| Abstract | This study examines the status in terms of general activities,facilities and services of four University of Libraries namely Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University libraries in India,and University of Zambia and Copperbelt University Libraries in Zambia.The study was conducted with a view to assessing the effectiveness with which these libraries are able to carry out their activities and meet their responsiblities through library administration and the staff,budgets,collections,facilities,services,automation and other new technologies;to identify the problems thse libraries face as they carry out their activities;and make recommendations for possible measures for improvement.Books,dissertations,periodical artcles,seminar papers,dictionaries and handbooks were consulted.In addition,the study required raw data on the current status and conditions in the libraries being studied.The descriptive survey method was used for the systematic collection,analysis and interpretation of the data.To use this method effectively a structured questionnaire,covering the various aspects of the study,was developed.A set of ten questionnaires were distributed to each of the four libraries being studied.Although there are differences in the choices of forms and kinds of catalogues used,classification schemes and subjects heading lists used,the findings of this study portray that standard procedures,practices,operations and applications are followed by all the four Universities.The problems of understanding,non recognition of librarians as academic counterparts of the University of faculties,poor space,shelves and seating arrangements were found to affect these libraries differently and recommendations have been made respectively.The study also revealed that the issue of inadquate funding is predominant in all the four libraries being studied giving rise to and exacerbating more other problems. |
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