Awareness and extent of participation of library committee members in the performance of their roles and functions

Abstract

A descriptive documentary analysis and survey research design was use to know the awareness and extent of participation of library committee members in the performance of their role and functions in private academic libraries in Iloilo. Data was collected using a questionnaire. The statistical use was the means, frequency, percentage, Pearson r and ANOVA test of differences. Hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. The findings showed that majority of library committee members came from the College of Education (57.7 percent), Faculty members dominate (67.3 percent) the composition of the library committee. Library committee members mostly served for three years (48.1 percent). None of the library committee members asked several for only a year. They had served as library committee members for an average of 3.17 years. Most of the appointment of a library committee member was through the President /Administrator (82.7 percent). None of them was appointed either by the recommendation of librarian or selected through an election. Almost all of the respondents were aware of their role and functions as liaison officer. Only few were not aware especially on helping librarians select materials for evaluation and acquisition by visiting bookstores and book fairs. Not all members of the library committee were aware of their roles and functions as forerunner on library promotion and marketing of library services. College of Education and Business and Accountancy major represents the distribution of library committee members according to their department/ college affiliation. Library committee members, regardless of their college/ department affiliation were not all aware of their role in helping in the selection and evaluation of library collections. Librarians were all aware of their roles/functions as a liaison officer. The only least known roles/function among the respondents is on helping librarian selects library materials for evaluation and acquisition by visiting bookstores and book fairs. Library committee members, regardless of their classification, were all aware of their role/functions as forerunner on library promotion and marketing of services, specifically in assisting in the dissemination of library services, programs/activities. On Library committee members’ extent of participation as a Liaison Officer, more than half of the respondents often helped the librarians select library materials for evaluation and acquisition by visiting bookstores and book fairs. As an advisory body, respondents always help in planning the best possible services the library can offer to its Stakeholders. All respondents participated as forerunner on library promotion and marketing of services with the same percentages of their extent of participation. College of Education respondents had a very high awareness as liaison officers while College of Business and Accountancy had a “very high awareness” as forerunners on library promotion and marketing of library services. More than half from the College of Education sometimes participated as liaison officers. As an advisory body, more than half of the respondents always participated. All respondents from Business and Accountancy always participated as forerunners on library promotion and marketing of services. Library committee members were found to be either always or sometimes participated as forerunner on library promotion and marketing of services when classified by their department/college affiliation. Department chairs always participated as liaison officers. Surprisingly, librarian’s extent of participation was divided into always and sometimes. In general, more than half of the respondents rated their participation “sometimes” as liaison officer. As an advisory body, students always participated, in contrast to 27 percent of librarians who often participated. More than half of the respondents always participated and only 46 percent often participated as an advisory body. Role/function as a forerunner on library promotion and marketing services were always participated in by Department Chair and often participated in by students. College of Education had the highest mean score on awareness which means that more than any other colleges, College of Education respondents were found to be aware of their roles/functions as a library committee member. There was no significant difference in the awareness and extent of participation in the performance of their roles and functions in library when respondents vary according to their college/department affiliation. Respondents from College of Education having the biggest number of committee members were expected to have a bigger number of awareness and extent of participation. The biggest number of committee members was expected to have bigger number of awareness and extent of participation. The highest proportion of the respondents who were aware of their roles/functions as a library committee member was the Department Chair. Though they were few, they outnumbered the total mean score awareness of the rest of the respondents. It is interesting to note that librarians were the group with the most least mean score of their awareness, being the convenor of the library committee. Classification of respondents had no bearing on their awareness of their roles and functions as members of the library committee. Respondents’ extents of participation vary according to their college/departments affiliation. Committee members from Business and Accountancy always participated while Education Committee members often participated. This means that more than all other respondents when classified by department/college affiliation, Business and Accountancy members of the library committee always participated in the performance of their role and functions as a library committee member. There was a significant difference among the extent of participation of the three colleges/departments. Business and Accountancy group having the least number of respondents was found to be most participative group in performing their role and functions as a library committee member. When respondents were grouped by their classification, it was found out that the highest mean score for extent of participation was that from the students. Result showed that extent of participation of library committee members varied when they were grouped according to their classification. This also indicates that the lesser the number of members as a library committee a department/college has, the higher extent of participation was noted. The findings revealed that those who sometimes participated were those 10 percent very highly aware library committee members, while those who often participated were 33 percent very highly aware and 27 percent highly aware. Library committee members who always participated were (17 percent). The computed Pearson r coefficient 0.425 revealed a negligible correlation between the two variables which means that awareness did not influence the extent of participation of library members. Gamma coefficient value was 0.717 implied that awareness had no effect on library committee members’ extent of participation on their roles and functions in library services. The null hypothesis on the relationship between awareness and extent of participation in the performance of their role and functions was accepted. The research recommends the Library committee membership should be well represented by each colleges/ departments of a university/college to ensure that each of them will be properly informed of the current trends in the library services as well as help them in the dissemination of information to the students and other clients of the university/college. The library committee members should be more active in performing the role/ functions as forerunners on library promotion and marketing of library services, since these can help the students and other library clientele to maximize their utilization of library resources and services. Library committee members should be more aware and active in helping the librarian select library materials for evaluation and acquisition by visiting bookstores and book fairs, since they are the subject expert of their respective fields. Library committee members should help the librarian in formulating policies and programs for library services. Library programs and services depends on the needs and demands of the library users, and to meet current trends in library services. Library committee members should not only be aware in assisting in the dissemination if library services, programs/activities but should also give emphasis in informing the students, faculty, staff and administration of the current trends and services in the library. They should also help in promoting services and resources in the library. Regardless of the classification they belong, there should be a high participation of a library member. In the study of S.O Popoola (2008) specifically on faculty awareness of available library information products and services, he revealed that the level of knowledge of the faculty had positive relationship with the frequency of use, consultation with the librarians, faculty status and membership of library related committees. Therefore, regardless of their classification, whether faculty, students or dean/director they should actively participate as a library committee member. Awareness alone is not a factor for library committee members to participate in the performance of their role/functions, thus further study should be done to know these factors that might affect the extent of participation of library committee members in various private universities and colleges in Iloilo City.