independentlywith the help of library material, of course,with adequate instruction regarding the use oflibrary and the bibliographic tools. Educationalinstitutions may also allocate certain percentageof marks in their internal assessment for libraryusage by students. The library staff also mustplaya complementary role to increase the effec-tiveness of teaching.

User education

P.S. Kawatra stresses the need to educate themembers of the institutions on the use of libraryand search for information in order to increasethe effective utilization of library. He quotesProf. Holloway. "Library resources are themajor insurance against narrow syllabus, dog-matic teaching and simple out-of-dateness. At atime of flexible conditions and growing inde-pendence for students as to the planning of theirwork, the library, not the lecture room, formsthe heart of the enterprise" [14]. Mrs. RuthAlston, Librarian, Cambridge Universi ty, hasrecorded the observations of a British researchscholar made after a seven week research tourin India, studying user "education in Indianacademic and research institute libraries. "Vir-tually everyone I interviewed thought that the

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stock of Indian libraries was significantly under-used because of user ignorance, and manythought that the information profession hadnot, on the whole, succeeded in projecting agood image of its capabilities." Quoting this,R. Saradha emphasizes that our institutionsof higher learning should initiate appropriatesteps for user education to bridge the gap bet-ween potential and achievement[15]. Thelibrary should serve as a laboratory for theimplementation of effective teaching. Thelibrary should be made an integral and func-tional part of teaching in the classroom.

INNOVATION

Objective

Considering these views, a new scheme wasplanned at the Madras Institute of Technologywith the following main objectives:

(i) to develop creative thinking and self-learning among students,

(ii) t? complement the classroom lectures,

(iii) to encourage students to developmeans for making better utilization oftheir leisure time,

(iv) to assist students in developing bettervalues and higher standards in theirprofession,

(v) to help students to develop researchtechniques for use both during andafter student years.

(vi) to expand the scope of education for amore complex world,

(vii) to help the _members in retrieval ofinformation of maximum usefulnessin dealing with practical problems andsituations,

(viii) to expose the students to the latestinformation and to ensure that theknowledge acquired is both meaning-ful and relevant.

Initial experiment

Rou- learning of certain materials and reproduc-ing them in examinations has become an out-

Vol 31 N05 1-2 Mar-June 1984

moded way of education, since the real know-ledge is lost sight of in this method. Keeping inview the fact that a library is not just a reservoirof books, but an educational agency, the libraryof the Madras Institute of Technology, AnnaUniversity, Madras, has provided- 3 hours forundergraduate classes and 6 hours for post-graduate classes in the timetable, as libraryperiod with the aim that this would enable thestudents to do their design assignments andseminar preparations effectively. However, itwas found that the library period was not fullyutilized by the students till December 1982,due to lack of adequate reading room and otherfacilities and proper motivating factors.

Improved method

The fundamental aim of any educational pro-gramme should include means for generatingdynamism and inculcating the spirit of search,research and self-reliance in learning latent inevery individual. With this in view, the Instituteintroduced a "Library Centred EducationScheme" towards the end of the academicyear 1982-83, i.e. February 1983, not only toincrease the utilization of the library) bu talso to encourage the use of the library as alaboratory For effective teaching. LibraryCentred Education includes learning by studentson their own in the quite corner of the libraryunder the guidance of the faculty members inrespect of the topics and with active biblio-graphic assistance provided by the library staff.

To aUF_ 'I readers and to encourage studyhabit, the ;fi:rary should have a conducive at-mosphere I;) the form of spacious and well-equipped reading room, etc. Lack of suchatmosphere was initially a hindrance in carryingout this scheme. The Director of the Instituterealized this lack of facility and he urged theprovision of the D<XCSSitr\' facilities in thelibrary. The space was trebled; reading roomfurniture and display racks were quadrupled,new books and periodicals of current interestwere added and displayed; and publicity wasgiven through notice/bill boards. These measureshave faciiiLt!(:-d implementation of this selle/pcin an effective munner.

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Table 1,' Number of visitors before implementation

Month & Year No. of working Days No. of visitors Ratio(1) (2) (3) (3)/(2)

July 1982 28 2,946 105.21

August 1982 27 3,200 118.51

September 1982 29 2,614 90.14

October 1982 14 1,020 72.85

November 1982 27 3,691 136.70

December 1982 27 3,155 116.85

January 1983 24 2,533 105.54

February 1983 28 3,286 117.35

Month & Year(1)

March 1983

1983

1983*

1983*

April

July

August

September

October

1983

1983

Table 2 " Number of Visitors After Implementation

No. of working Days No. of Visitors Ratio(2) (3) (3)/(2)

30 3,735 124.50

26 3,257 125.26

14 1,699 121.35

11 1,827 165.54

27 4,428 164.00

26 4,464 171.69

* Classes were not fully held during the months of July and August due towater shortage. May-June was summer vacation.

Library centred education

The scheme does not mean mere conduct ofclasses in the library. It is a kind of tutorial insearch of required materials by individuals.The departments assign interested and motivatedmembers of the faculty to organize the libraryclasses in their respective branches of study forall classes both at undergraduate and postgradu-ate levels. The faculty members intimate thetopic they would discuss in the library, a day in

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advance. The library collects and keeps readythe selected material available, such as journalarticles, books, textbooks, reference books, etc.in the library, for reference. During these hours,the students are taught about the usage of re-ference materials and information searchingtechniques and are also asked to cite some ofthe references on the prescribed topics. It isrelevant to point ou t here that the materialcollected by the library staff, for the abovepurpose, fully met the requirements of the topic

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---------------------------------------------------------Table 3: Number of Volumes issued before implementation

Month & No. of No. of No. of RatioYear working days Members Volumes issued

(D) (M) (I) (R)

July 1982 28 524 2,364 0.1611

August 1982 27 524 2,488 0.1758

September 1982 29 524 2,298 0.1512

October 1982 14 524 735 0.1002

November 1982 27 687 3,117 0.1680

December 1982 27 687 3,011 0.1623

January 1983 24 687 2,802 0.1699

February 1983 28 687 3,002 0.1561--------------------.-----------------------------------------

Table 4: Number of volumes issued after implementation

Month & No. of No. of No. of RatioYear working days members volumes issued

(0) (M) (I) (R)March 1983 30 687 4,206 0.2040

April 1983 26- 687 3,601 0.2016

July 1983 14 526 1,510 0.2051

August 1983 11 526 1,902 0.3287

September 1983 27 526 4,591 0.3232

October 1983 26 526 4,494 0.3286

A marked increase in the value of the utility ratio 'R' on implementation ofthis programme is evident from the date given in Table 3 and 4.

under discussion; this was appreciated by the involvement will automatically familiarise themfaculty. Thus, the library has proved that it with the system.can contribute to enhancing the effectivenessof the teaching programme. UTILITY

It is observed that a few students and facultymembers could also be assigned the responsi-bility of aiding the library staff on the previousday in assembling the required material. Student

To measure the effectiveness of this programme,if its utility has been reviewed over a period offive months before ami after its implementation(Tables land 2).

The ratio of the number of visitors to thenumber of working days has been taken to pro-

Some Initial Inferences

Vol 31 Nos 1-2 Mar-June 1984 49


vide a measure of the extent of utilization.Comparison of the data in Tables 1 and 2 gives avivid picture of the increased utilization of thelibrary. The utilization has increased by 50%.This scheme has been actively implementedfrom July 1983.

Increase in the number of visrtors alonecannot be a pointer to the increased utiliza-tion of the library, since the purpose of the visitmay not necessarily be to utilize the libraryresources. Hence, taking the number of volumesissued during this period into account, a newevaluation was worked out. Normally, thenumber of volumes issued depends on thefollowing factors:

(i) Number of members of the library

(ii) Number of working days.

Taking these factors also into consideration, autility ratio has been computed as follows:

IR

MxD

Where RIMD

Utility RatioNo. of volumes issuedNo. of membersNo. of working days.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY

Limitations

The limitations of this study are:

(i) All the members are not utilizing thelibrary.

(ii) The number of volumes consulted in-side the library premises has not beenincluded in this study.

This programme is not without problems.This type of programme may not fit the generaltaste of college students and perhaps somefaculty, since it in trodu ces certain elcrnen tsof compulsion.

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Advantages

Knowing the resources of the library

This counselling technique adopted under theLibrary Centred Education Scheme brings intolight the hidden treasures in the quiet cornersof the library and also exhibits the resourcesand potential of the library to its members. Thelibrary staff actively collect the material byconsulting various sources about the availabilityof which many of the readers may not be aware.

Educating the library staj]

It is a fact that all the staff working in librariesare not in a position to retrieve the informationrequired by the reader. This programme educa-tes the library staff in respect of the techniquesof finding material and information from varioussources.

Stimulating reading habit

The students have not only an opportunity butalso an element of compulsion to scan throughthe material available to them.

Meeting the Career Requirement

Many of the needs of students are best met byworking with them in groups. The student isencouraged to learn by himself for his presentand future needs and to make use of the libraryto his own benefit. Library Centred Educationhelps the student to grow in maturity andself-understanding so as to be able to acquireknowledge in general as also specifically relevantto the career which he contemplates to adopt. Italso helps him to overcome the feeling ofhelplessness when he needs information inhis professional career, since this type of teach-ing equips him with the ability to explore waysof finding information individually. This un-questionably is the need of the day.

CONCLUSION

Effective and efficient library service plays animportant role in the process of education. Theauthorities of the college/institution and the li-brarian can create interest among the readers

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UTILISATION Of' COLLEGE LIBRARY

either by extending to them all the facilitiesneeded or thrdtlgh a subtle method, insteadof keeping the library a sterile vacuum.

A college library operates under two mainclimates:

i) the climate of the library itself, and

ii) the immediate operating environmentof the organization of which the libraryis a subsystem.

These two should be conducive to the successfulworking of the system in respect of the facilitiesrequired by the users Z,S well as the workingconditions needed for the staff. The LibraryCentred Education Scheme implemented byM.LT. is found to be an inexpensive way ofproviding these two climates. Its planning andimplementation do not require the services ofspecialists. What is needed is a group of readers(staff and students) who believe in usefulnessof this programme. The first year, particularlythe first few months, of the student's life inthe college is the time that brings about themaximum change in his attitude. Hence,students should be helped to make intensiveuse of libraries during this period. Inculcationof the habit of self-study is equally important.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors are grateful to Dr.S. Sathikh, Direc-tor, M.LT. for his keen interest in improvingthe library facilities required to implement thenew scheme and for extending support andencouragement in the preparation of this paper;offering valuable advice in improving the manu-script; and permitting the publication of thepaper. They are also thankful to Dr. G. Rama-niah for creating enthusiasum for writing papersand to Thiru Rm. Muthukaruppan of AlliedPublishers Pvt. Ltd. for his valuable suggestions.

REFERENCES

1. Patil P K : Information transfer and interdepen-dence.Tn Librarianship and 'information s~ience in2001, Seminar organised by the British High Com-mission, British Council Library on the occasionof its Silver Jubilee held at Madras during October7-10,1965, p 65.

Vol 31 Nos 1-2 Mar-June 1984

2. Hendrickson W A : Library searching: an industrialuser's view point, Journal of Chemical Education1982,59(12).

3. Addedeji, Ade Labu: Some thoughts on bookcirculation in university libraries. Nigerian libra-ries. 1973, 9(1-2), 18.In Edoka, Bensone: Head-ship of circulation: Professionals or sub-profes-sionals. Annals of Library Science and Docu-mentation 1982,29(1),1-7.

4. Pichuraman Sand Gopalakrlshnan S : Increasing theutilisation of periodicals in college libraries - a casestudy. Annals of Library Science and Documenta-tion 1983,30(1), pp 1-5.

5. Rowenas, W Swanson: Design and evaluation ofinformation system. Annual Review of InformationScience and Technology 1975.

6. Arthur, Young: Research on library user education:a review essay in educating the library user, ed. byJohn Lubans. New York, Bowker, 1974. p 4-5.

7. Katz, William A : Introduction to reference work,Vol. 2 Reference services and reference processes.3rd edition. New York, McGraw-Hill, 1978. P 13.

8. University report on Calcutta colleges made in1910, In Trehan G L : Administration and organisa-tion of" college libraries in India, Delhi. SterlingPublishers 1969.

9. Arthur, Young: Research on library user education:A review essay in educating the library user, ed. byJohn Lubans. New York, Bowker 1974, p 6.

10. Srivastava A P : The reading performance in highereducation, A report of a UGC Project of "Surveyon reading needs and problems in an Indian uni-versity", Department of Library Science, Universityof Rajas than, J aipur, 1966.

11. Report of Education Commission 1964-66. NewDelhi. Ministry of Education.

12. Parker C A ed: Selected reading in student servicesfor Indian universities and colleges. New Delhi,US Educational Foundation in India,1973, p. 5.

13. Indian Express, Madras, 1983, October 24, p 9.

14. Kawatra P S : Teaching the right use of library.Hindu, Madras, 1983, October 25, p 19.

15. Saradha R : User education in -Libraries, Lettersto the Editor, The Hindu, Madras ]983, November4.

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