AEIJST - January 2017 - Vol 5 - Issue 01 ISSN - 2348 - 6732

Students Opinion towards Use Pattern, Visiting Purpose and Some Barriers for Users in
First Grade College Libraries of Chitradurga District: A Survey
*Mr. Papanna S
**Dr. Raviivenkat B

*Librarian, HPPC. Government First Grade College, Challakere, Chitradurga Dist. Karnataka,
India.
**Deputy Librarian , Tumkur University Library, Tumkur University, Tumkur.

Abstract:
Today use of information resources in under graduation is very common concept. But their
proper and maximum use is a matter for discussion. The present paper examines the
existence of various information resources and opinions of student users like the information
regarding the purpose for which the frequency of visits by students, type of library materials
used by students, opinion about accessibility of reading materials and hindered, students
opinion about getting the library materials, catalogue cards for finding books and helpfulness
of the classification and to make suggestions for improving the services in first grade college
libraries of Chitradurga district.
Key Word: Chitradurga Colleges, Library Visitors, Student Users, Information Resources
Introduction
Education comprises two essential elements, namely-Teacher and Books; any good library is
a valuable support to education. At the same time, a sound educational system is dependent
on good libraries. Every educational work without libraries becomes meaningless and also
every educational institution takes its prestige from the richness of its libraries 1. The first
grade college libraries consist of different types of resources with non-print media, periodicals,
Government publications, newspapers, maps etc, unless a library provides adequate and up-
to-date information sources it cannot serve its users satisfactorily. So the users know what is
available and what is not available in the library.
In this chapter, an attempt has been made to analyze and interpret the data collected on the
use of library information resources and services physical facilities etc. provided by the first
grade colleges of Chitradurga district: The proceeding sections deal with the results and
discussions of the users opinion.
Literature review:
Liao et al. (2007) 1 conducted a comparative study of the information needs and
information seeking behavior of international graduate students and American graduate
students under title Information-Seeking Behavior of International Graduate Students vs.
American Graduate Students: A User Study at Virginia Tech 2005. Study is based on the
opinions collected through online survey.
Mary and Sankar (2008) 2 Collection Evaluation of PSN College of Engineering and
Technology Library and PET Engineering College Library in Tirunelveli District. Authors
described the various techniques of evaluating the document collection in academic libraries
and evaluated the collection development practices of two engineering colleges.
Adithyakumari and Talwar (2015) 3conducted a study of use of referenced sources in
university libraries in Karnataka in the required data was collected through a questionnaire.
This article investigates the use of reference sources, i.e., bibliographies, dictionaries,
encyclopedias, year-books and almanacs, geographical sources and handbooks through a
questionnaire based survey in seven university libraries in Karnataka. So, seven university

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 AEIJST - January 2017 - Vol 5 - Issue 01 ISSN - 2348 - 6732

libraries under this study and also this study indicates use pattern of various reference
sources in study area.
Vagiswari and Amba(2001)4 discuses the potential of international agencies as sources
of found for information infrastructure and communications facilities for sciences and
technologists in developing countries in general and in India in particular ,and also examine
the potential of the private sector , partially the information technology(IT) industry to provide
support for government organizations . The specific areas covered included Indian government
policy, library networks, library consortia, twinning programmers, and international
assistance for training and infrastructure.
Objectives of the study:
1. To study the sex-wise distribution of students.
2. To identify the frequency of visits by students
3. To identify the purpose of visit to library by the students
4. To understand the type of library materials used by students
5. To indicates students opinion about getting the library materials
6. To give the information on students opinion about accessibility of reading materials and
hindered
7. To identify student opinion on use of Catalogue cards for finding books
8. and helpfulness of the Classification
9. To make suggestions for improving the library services in the study area.
Methodology

Survey Design:
The Study was limited to the student users of first grade college libraries of Chitradurga
district. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect the information regarding the
purpose for which the frequency of visits by students, type of library materials used by
students, opinion about accessibility of reading materials and hindered, students opinion
about getting the library materials, Catalogue cards for finding books and helpfulness of the
Classification and to make suggestions for improving the services in the study area.
The total 1570 questionnaires were distributed to the students of which, 1099 (70.00%)
responses were received. The filled in questionnaires received from the students for this survey
in the study area. The collected data was analyzed and presented in the tabular form.
Discussion
Sex-wise distribution of students
Table 01 shows that, of the total 50.68% of the male and 49.31% of female students are
studying in different type of colleges. Majority 210(51.47%) of male and 48.52% of female
respondents are represent government colleges, followed by 181(50.55%) of male respondents
represent aided colleges and (48.95%) of female respondents represent unaided colleges,
whereas, 49.44% of male respondents represent aided colleges and 48.52% of female
respondents represent government colleges respectively.

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 AEIJST - January 2017 - Vol 5 - Issue 01 ISSN - 2348 - 6732

Table-1:Sex-wise distribution of students

Users Sex Unaided Aided Government Total
Colleges Colleges
Colleges
Male 170 177 210 557
(51.05) (49.44) (51.47) (50.68)
Students Female 163 181 198 542
(48.95) (50.55) (48.52) (49.31)
Total 333 358 408 1099
(100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00)
Note: Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage
Frequency of visits by students
Efforts were made to know the frequency of visits to library by the students, it can be inferred
from the table that majority i.e. 817(86.82%) of respondents visit library every day. Whereas
54(5.73%) of the respondents visit weekly once and followed by 43(4.46%) who visit library
occasionally. Only 27(2.86%) of respondents visit once in three days.
Table-2: Frequency of visits in three type of colleges by students
Unaided Aided Government
Opinion Total
Colleges Colleges Colleges

108 199 510 817

Every day
(90.00) (84.68) (87.03) (86.82)

Once in three 03 02 22 27
days (2.5) (0.85) (3.75) (2.86)
09 06 39 54
Weekly once
(7.05) (2.55) (6.65) (5.73)
00 28 15 43
Occasionally
(0.00) (11.09) (2.55) (4.56)
120 235 586 941
Total
(100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00)
Note: Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage

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 AEIJST - January 2017 - Vol 5 - Issue 01 ISSN - 2348 - 6732

Fig-1: Frequency of visits by students

Purpose of visit to library by the students

Table 3 reveals that, of the total majority 355(16.695) of students respondents are used for the
purpose of Borrow and Return books and 14.42% used the library for leisure reading.
However, 13.85 % of the students used the library for to collect the reading material in their
subject. Of the total 19 students of each in unaided colleges were use the library to borrow
and return books and to collect the reading materials respectively. Comparatively it is high
in other type of libraries in both towards; it represents 17.76% of each of the total responses.

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 AEIJST - January 2017 - Vol 5 - Issue 01 ISSN - 2348 - 6732

Table-3: Purpose of use of library by students

Unaided Aided Government
Opinion Total
Colleges Colleges Colleges

To borrow and return books 147 19 187 353

(15.74) (17.76) (17.41) (16.69)
To collect reading materials in my 131 19 143 293
subject
(14.03) (17.76) (13.31) (13.85)
To know the latest arrivals in the 112 4 130 246
library in my subject
(11.99) (3.74) (12.10) (11.63)
To prepare a reading list of important 104 16 107 227
books in my subject
(11.13) (14.95) (9.96) (10.73)
To read news papers and popular 128 16 145 289
magazines
(13.70) (14.95) (13.50) (13.66)
To read journal articles pertaining to 80 1 91 172
my subject
(8.57) (0.93) (8.47) (8.13)
For leisure reading /Light reading 127 16 162 305
materials
(13.60) (14.95) (15.08) (14.42)
To refer to question papers of 105 16 109 230
previous years
(11.24) (14.95) (10.15) (10.87)
934 107 1074 2115
Total
(100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00)
1) Note: Total sample exceeds the required size the questions are multiple
choices
2) Note: Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage
Type of library materials used by students
The students were also asked to indicate the type of materials used for their present study.
Table 4 indicates that, of the total (356 students), 20.19% students were used books other
than prescribed textbooks, followed by 20.07% of respondents who were used Prescribed text
books for their present study. 17.62% of each student has used Reference books and popular
magazines respectively. Less percentage (9.77%) of respondents who used subject journals.
27.94% of the unaided college students were used prescribed textbooks for their study.
Comparatively it is higher than the aided and Government colleges.

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 AEIJST - January 2017 - Vol 5 - Issue 01 ISSN - 2348 - 6732

Table-4: Type of library materials used by students

Unaided Aided Government
Type of reading materials Total
Colleges Colleges Colleges
150 19 186 335
Prescribed text books
(18.59) (27.94) (22.85) (20.07)

Books other than prescribed 137 18 182 337

Texts (16.98) (26.47) (22.36) (20.19)

Reference books (Encyclopedias 131 13 150 294

Dictionaries etc) (16.23) (19.12) (18.43) (17.62)
53 0 5 58
Class notes
(6.57) (0.00) (0.61) (3.48)
34 0 18 52
Guides
(4.21) (0.00) (2.21) (3.12)
93 1 69 163
Subject journals
(11.52) (1.47) (8.48) (9.77)
71 2 62 135
Reports
(8.80) (2.94) (7.62) (8.09)
137 15 142 294
Popular magazines
(16.98) (22.06) (17.44) (17.62)
1 0 0 1
News papers
(0.12) (0.00) (0.00) (0.06)
0 0 0 0
Others
(0.00) (0.00) (0.00) (0.00)
807 68 814 1669
Total
(100.00) (100.0) (100.0) (100.00)
1) Note: Total sample exceeds the required size the questions are multiple
choices
2) Note: Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage
Students opinion about getting the library materials
Table 5 deals with the student members used asked to indicate their views regarding how to
getting the information resource materials for their academic study. In this concept, majority
49.22% of student respondents getting the reading materials from their college libraries,
26.12% of respondents getting information resources through browsing through Internet and
INFLIB NET of the total 8.97% getting form other libraries, 9.60% student respondents
from self purchase. Hence, 5.51% of student users get from Friends and only 1.54%
student users getting the information from other sources.

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 AEIJST - January 2017 - Vol 5 - Issue 01 ISSN - 2348 - 6732

Table-5: Students opinion about getting the library materials

Unaided Aided Governmen
Opinion Total
Colleges Colleges t Colleges

125 169 373 669

Your college library
(45.62) (53.48) (48.50) (49.22)
32 12 31 75
Friends
(11.67) (3.79) (4.03) (5.51)
105 09 03 117
Self purchase
(38.32) (2.84) (0.39) (8.60)
12 69 41 122
Other libraries
(4.37) (21.08) (5.33) (8.60)
Browsing through 0 53 302 355
internet and
INFLIB NET (0.00) (16.72) (39.27) (26.12)

0 04 17 21
If any other
(0.00) (1.26) (2.21) (1.54)
274 316 769 1359
Total
(100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00)
1. Note: Total sample exceeds the required size the questions are multiple
choices.
2. Note: Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage.
Students opinion about accessibility of reading materials hindered
The following table 6 reveals the students opinion about accessibility of reading materials
hindered. Majority 335 (24.49%) of student respondents and average 27.00% of the aided and
unaided college students are hinder the reading materials due to the the classification
scheme followed by the library is not understandable, and 16.45% indicate, pure self
arrangement is hindered the reading materials in their libraries. Less percentage (0.58%)
indicate, Lack of assistance from the library staff in locating the reading materials.

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 AEIJST - January 2017 - Vol 5 - Issue 01 ISSN - 2348 - 6732

Table-6: Students opinion about accessibility of reading materials hindered

Unaided Aided Government
Opinion Total
Colleges Colleges Colleges

50 7 168 225
Poor Shelf arrangement
(10.08) (10.14) (20.92) (16.45)
The height of racks is more 44 3 72 119
and not easy to reach the
books. (8.87) (4.35) (8.97) (8.70)

Books relating to my subject 31 6 83 120

are scattered in the library. (6.25) (8.70) (10.34) (8.77)
24 6 48 78
Books are misplaced
(4.84) (8.70) (5.98) (5.70)

Lack of light and ventilation 69 19 140 228

in the stack room (13.91) (27.54) (17.43) (16.67)
Narrow passage between the 55 3 54 112
racks hinders free
movement. (11.09) (4.35) (6.72) (8.19)

83 6 54 143
Books are kept under lock
(16.73) (8.70) (6.72) (10.45)
Lack of assistance from the 4 0 4 8
library staff in locating the
reading materials (0.81) (0.00) (0.50) (0.58)

The classification scheme 136 19 180 335

followed by the library is not
understandable (27.42) (27.54) (22.42) (24.49)

496 69 803 1368

Total
(100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00)
1) Note: Total sample exceeds the required size the questions are multiple
choices.
2) Note: Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage
Students opinion: Accessibility of reading materials
The above table 7 reveals the opinions about the accessibility of reading materials by the
students. Majority of 29.53% of students opinioned cant say, 23.05% opinioned easy to
access, 20.95% opinioned fairly easy to access, 18.42% opinioned not easy to access and
also bellow 8.23% of student respondents indicates not at all access.

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 AEIJST - January 2017 - Vol 5 - Issue 01 ISSN - 2348 - 6732

Table-7: Students opinion: Accessibility of reading materials

Unaided Aided Government
Opinion Total
Colleges Colleges Colleges

32 231 210 473

Easy to access
(5.27) (53.97) (20.64) (23.05)
52 58 320 430
Fairly easy to access
(8.59) (13.55) (31.46) (20.95)
290 39 273 602
Cant say
(47.77) (9.11) (26.84) (29.33)
198 48 132 378
Not easy to access
(32.61) (11.21) (12.97) (18.42)
35 52 82 169
Not at all access
(5.76) (12.14) (8.06) (8.23)
607 428 1017 2052
Total
(100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00)
1) Note: Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage
Figure-02
Students opinion: Accessibility of reading materials

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Use of catalogue cards for finding books: student opinion

The students were requested to indicate in using the catalogue card for finding the books in
the library is an exhibit in the following table 8. Of the total 50.68 % of student respondents
indicate yes they consult the library card catalogue for finding the books. Of the total
51.47% of the government college students are use the card catalogue for finding their reading
materials in the library.
Table-8: Use of card catalogue for finding the book: Student opinion

Types of Unaided Aided Government

Opinion Total
users Colleges Colleges Colleges

170 177 210 557

Yes
(51.05) (49.44) (51.47) (50.68)
163 181 198 542
Students No
(48.95) (50.55) (48.52) (49.31)
Total 333 358 408 1099
(100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00)
Helpfulness of library classification: Students opinion
Table 9 shows that, of the total 56.42% of students felt the library classification is easy to
understand, 28.65% of students felt it difficult to understand. Of the total 27.81% of college
students opined the library classification scheme is helpful in identifying the books on
specific subject of their interest. Wherever, less (13.90%) of students are not helpful in
identifying the books on specific subject of their interest, in first grade colleges.
Table-9: Helpfulness of library classification: Students opinion
Unaided Aided Governmen
Opinion Total
Colleges Colleges t Colleges

55 141 135 331

Easy to understand
(42.63) (44.47) (26.83) (34.87)
63 88 121 272
Difficult to understand
(48.83) (2.52) (24.05) (28.65)
Helpful in identifying the 23 72 169 264
books on specific subject of
my interest (17.82) (22.71) (33.59) (27.81)

Not helpful in identifying 38 16 78 132

the books on specific
subject of my interest (29.45) (5.04) (15.50) (13.90)

129 317 503 949

Total
(100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00)
Note: Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage

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Findings for Analysis-II

1. Of the total 557 male and 542 female students are responded.
2. The frequency visit to library is happy in the survey area. 86.82% of the students users
visit to their library everyday for their academic work or study.
3. The purpose of visit to library is not happy in the study area only
4. 16.69% of the students are use their library for the purpose of borrow and return the
reading materials.
5. 49.22% of student users are obtaining their reading materials form their respective
libraries.
6. Majority 335 (24.49%) of student respondents and average 27.00% of the aided and
unaided college students are hinder the reading materials due to the the classification
scheme followed by the library is not understandable, and 16.45% indicate, poor self
arrangement is hindered the reading materials in their libraries.
7. 24.49% of the students are indicate the classification scheme which is followed by the
library staff is not understand is hindered the accessibility of reading materials in the library.
8. 20.19% of students are using prescribed the text books for their academic work purpose.
9. 34% of students are expressed bout cant say opinion on accessibility of reading
materials.
10. The classification and catalogue is an essential tool for the finding the books in the
library. Hence, 46.38% of faculties and 50.68% of students respondents consult the library
card catalogue for finding the books.
11. 85.69% of student respondents are un-satisfied about lending procedure of the books and
other reading materials.
12. 14.54% of the students are expressed unhappiness regarding poor collection of reference
books in their libraries.
13. 50.68 % of students respondents indicate yes they consult the library card catalogue for
finding the books.
14. 28.65% student respondents indicate that library Classification is difficult to to
understand in the libraries of study area.
Suggestions:
On the basis of data analysis and findings the following suggestions are made for further
improvement in first grade college libraries of Chitradurga district.
1. The libraries in the study area are having poor reference collection hence the concerned
library authority should acquire more number of reference books.
2. Classification and cataloguing of books and other reading materials should be made with
author title, subject cards and OPAC. It is essential catalogue entry should be computerized
form.
3. Majority of libraries are not providing computerized services then only it is possible to
users to know the latest arrivals in the library.
4. Majority of libraries have no adopted library automation software OPAC search.
5. The library staff should arrange the books and other reading materials according scheme
of classification i.e. DDC, CC, UDC etc, for better use of their collection.

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6. It necessary to update the catalogue entries of new books and other reading a material
with different subject headings is helpful to users for easy accessibility of reading materials.
7. College librarians should conduct regular orientation programme for students it
circumstances and facts of the library. i.e. availability of information sources, and about how
to get the reading material through the library techniques?
Conclusion:
Study shows the student user attitudes on use of the academic libraries and some barriers of
the users in the libraries for searching information resources. Some libraries have poor
information resources and poor reference collection in first grade college of Chitradurga
district. Therefore, the researcher suggest to the authorities of all libraries for conducting
regular orientation programmes and adoptions of library search strategy methods.
Reference:
1 Liao, Yan; Finn, Mary; and Lu Jun:Information- seeking behavior of international graduate
students vs American graduate students: A user study at Virginia Tech 2005, College and
research libraries, 2007, Vol. 68, No. 1, PP. 5-25.
2 Mary, A Lawrence; and Sankar, A, Collection evaluation of PSN college of engineering and
technology Library and PET engineering college library in tirunelveli district, SRELS journal of
information management, 2008, Vol. 45, No. 1, PP. 63-70. 82
3 Adithyakumari and Talwar, Library expectation by the distance education students of
correspondence courses and distance education, Bangalore university: A study. Emerging
4 Vagiswari, and Amba S ,Need for international co-operation to meet information
requirements of scientists in a developing country, Inspel, Vol.35(1), 2001, pp.27-36.

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