Awareness, access, utilization and perception of quality library services among students and faculty of accredited state universities and colleges in Iloilo Province

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the awareness, access, utilization and perception of quality library services among students and faculty of accredited State Colleges and Universities in Iloilo Province. Conducted during school year 2010-2011, the respondents were 211 fourth year BSED and BEED bonafide students and 44 fulltime faculty members of the four main campuses of accredited level III SUCs in the province of Iloilo. Stratified multi-stage sampling was used. This descriptive-relational study employed the survey design using a self-administered questionnaire to collect the data and used SPSS software in all statistical computation. Frequency count, Percentages, mean, and Gamma were used to analyze the data.

Findings revealed that of the four categories of library services, reader’s services category had the highest percentage. Of the two groups of respondents faculty members were more aware of the services compare to students. Although there was a trend of higher level of awareness in general, there was a significant level of unaware usually on vertical files, current awareness, online and electronic resources and inter-library loan services. When respondents were combined as to students and faculty more than half of the faculty assessed library services ranging from not easily to easily accessible. Regarding the utilization of library resources and services, students utilized them on the average 1 to 4 times a week and 1 to 3 times a month, respectively. It was also observed that awareness of services could be high, it did not follow that utilization could also be high. Students and faculty perceived quality of library services range from satisfactory to excellent but there are 20 percent of them perceived online and electronic services including inter-library loan services as poor. The study further revealed that relationship exist between awareness and access to library services, awareness and utilization, access and utilization, access and perception of quality, utilization and perception of quality and awareness and perception of quality. All major variables show very high correlation.

Finally, as a result of study, it is recommended that respondents should be regularly oriented regarding the services existing in the library. Although the students perceived the extent of services as high, there is a need to improve this especially along the online and electronic services, audio-visual and other services. Information dissemination on the services should be undertaken, thereby resulting into a high level of awareness and more so, an excellent level of perception on the extent of services provided by the library. To improve its accessibility, the library should draw on opportunities to publish newsletters, brochures, pamphlets and journals. Themes on the role of the library; how to exploit its resources; and briefs on the developments for the improvement of its services may be featured.