Download complate issue - Ozean Publications
Download complate issue - Ozean Publications
Download complate issue - Ozean Publications
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major service offered by the library. Settings for group study and individual research would continue to beessential especially in Academic libraries. Librarians and library supporters were enjoined to make the case foreffective use of library spaces and this is what this study is attempting to do.McMaster University Libraries (2004) conducted a research into the use of public space in Mills, Innis andThode libraries. The findings showed that most users in Mills and Innis typically spent 2-5 hours in the librarywhile most users in Thodes spent over 10 hours. Furthermore there was high level of preference forindividualized study in Mills and Innis libraries. The reverse was the case at the Thodes library with preferencefor group study. Among the <strong>issue</strong>s raised by respondents on space and preferences were lack of sitting areas atMills, the need for more comfortable chairs at Innis and a desire for more group work facility /replacement ofworn–out chairs in carrels in Thode library.The Library of Congress (2008) moved its European Reading Room to a new home described as “A SunnySpace” all in the quest to improve its services to the users of the collection and provide a more conduciveenvironment to its patrons. A prior study into reader usage enabled the Library determine which reference booksto house on the shelves in the new reading room. While this study tried to establish the current patron usage ofHezekiah Oluwasanmi Library reading rooms, future research into the causal factors and re-positioning of thereadings room for more effective usage would be necessary.METHODOLOGYIn this study, multiple choice questionnaires were used for capturing relevant information from the respondents.400 questionnaires were distributed, out of which 325 were returned. After careful selection, based on thecompleteness of responses, 321 questionnaires were found useful for the analysis; which was 80.25% successrate of total questionnaire distributed. Additionally, this number also accounted for 12.84% of sitting capacityavailable in the Library. The target was to capture responses from Undergraduate and Postgraduate students ofall disciplines. Academic staff and other users were excluded in this study.A typical study/reading table contains two rows of seats and for the purpose of this study; questionnaire wasadministered to the first person on each row of a table in each reading room at the same period of time. Allrooms with reading/studying spaces were covered.Biographical InformationDATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONOut of the 321 questionnaires analyzed, 192 (59.8%) respondents were male while 129 (40.2%) were female.This percentage distribution of male to female respondents when compared with the overall goal of genderbalance in admission requirement showed that there was no gender bias in patron usage of library facilities.Another biographical factor considered was the age range of respondents. The age range showed that most ofthe respondents (56.4%) were within 20 -24 years age bracket. Others were 25-29 years (29.9%), 15-19 years(8.4%) and 30 years and above (5.3%). This is also in line with new age trends among universityundergraduates.Classification of respondents by their level of study was shown in Table 1. The highest no of respondents werein their third year of study in a four or five year degree program. It showed that most of the respondents werewell acquainted with the library configuration and facilities.151