DESIGNING VIRTUAL REFERENCE SERVICE SYSTEM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATIION.. ii

APPROVAL.. iii

DEDICATION.. iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.. v

LISTS OF ACRONYMS. vi

LIST OF TABLES. xi

LIST OF FIGURES. xii

ABSTRACT.. xiii

 

CHAPTER ONE:1

INTRODUCTION.. 1

1.0 Introduction. 1

1.1 Background of the project.1

1.2 Back ground of UIAHMS. 2

1.2.1 Mission of UIAHMS. 3

1.2.2 Vision of UIAHMS. 3

1.2.3 Goal3

1.2.4 Core values of the institution. 3

1.2.5 The UIHMS library. 3

1.2.6 Collection of the library. 4

1.2.7 The library users at UIAHMS. 4

1.2.8 Services offer by the library. 4

1.2.9 The existing reference service of the library. 4

1.3 Statement of the Problem.. 5

1.4 Aim of the project.5

1.5 Objectives of the project5

1.6 Research questions. 5

1.7 Scope of the project6

1.8 Significance of the project6

1.9   Operational terms. 7

CHAPTER TWO.. 8

LITERATURE REVIEW... 8

2.0 Introduction. 8

2.1 Reference services. 8

2.2 Examining of the physical/face-to-face reference service. 10

2.3 Challenges facing physical reference service system.. 11

2.4 Virtual Reference Service Systems. 11

2.4.1 The significancies of virtual reference system to library. 12

 

CHAPTER THREE.. 14

MATHODOLOGY.. 14

3.0 Introduction. 14

3.1 Project design. 14

3.2 Area of the study/ scope. 14

3.3 Study population. 14

3.4 Sampling and sampling strategies/ methods. 15

3.4.1sample size. 15

3.5 Data collection method. 15

3.5.1 Questionnaire. 15

3.5.2 Interviews. 16

3.6 Research instruments. 16

3.6.1 Interview guide. 16

3.6.2 Questionnaire guide. 16

3.7 data quality control method. 16

3.8 Study procedures. 17

3.9 Ethical consideration. 17

3.10 Data analysis and presentation. 17

3.11 Anticipated limitations. 17

 

CHAPTER FOUR.. 18

DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION.. 18

4.1 INTRODUCTION.. 18

4.2 Description of the respondents. 18

4.2.2 Gender of the respondent19

4.2.3 Library user’s attendance. 19

4.3 Reference service provisions. 20

4.3 Rating the performance of the reference service system at UIAHMS library. 21

4.4 Challenges facing physical reference service at UIAHMSlibrary. 21

4.5 Designing a virtual reference service system for UIAHMS library. 23

 

CHAPTER FIVE.. 24

A PROPOSED VIRTUAL REFERENCE SERVICE SYSTEM FOR UIAHMS. 24

5.0 The Proposed System Requirements. 24

5.1 Functional Requirements/ User Needs Requirements. 24

5.2 Software Selection for the Proposed Virtual Reference Service System.. 25

5.2.2 Chat/instant messaging reference using simple technologies. 25

5.2.1 E-mail26

5.3 System Design. 26

5.3.1 The home page/ system interface. 27

5.3.2 Log in page. 28

5.3.3 Inquiries/ask the librarian. 29

5.3.4 Leave a reply. 29

5.4 Administration page. 30

 

CHAPTER SIX:31

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS. 31

6.0 Introduction.31

6.1 Summary of Findings.31

6.1.1 Types of reference services offered at UIAHMS library.31

6.1.2 Examining the physical reference service at UIAHMS library. 31

6.1.3 Challenges facing the physical reference service at UIAHMS library. 32

6.1.4. Designing a virtual reference service for UIAHMS library. 32

6.2. Conclusions. 32

6.3. Recommendations. 32

6.3.1 Training and recruiting of more skilled librarians.32

6.3.2. Purchasing more equipment33

6.3.3. Improving of infrastructures of the library.33

6.3.4 Setting up rules and regulations.33

6.3.5 Increase the budget.33

6.4 Areas of further study. 33

 

REFERENCES. 34

APPENDICES. 37

Appendix A: Questionnaire for the Library Users. 37

Appendix b: Interview Guide for the UIAHMS librarians.39

Appendix C:  Budget40

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: The Figure Shows the Response Rate.18

Table 2:  Showing the Gender Composition of the Respondents. 19

Table 3: Library Users’ Attendance. 19

Table 4:  Rating the performance of reference service system at UIAHMS library. 21

Table 5:  Library users’/ librarians’ opinions on designing a virtual reference service system.. 23

 

 

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1:  The virtual reference service system home page/interface. 27

Figure 2:  The virtual reference service log in page/home page. 28

Figure 3:  Inquire/Ask the Librarian Page. 29

Figure 4:  Leave a Reply Page. 29

Figure 5:  Administrator’s page. 30

Figure 6:  Add new item to the collection. 30

ABSTRACT

Reference service is one of the major components of library service, Basing on the fact that automatic digital technologies are solving more and more information needs and changing the mode of user service. Therefore this project attempt to design a virtual reference service system for Uganda Institute of Allied Health and Management Science library (UIAHMS).

The project aimed to achieve these objectives, identifying the reference services offered at UIAHMS library, examining the existing reference service system, challenges face with the existing reference service system. To achieve the objectives research questions were designed for the librarian and the library users to answer. The quantitative and quantitative research designs were adopted to gather and analyze the relevant data. The data collection methods used was interviews and questionnaires

The major findings showed that UIAHMS library offers various reference services such as orientation, inquiries, assistance in finding answers to specific information, referral assistance among others.  The existing reference services also faces many challenges such as time wasting, inadequate reference materials, congestions and failure by some library users to express them overcrowding. More findings showed that the highest percentages of the library users are not content with the existing reference service system and they agreed that the library should adapt to virtual reference service system, however few of them still needed the physical reference service system.

The study recommends therefore that in order for the library to adopt to virtual reference service system, they should trained and recruit more library staff to operate and manage the system, increase on the library budget and  improve on the infrastructures to ensure effective operation of the system.