5.6. What resources and facilities are available to facilitate marketing quality resources
5.6.1. What types of information resources are available in your library?
This question was purposely asked to understand the information resources available in the libraries under study. The availability of information resources (products) is necessary in the marketing process based on the 7ps marketing theory. By identifying available resources, one can determine their strengths in meeting user needs and the effectiveness of the library’s marketing activities. Since marketing is all about promoting the availability of library resources or products, the library must make its products available and accessible to users. The answers to the question would also help to determine whether the resources provided are based on the information needs of users.
Along with students, the heads of medical libraries were also asked similar questions regarding the resources available, the process of acquisition. The acquisition policy and associated challenges. The results and answers to Question5.6 in Table 5.6.6 were drawn from the medical students of the four medical libraries included in the study. The responses from the four heads of medical libraries were garnered to support or refute the results collected from the medical students.
The assessment of the information resources and services in the medical libraries was undertaken in terms of investigating the types, level of availability, awareness, accessibility/utilization and satisfaction along with the available facilities used for marketing the information resources and services. Students were presented with a list of information source types, so that they could choose as many familiar as possible. An ‘other’ option was also provided. The approximated percentages are presented in Table 5.6.1 below.
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Table 5.6.1: Opinion of the students on availability of information resources in the medical libraries (n=277)
SN Types of resources do you know of that are available in your library
Yes No
Freq. % Freq. %
1 Books 252 91 25 9
2 Journals 194 70 83 30
3 Newspapers and magazines 180 65 97 35
4 Reference resources (example encyclopaedias and dictionaries)
168 61 109 39
5 Internet 106 38 171 62
6 Audio visual resources 39 14 238 86
7 Posters 71 26 206 74
8 Databases 62 22 215 78
9 Theses and dissertations 71 26 206 74
10 Others 17 6 260 94
Table 5.6.1 shows that books are the most available information resources in the libraries, as indicated by most of the students: 252(91%).This was followed by journals (194 or 70%) students, newspapers and magazines (180 or 65%) and reference resources (example, encyclopaedias and dictionaries) by 168(61%). Other information resources such as audio- visual posters, databases, theses and dissertations were unknown to most students, as less than 40% agreed on their availability in the libraries. Their responses were consistent with the views of all the heads of the medical libraries interviewed from the four universities involved in the study. Their responses indicated that libraries had different forms of information resources, namely books, journals and some other printed resources. In the words of Participant A of the heads of the medical libraries interviewed, in response to the question on the available information resources, he is of the view that “the major ones are the books and the journals and journal articles, a publication by the staff from all faculties”.
The finding above was supported by the observation by the researcher in the current study, who found that the medical libraries had books that covered most of the subject areas taught by the universities. Even though the books were inadequate, given the number of students enrolled in the various programmes, the researcher established that the libraries had quantified their materials as at first quarter of 2018, as presented in Table 5.6.1.1 below.
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Table: 5. 6.1.1. Available books, theses and journal publications in medical libraries.
S/N Available books in the libraries:
i. … (Library: A) 8,057, 4,307, 3016 volumes of books, theses and journal publications respectively;
ii. … (Library B) 43, 723 volumes of books, journals and related documents;
iii. … (Library C) 18076 volumes of books, journals and other related documents and;
iv. … (Library D) 647, volumes of books and 77 journal titles.
The perception during the interview from these four respondents was that their libraries lacked sufficient information resources. This lack of adequate information resources was associated with a peculiar Nigerian situation, which Participant D noted that “Given the situation in Nigeria especially with the economic recession, you cannot always have sufficient resources to market. There are a lot of things that you want to market, but you don’t have them”. [This implies that Nigeria’s economic situation impacted negatively on the acquisition of adequate information resources in medical libraries].
The problem is not just the issue of marketing of quality information resources and services of the libraries but their inadequacy. Inadequacy, as observed by the researcher, was accompanied by insufficient financing. To a certain degree, there was a lack of involvement by some heads of medical libraries in the library acquisition process as well. The researcher’s efforts to obtain the documents that contained an acquisition policy from some of the libraries were unsuccessful. What is more, some of the available library guides do not discuss the acquisition policy of either the main library or branch libraries in detail. This explains why, when responding as to whether the medical library had an acquisition policy, one of the participants pointed out that there was an acquisition policy in the library, but she was not part of the process of what resources got purchased. Requests for the library resources are usually sent to the university Librarian’s office. Participant B stated that,
There is an acquisition policy but unfortunately being the college librarian I am not responsible for that acquisition policy. I don’t know anything about the acquisition. My duty is to send the list of information resources from the departments … to the university librarian. The librarian will then forward it to technical department who are responsible for the entire acquisition policy and process,
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purchasing and processing of books. Finally they forward the processed books to the college library. [This shows that library resources are processed and acquired from the central acquisition department. Thus, medical libraries just forward their requests to the acquisitions department].
Two of the participants interviewed concurred with the view that the acquisition policy requirement can only be complied with when there were funds available in the library.
Participant A when asked about the acquisition policy noted that:
You see mostly these things are acquired subject to the availability of financial resources. Even so, if you say as a policy you should buy ten (10) copies of a particular book or you should always have three (3) copies of the particular journal publications. Sometimes you will be financially constraint that you cannot do that. But as much as possible whatever we acquire will be in multiple copies minimum of two (2)…
[This confirms that implementation of the acquisition policy is determined by the funds available. Once there are enough funds, the medical library would acquire adequate resources as per the provision of the policy].
This was corroborated by the researcher’s observations. A comprehensive library guide with the acquisition policy of the library was found in one of the medical libraries. The policy stipulates that a minimum of two copies should be purchased in terms of books and journals, while one copy of the audio-visual and e-resources should be purchased. It is worthy of note that all libraries have an acquisition policy, but not all heads of medical libraries aware of it.
This is because most policies operate from the central library, as the findings of this research indicate.