Tomas Del Rosario College Library: An Evaluation with Implication on the Improvement of Information Resources and of Library Services

Tomas Del Rosario College Library: An Evaluation with Implication on the Improvement of Information Resources and of Library Services

Researcher: FATIMA R. MONTANEZ

Course: Master in Library and Information Science

School: University of the Philippines, Quezon City

Subject Area: Library Resources, Library Services

Year of Graduation: 2005

Introduction

For the college library to carry out its function effectively, it has to have well-selected information resources, have adequate funding and efficient supervision and administration by a qualified librarian.

Statement of the Problem

The research study is intended to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the Tomas del Rosario College Library’s collection and services guided by the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities – Commission on Accreditation (PACU-COA) standards. The focus of this appraisal is to find out whether the library’s collection is adequate enough o support the needs of its users and to know if its users and to know if its services are efficient and effective.

Methodology

The study makes use of the descriptive and evaluative research designs. The population of the study consists of 1,240 individuals, 1,175 enrolled college students and 65 college faculty members. Using stratified sampling method, the sample size became 235 for the college students and 65 for the faculty members.

Findings

Results of the study revealed that the majority of the students (60) and faculty members (56.92) were satisfied with the information services in the library. The Tomas del Rosario College Library was administered and supervised by a licensed and full-time librarian. The library has a strong “Collection Development Policy” that aids the head librarian and library staff in the acquisition and selection of the different library materials. The collection consists of relevant books, serials, pamphlets, documents, non-book and Filipiniana materials. Library materials at Tomas del Rosario College Library were catalogued and classified according to the Dewey Decimal Classification System. The library is furnished with functional and well designed standard furniture and equipment. The library was adequately lighted, properly ventilated and acoustically suited for quiet reading. The findings of this study attest to the fact that support given by the top-level management exerts a great effect on the ability of the library to meet the information need of their faculty and students. On the other hand, the library has been able to meet their clientele’s needs satisfactorily and complied with several PACU-COA standards (except for the control and security measures). Aside from the library is managed by a qualified librarian, having her would ensure the satisfaction of the information needs of the users through easy access of quality information (Ronquillo, 2003).

Recommendations

1. Assessment of perceptions of library users must be done more often and regular monitoring of facilities and resources must be done to determine success or failure of library services.
2. Tomas del Rosario College Library must be provided with adequate and continuing budgetary support as a separate item from the budget allotted for the different expenditures in the institution it belongs.
3. The findings of this study will be utilized in the formulation of a resource-sharing scheme among colleges and universities in Bataan.

Institutional Self-Assessment of the Nueva Vizcaya State Polytechnic College Library Based on AACCUP Standards

Researcher: NORALYN MANZANO-NATURA

Course: Master of Arts in Education major in Library Science

School: Saint Mary's University, Philippines

Subject Area: Academic Libraries - Nueva Vizcaya

Year of Graduation: 2001

Rationale

An effective and efficient library should meet the needs of the users especially the faculty and students in order to enhance teaching and learning situation and achieve the institution's goal which is quality and excellent education.

Statement of the Problem

The study was conducted to into and assess the status of the Nueva Vizcaya State Polytechnic College (NVSPC) library based on the new accreditation instruments of the AACCUP. It further looked into the extent of problems encountered regarding the different content areas of the NVSPC library. The study was limited to the undergraduate level of the said college.

Methodology

The study employed the descriptive survey method of research as it intended to draw the status of the Nueva Vizcaya State Polytechnic College library. It further employed descriptive-comparative analysis to test the difference in the status evaluation ratings of the library across the different content areas and the differences in the ratings per content area of the three groups of raters. The qualitative type of research was also used in the study.

Thirty (30) administrators and staff, forty (40) faculty members and one hundred and fifty (150) students were the respondents of the study. Random sampling was used for three groups of raters.

Mean scores, standard deviations and percentages were used to describe the status of the Nueva Vizcaya State Polytechnic College library as regards the different content areas of the library. A modified 6-point scale was also utilized to derive the descriptive equivalents of the ratings of the different content areas in the analysis and evaluation of the status of the NVSPC library, while for the extent problems encountered by the three respondents a modified 4-point scale was used. To test the hypotheses, ANOVA was used. Rejection or acceptance of the hypothesis was done at the 0.05 level of significance.

Findings
1. Status of the NVSPC Library Based on the New Instruments of AACCUP Standards.

The NVSPC Library generally complied with the standards of the AACCUP. Five (5) of the seven(7) content areas were rated “very good”, indicating that the provision is moderately extensive and functioning very well. These areas, in order, are: Personnel, Administration, Services and Utilization, Physical Set-Up and Facilities, Collections/Holdings. Financial Support and Linkages were rated “good”. The three groups of raters had the same assessment with regards to financial support and linkages of the library, which they rated as “good”, meaning the conditions are adequate and functioning well. The data on “collection/holdings” showed that there is a need for additional reference materials, magazines and newspapers, multimedia equipment and computers, even if this area was perceived as “very good”.

2. Difference in the Status Evaluation Ratings of the Library Across the Different Content Area. There are significant differences in the status evaluation ratings of the library across the seven (7) content areas evaluated. This is supported by the F-ratio of 23.77 which is significant event at 0.01 level. Based on the mean per content area, the area that had the highest overall rating was “Personnel” while the lowest was Linkages.

3. Differences in the Ratings per Content Area of the Three Groups of Raters of the NVSPC Library.The three respondents groups do not significantly vary in their evaluation. These are supported by the following F-Ratios: 0.64 for Administration, 1.704 for Personnel, 1.473 for Collections/Holdings, .500 for Services and Utilization of the library, .424 for Physical Set-Up and Facilities, .779 for Financial Support and .545 for Linkages.

4. Extent of Problems Encountered by Administrators and Staff, Faculty Members and Students on the Different Content Areas of NVSPC Library. In general, the problems encountered by the administrators and staff, faculty members and students were considered “little” in extent. However, based from what they have enumerated in their comments and suggestions, their main problems were “insufficient library collections, especially on journals, unavailability of some equipment like computer, and a need for additional support staff in the library.”

Conclusion

1. In general, the NVSPC library comes up with the prescribed standards of the AACCUP Accrediting Team, but the need for computers and additional books, magazines and multimedia materials is very important for the teaching-learning process.

2. The NVSPC does not allot specific and adequate budget for the library alone to provide needed learning resources in the library.

3. On area of collections/holdings, there is a need to increase the collection of Engineering books.

4. The librarians were qualified and licensed but they were not granted academic status equal to that of the faculty.

5.The physical set-up of the library is generally very good; it is spacious, well-ventilated, well-lighted, and clean. There is a separate library for the Graduate School.

6.The Linkages of the library are not efficiently carried out.

7. The three groups of respondents have similar evaluations with regards to the different content areas of the NVSPC Library.

8. The dominant problems encountered by the administrators and staff, faculty members and students were: insufficient library collections especially on journals/magazines in line with the curriculum, unavailability of some equipment like computers and multimedia, and a need for additional support staff in the library.

Recommendations
1. The administrators and librarians of the NVSPC should consider seriously the library standards of the AACCUP in their efforts to improve further the library.

2. The administration should allot a definite and adequate budget for the acquisition of library materials and resources to improve library services.

3. There should be a continuing evaluation of the library by administrators, librarians, faculty and the students.

4. Collections should be improved.

5. Linkages with other libraries in the Region should be established.

6. Computers, Internet access should be installed in the College Library.

7. The collection of magazines and journals should be improved and updated.

8. Furniture and equipment in the library like tables and shelves should be standardized.

9. Non-book resources like multimedia, CD-ROMs and others should be added.

10. Additional support staff be provided.

11. A follow up study can be cinducted.

Assessment of Eulogio R. Dizon College of Nueva Ecija Library

Researcher: FELINO D. CATABONA, JR.

Course: Master of Arts in Library Science

School: Centro Escolar University, Philippines

Subject Area: Library Assessment

Year of Graduation: 1998

An Assessment of the Sariaya Institute Library: Basis for a Library Development Plan

Researcher: AUREA G. ORIACEL

Course: Master of Arts in Library Science

School: Centro Escolar University, Philippines

Subject Area: Academic Libraries - Development Plan

Year of Graduation: 1996

Research Problem

The study tried to determine how well and adequate were the collection, the staff, the services and facilities of the library in carrying out its purpose in support of the needs of its users.

Procedure

The research personally distributed copies of the questionnaires to the student-respondents in each year level during their respective library hours. Retrieval rate of the accomplished questionnaires was 100 percent.

Treatment of Data

The answers to the questionnaires were tallied and tabulated and computations were presented through the use of tables of frequencies and percentages. The mean was also used to enable the researcher to compare the respondents' perceptions and opinions on the status of the collection, services, use and the facilities of the library.

Findings and Conclusions

1. The Sariaya Institute Library, although it had begun developing its collection, was generally inadequate with regard to the required minimum library standards for secondary schools. The staff and the general references, however, were found adequate.

2. The physical facilities are not adequate to accommodate the required number of students.

3. Maximum limit of two books on loan is not sufficient to meet the information needs of the users.

4. The Sariaya Institute Library Development Plan which was designed to guide the library's operation into more functional and useful high school library must be implemented. It aims update and developed its collection, staff, services, facilities and use to meet the needs of its clientele and enhance its capability ti support the curriculum of the school. It is imperative that the plan be adequately sourced and made operational.

Information Needs, Data Retrieval Practices and Problems of College Students as Information Users of St. Louis College of Tuguegarao...

Researcher: RIZALINA R. PEDROSO

Course: Master of Arts in Education major in Library Science

School: Saint Mary's College of Bayombong, Philippines

Subject Area: Information Needs, Academic Libraries - Cagayan

Year of Graduation: May 1993

Introduction

Information has no value until it is used, therefore a librarian should create an awareness of information, its value sources, accessibility and acquisition. In general, the kind of information sources sought and used tend to be those easy of access and known personally to the user, regardless of the quality of the information. The working habits of the individual needing information, the importance placed on getting it, the facilities available for seeking it, their knowledge about the value, the estimate of the probability of getting what is wanted - all of these factors may affect information seeking-behavior (Atherton, 1977).

The Problem

The study attempted to describe the information needs, data retrieval practices and problems of college students as information users of Saint Louis College Tuguegarao (SLCT) during the first semester of the school year 1992-1993. Four hundred thirty five (435) randomly chosen college students comprised the respondents: a) College of Arts and Sciences/ Education = 88 b). Commerce-Secretarial/ Computer Science = 245 c). College of Technology = 102

Methodology

The study employed the descriptive type of research using 3 structured questionnaires. To test the hypothesis, Coefficient of Concordance and ANOVA were used. To describe the respondents and other variables, however, means, standard deviations, frequency counts, and ranks were used. A 5-point Likert-type scale was also used to derive the descriptive equivalents of the areas in the analysis and equivalent of data gathered.

Findings and Conclusions

1.Generally, the library staff members of the SLCT are bachelor's degree holders and majority are professionally trained.

2. SLTC library has a adequate and updated collection of books and other materials that support the academic needs of its information users.

3. The greatest percentage of library for the first semester come from the CAS/ED department while the least percentage can be found in CT department.

4. Generally, library services offered by SLCT library are still the traditional services.

5. The library users of SLCT have the same information needs in terms of types of materials, organizations, special collections and subjects/ topics.

6. Generally, the library users of SLCT library employ different practices and methods on data retrieval. Specifically, they employ different methods of retrieving library date on: a) degree of independence in the use of the library, b) degree of systematic of retrieval tools, c) degree of awareness of current information, d) degree of exhaustiveness in searching/use of library materials e0 degree of orderliness on data retrieval.

7. In general, the three groups of information users have different problems encountered on data retrieval.

8. Generally, the three groups of information users have the same level of: a) degree of independence in the use of the library, b) degree of systematic of retrieval tools, c) degree of awareness of current information, d) degree of exhaustiveness in searching/use of library materials e0 degree of orderliness on data retrieval.

Recommendations
A. School Administrators. a) That they should study the possibilities of making school policies which requires librarians to formulate library objectives and policies for better library services in line with data retrieval, b) That the should into possibility of incorporating library science in any English subject among the three departments, c) Likewise, they should help the librarians disseminate those formulated school policies to the faculty, personnel and students.

B. Library Staff. a) That they should start introducing or improving new services with regards to data retrieval so that the library will really benefit the users, b) That they should look into possibilities of conducting an intensive library instruction so that the use of library and its resources will be comprehensively discussed. c) The library should now go on computerization to further improve its services on data retrieval.

C. Information Users. That they should be encourage to open to the maximum the lines of communication with the library staff so that group can work cooperatively for the improvement of the library and its services.

D. Researchers. That they should continue searching and discover data about information needs, practices and problems of information users.

Moreover, the study should serve as a springboard for research who who may wish to study further the needs, practices and problems on data retrieval of information users in other academic setting.

It is further recommended that college students and faculty members through the Office of the Dean of Students Affairs should continuously evaluate the library and its services, give suggestions for the development and improvement of the library.

An Assessment of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Collegiate Library System

Researcher: MONA LISA P. LEGUIAB

Course: Master of Arts in Education major in Library Science

School: University of the East, Philippines

Subject Area: Academic Libraries-Evaluation

Year of Graduation: 1984

An Evaluative Study of the Resources, Facilities and Services of the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos Libraries, with a Plan of Development f

Researcher: ARABELLA MAGBUTAY ANANORIA

Course: Master of Science in Library Science

School: University of San Carlos

Subject Area: Library Assessment

Year of Graduation: 1981

A Historical and Evaluative Study of the Divinity School Library of Silliman University from 1921 to 1974

Researcher: BUCALEN C. SABOY

Course: Master of Science in Library Science

School: University of San Carlos

Subject Area: Divinity School Library

Year of Graduation: 1976