The Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Securing Books in Irish Academic Libraries.

This study examined how effective the ICT gadgets are used in securing books in academic libraries and what technological approach the libraries will adopt in the future to ensure books are secured from mutilation and theft. The study was also to understand why students steal or mutilate books. A semi-structured interview was the qualitative research design used to collect data from six librarians. It was discovered that the libraries had adopted the use of ICT  security gadgets like Radio-Frequency Identification  (RFID) technology, surveillance cameras, self-service machine, magnetic strips. The combined use of these gadgets led to the drastic reduction of book theft, leaving the libraries with mutilation issues (the unwelcome by-product of an effective security system). There is no effective technology in the selected libraries to tackle the issue of book mutilation, which was discovered as the major threat to books in the libraries.

Contents 

Declaration

Acknowledgements 

Abstract 

Chapter 1: Introduction 

1. Background

1.2 Research Aims 

1.3 Scope and Contribution 

1.4 Research Question 

1.5 Background of Selected Academic libraries Under Study 

1.5.1 Dublin Business School Library (DBS) 

1.5.2 Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) 

1.5.3 Trinity College Library (TCD) 

1.5.4  University College Dublin (UCD) 

1.5.5 Dublin City University (DCU) 

1.6 Operational Terms and Abbreviation 

1.7 Dissertation Structure

1.8 Literature Review 

1.8.1 Literature Introduction 

1.8.2 Academic Libraries 

1.8.3 ICT and Academic Library 

1.8.3.1 Use of ICT Gadgets to Protect books from Book Theft and Mutilation 

1.8.4 Library Security 

1.8.4.1 Book Theft and Mutilation 

1.8.5 Conclusion 

Chapter 2: Methodology 

2.1  Methodology Introduction 

2.2  Research Design 

2.2.1  Research Philosophy 

2.2.2  Research Approach 

2.2.3  Research Strategy 

2.2.4  Time Horizon 

2.3  Sampling- Selecting Respondents 

2.4  Data Collection 

2.5  Data Analysis 

2.6  Research Ethics

2.7  Limitation of Methodology 

Chapter 3: Results

3.1 Introduction 

3.2 Book security 

3.3  Reason behind book theft and mutilation 

3.4 Technology to ensure loaned books are returned correctly 

3.5 ICT gadgets used in the libraries 

3.5 Effectiveness of the gadgets

3.7 Suggestion for Improvement of ICT Gadget used 

3.8 Summary 

Chapter 4: Discussion 

4.1 Introduction 

4.2 Book security 

4.3  Theft and mutilation 

4.4 Technology for detecting mutilated books 

4.5 ICT gadgets 

4.6 Effectiveness of the gadgets 

4.7 Improvement of ICT Gadget 

4.8 Conclusion and Suggestions for Further Research 

Chapter 5: Reflection on Learning Experience 

5.1 Introduction 

5.2 Dissertation Choice 

5.3 Literature Review 

5.4 Research Design 

5.5 Data Collection Analysis 

5.6 Learning Style 

References 

Appendix 

1. Interview Questions 

2. Information and Consent sheet 

Consent Sheet 

3. Ethics Approval form