See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325645358 User Satisfaction with Library Resources in Public Colleges of Education in Ghana Article  in  Library Philosophy and Practice · June 2018 CITATION READS 1 883 3 authors, including: Ernest Boakye Francis Yeboah Webster University, Ghana Agogo Presbyterian College of Education 8 PUBLICATIONS   3 CITATIONS    1 PUBLICATION   1 CITATION    SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Electronic Resources View project USER SATISFACTION WITH LIBRARY RESOURCES IN PUBLIC COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN GHANA View project All content following this page was uploaded by Francis Yeboah on 14 June 2018. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal) Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Spring 5-9-2018 User Satisfaction with Library Resources in Public Colleges of Education in Ghana Francis Yeboah Mr. Agogo Presbyterian College of Education, fktyeboah@gmail.com Musah Adams Dr. University of Ghana, madams@ug.edu.gh Ernest Boakye Mr. Webster University, Ghana Campus, ernboa@yahoo.com Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac Part of the Library and Information Science Commons Yeboah, Francis Mr.; Adams, Musah Dr.; and Boakye, Ernest Mr., "User Satisfaction with Library Resources in Public Colleges of Education in Ghana" (2018). Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). 1824. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1824 Introduction Teacher education is very paramount for national development and thus the quality of teacher education should be of great concern to all stakeholders. Proper and adequate educational facilities are critically important if teacher education will achieve its larger goal of training and preparing the right calibre of teachers who are competent, dedicated and committed to handle the educational needs of Ghana. Key among such required facilities is a functional library. A library is a collection of both published and unpublished books and other materials which are well organized, with competent staff who can assist users to meet their information needs (Ogbebor, 2011). In any tertiary institution, the library is considered as the nerve centre, and as such a very crucial facility of the institution (Jubb & Green, 2007). User satisfaction of the library resources therefore becomes very pivotal in the achievement of the institutional goal. It is expected that academic libraries (libraries in tertiary educational institutions) be provided with the necessary resources to function effectively to satisfy the ever changing information needs of the users. Adeniran (2011) argues that the existence of an academic library is justified by its level of user satisfaction with its resources and services. Ijiekhuamhen, Aghojare, and Ferdinand (2015) maintain that regular assessment of library services should be employed as a management tool to ascertain the level of user satisfaction, and how the services could be improved. Teacher training education in Ghana Teacher training in Ghana dates back to the Gold Coast era in the 1840s when the various Missions saw the need to train more Africans to assist the work of the Missions. As the Bassel Mission continued to gain grounds in the Gold Coast (now Ghana), they realized the need to train African Assistants which led to the establishment of a school for catechists at Akropong in 1848, (Graham, 1976, cited in Filson and Agyekum, 2014). Later, other Missions such as the Wesleyans and the Catholic also added to the number. In 1909, the government supplemented the teacher training institutes established by the Missions by establishing a teacher training college in Accra (Bame, n.d.).Since 1848, series of reforms have taken place within teacher education in Ghana. In 2002, an Educational Review Committee Report recommended that Teacher Training Colleges in Ghana be upgraded to tertiary status and be called Colleges of Education (Filson & Agyekum, 2014). Tertiary institution or education in Ghana refers to institution or education that goes further than the senior high school or secondary level which includes institutions which award diplomas and other higher degrees. Following that report, the government, in 2004, passed a White Paper declaring that all the Teacher Training Colleges be re-designated into diploma-awarding institutions and be affiliated to education oriented universities (Government of Ghana , 2004, cited in Newman, 2013). In 2008, all the 38 public Teacher Training Colleges in Ghana were elevated to the status of tertiary institutions placed under the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE). Problem Statement Following the upgrade of Teacher Training Colleges in Ghana to tertiary status in 2008, technically, the libraries of the colleges have also been upgraded to the status of academic libraries. One would therefore expect a facelift of the libraries of the colleges with respect to adequate and quality physical facilities, modern information technologies, adequate and relevant library materials, and competent library staff that meet the expectation of their users in order to effectively respond to their changing information needs. However, preliminary investigations by the researchers at the Agogo Presbyterian College of Education and Akrokerri College of Education in the Ashanti region of Ghana revealed that virtually nothing had been done to enhance the status of the libraries. This meant that, the quality of scholarly work in these institutions was likely to be compromised, thus defeating the purpose for upgrading the Teacher Training Colleges to tertiary status. As a result, the researchers decided to investigate the level of user satisfaction with library resources in selected public Colleges of Education in Ghana. Objectives of the study The study specifically was to: • determine the level of users’ satisfaction with the physical facilities of the libraries; • determine the level of users’ satisfaction with the collections of the libraries; • find out the level of users’ satisfaction with the services provided by the libraries; Literature review In a broader term, library resources go beyond just the collections of the library or the information resources of the library to include all facilities, personnel and financial resources that aid in the process of making library resources available and accessible to the users. Shrestha (2008) views library resources as materials (information resources), facilities, personnel, functions or activities of a library meant for helping users to satisfy their information needs. Library facilities include physical facilities such as accommodation, library furniture, ICT tools and equipment. In any academic environment, library resources are critically important for the achievement of the goal and objectives of the institution. Whitmire (2002, cited in Oyewusi and Oyeboade (2009), believes that, in measuring an institution’s excellence and quality, the library resources of the institution should be considered as a good yardstick. The ability of the library to support teaching, learning and research largely depends on the resources at its disposal. Simmonds (2001, cited in Adeniran, 2011) posits that an academic library has to provide adequate materials to support teaching, learning and research in their mother institutions. The physical facilities of an academic library are indispensable components of the library system. They facilitate access to relevant information and provide users with needed library environment that would enhance their satisfaction. Key among these are the library building itself, library furniture, temperature control systems, lighting system, computer and internet facilities. Poor library facilities could affect the smooth operation of an academic library and negatively influence user satisfaction with the library resources. A study conducted by Khan and Bhatti (2012) on the department libraries of the University of Peshawar identified poor physical facilities as a major issue confronting the library. Frascotti, Levenseler, Weingarten, and Wiegand, (2007) opine that introducing better environment in academic libraries significantly influence user satisfaction. Academic libraries have a primary role of building library collection that would support teaching, learning, and research in their parent institutions. The collections of the library must be tailored alongside the information needs of the users. Mason (2010) opines that building and maintaining variety of library collections that support and complement the instructional needs of the institution is the mission of an academic library. He further added that academic libraries are expected to provide access to all sources of information. Traditionally, the collection of the library had been print materials such as books, manuscript, textbooks, newspapers, maps, magazines, and print journals. Nzivo (2012) points out that print materials were the primary source of information to users. However, the prolific emergence of information technology is compelling academic libraries to go beyond just the traditional print materials to include e- resources in their collection development as well. Over the decades, user satisfaction has remained a key focus of academic libraries since it goes a long way to justify the relevance of the library. Motiang, Wallis and Karodia (2014) view user satisfaction as an evaluative exercise in which a product or service is evaluated to establish the extent to which the product or service meet the needs and expectation of their users. Zeithalm and Bitmer (2000, cited in Motiang et. al, 2014) define satisfaction as the customers’ evaluation of a service or a product with respect to whether that product or service meets their needs and expectations, and that failure to meet their needs and expectations would result in dissatisfaction with the service or product. Ijiekhuamhen, Aghojare and Ferdinand (2015) assert that the primary objective of academic libraries and librarians is to satisfy the needs of the users, and hence, the need to understand the exact needs of the users. The existence of a library would only be wholesome if it is able to render services and provide resources that meet users’ needs and expectations. Motiang et. al (2014) argue that the library achieves its mission if it succeeds in satisfying the information needs and the expectation of users. Ijiekhuamhen, et. al (2015) posit that the extent of library use is a reflection of the degree of user satisfaction. This implies that if users are satisfied with the library resources and the services rendered, they will keep using the library. Indeed, Motiang et. al (2014, p.42) maintain that “satisfaction may lead to users using the services of the library over and over again, and even recommending it to others.” User satisfaction is viewed as a reliable, and perhaps the most vital criterion for measuring library effectiveness. Methodology The survey method was employed in the study and questionnaire was used as the main data collection instrument. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 368 students, out of which the responses from 356 were found valid for analysis. The quantitative data was analysed with SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics which included bivariate frequencies and percentages were reported. The population for the study comprised the levels 100 and 200 students of the five selected Colleges. The level 300 students were excluded from the study because they were out of the colleges for their off-campus teaching practice during the study period, hence they were not accessible. The breakdown of the population for the study is presented in Table 1. Most of the selected Colleges expressed concerns about the possible effects of the findings of the study on their accreditation status as they were in the process of migrating to fully- fledged tertiary institutions. They were therefore assured anonymity, and thus, the names of the colleges have been withheld. Also, peculiar information about the Colleges that would make them easily identifiable have also been withheld to protect their anonymity. The five Colleges selected were thus denoted as CA, CB, CC, CD and CE. They are located in different parts of Ghana. Currently, all the Colleges have been given accreditation as tertiary institutions by the National Accreditation Board (NBA) of the Ministry of Education to run a 3-year Diploma in Basic Education (DBE) Programmes. The Colleges are affiliated to the University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast. Table 1: Population Distribution Level 100 Level 200 Name of College Total students students CA 404 349 753 CB 447 390 837 CC 351 412 763 CD 494 438 932 CE 335 243 578 Total 2,031 1,832 3,863 3,863 Source: Field data, 2017 The researchers selected 10% of the student population for the study. Thus, the sample size of 10% of the population of the students was computed using the formula: 10 SS = X PS 100 Where SS = Sample size for the students PS = The population size of the students The population of students in a selected college SSC = X 386 The overall population of the students of the selected Colleges Where, SSC = Sample size of students of a selected colleges. In the first place, the student population of each selected College was stratified into level 100 and 200 students. Levels of education was the basis for the stratification. The stratification was necessary to ensure a fair representation of the level 100 and 200 students since their information needs might differ a little and hence their level of satisfaction with the library resources. Secondly, non-probability sampling technique was used for selecting respondents due to the nature of the study. Specifically, accidental sampling was used to select 10% of the population of the level 100 and 200 students from each of the selected Colleges. Students who used the library during the study period and were willing to take part in the study were accidentally selected for the study. Analysis The response rates for the various Colleges were: CA 67(89%), CB 81(96.4%), CC 69 (90.8%), CD 85(91.4%), and CE 54(93.1). In all, 356 copies of the questionnaire were returned and deemed valid for analysis. That translated into a total response rate of 92.2%. In all, 211(59.3%) were males while 145 (40.7%) were females. In general, 200 (56.2%) of the student respondents were in level 100 while 156 (43.8) were in level 200. Users’ satisfaction with the design of the library buildings User satisfaction, to a large extent, is influenced by the nature of the library building. The researchers therefore sought to find out users’ satisfaction with the design of the library buildings. Respondents were asked to indicate their level of satisfaction with the library building design. The responses from the respondents are displayed in the Table 2. Table 2: Users’ satisfaction with the design of library buildings Very Very Satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Total College Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 4 6.0 40 59.7 15 22.4 8 11.9 67 100.0 CB 10 12.3 46 56.8 19 23.5 6 7.4 81 100.0 CC 9 13.0 34 49.3 21 30.4 5 7.3 69 100.0 CD 13 15.3 42 49.4 23 27.1 7 8.2 85 100.0 CE 3 5.5 34 63.0 15 27.8 2 3.7 54 100.0 Total 39 11.0 196 55.0 93 26.1 28 7.9 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 From Table 2, generally, 196(55%) and 39(11%) indicated that they were satisfied and very satisfied respectively with the design of the library buildings of the Colleges. However, 93(26.1%) and 28(7.9%) respectively indicated that they were dissatisfied and very dissatisfied. From Table 2, CE had the highest percentage 34(63%) of respondents who indicated that they were satisfied with the library building design, followed by CA 40(49.7%). The least percentage, 34(49.3%) were respondents who indicated that they were satisfied with the library building was recorded by CC. Users’ satisfaction with the location of the libraries The location of an academic library plays a significant role in influencing patronage of the library resources. If the library building is strategically located on the campus of an academic institution, it is more likely to attract users and vice versa. The researchers therefore sought to find out the extent to which the users were satisfied with the location of the libraries. Thus, users were asked to indicate the extent to which they were satisfied with the location of the library. Their responses are captured in Table 3. Table 3: Users’ satisfaction with the location of the libraries Very Very Satisfied Dissatisfied Total College Satisfied Dissatisfied Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 27 40.3 25 37.3 15 22.4 0.0 67 100.0 CB 25 30.9 34 42.0 20 24.7 2 2.5 81 100.0 CC 31 44.9 26 37.7 12 17.4 0.0 69 100.0 CD 26 30.6 38 44.7 21 24.7 0.0 85 100.0 CE 13 24.1 26 48.1 15 27.8 0.0 54 100.0 Total 122 34.3 149 41.8 83 23.3 2 0.6 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 Table 3 indicates that, in general, 122(34.3%) were very satisfied with the location of the library while 149(41.8) were satisfied. Eighty three (23.3%) indicated that they were dissatisfied while 2(0.6%) indicated that they were very dissatisfied with the location of the library building. Users’ satisfaction with the reading spaces of the libraries Adequate reading space in an academic library is very important to encourage library patronage as some users may need it for reading. The researchers therefore asked the respondents to indicate their levels of satisfaction with the reading spaces of the libraries. The responses are presented in Table 4. Table 4: Users’ satisfaction with the reading spaces of the libraries Very Very Satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Total College Dissatisfied Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 4 6.0 38 56.7 16 23.9 9 13.4 67 100.0 CB 10 12.3 39 48.1 28 34.6 4 4.9 81 100.0 CC 6 8.7 40 58.0 20 29.0 3 4.3 69 100.0 CD 12 14.1 43 50.6 21 24.7 9 10.6 85 100.0 CE 6 11.1 32 59.3 11 20.4 5 9.3 54 100.0 Total 38 10.7 192 53.9 96 27.0 30 8.4 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 As shown in Table 4, generally, 38(10.7%) were very satisfied and 192(53.9%) were satisfied. Ninety six (27%) and 30(8.4%) were dissatisfied and very dissatisfied respectively. CE recorded the highest percentage 32(59.3%) of respondents indicating that they were satisfied with the reading spaces in the libraries whereas CB recorded the lowest percentage 39(48.1%) of respondents who indicated that they were satisfied with the library spaces. CE recorded the highest percentage of satisfaction probably due to its relatively smaller population in relation to the size of the library. User satisfaction with the library furniture of the Colleges Library furniture matter a lot in terms of measuring user satisfaction with physical facilities of an academic library. The respondents were thus asked to indicate their level of satisfaction with the library furniture. Responses obtained are displayed in Table 5. Table 5: User satisfaction with the library furniture of the Colleges Very College Very Satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Total Dissatisfied Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 11 16.4 40 59.7 14 20.9 2 3.0 67 100.0 CB 15 18.5 35 43.2 21 25.9 10 12.3 81 100.0 CC 18 26.1 30 43.5 17 24.6 4 5.8 69 100.0 CD 10 11.8 45 52.9 21 24.7 9 10.6 85 100.0 CE 8 14.8 26 48.1 15 27.8 5 9.3 54 100.0 Total 62 17.4 176 49.4 88 24.7 30 8.5 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 It could be seen from Table 5 that 176(49.4%) of the respondents were satisfied with the library furniture whereas 62(17.4%) were very satisfied. However, 88(24.7%) and 30(8.5%) indicated that they were dissatisfied and very dissatisfied respectively. This implies that a combined majority of 238(66.8%) of the respondents were satisfied with the library furniture as compared to a combined minority of 118(33.2%) who were dissatisfied. Users’ satisfaction with computer facilities of the libraries As part of measuring users’ satisfaction with the physical facilities of the libraries as stipulated in the first objective, the researchers sought to elicit information about the availability and users’ satisfaction with the computer facilities, if available. The findings revealed that with the exception of CA, respondents from all the other four (4) colleges indicated that there were no computer facilities accessible to them in the libraries. Even in the case of CA where respondents reported that there were computers, 38(56.7%) indicated that they were very dissatisfied with them whereas 29(43.3%) reported that they were dissatisfied. Users’ satisfaction with internet facilities Internet facilities are very instrumental in modern academic facilities as they present incredible opportunities to users to access variety of information resources. In line with the first objective of the study which sought to measure users’ satisfaction with physical facilities of the libraries, the researchers asked respondents to indicate if internet facilities were available, and their level of satisfaction with them if available. It emerged from the study that, apart from CC, none of the Colleges had internet facilities. Even though the study revealed that CC had internet facilities in the library, none of the respondent was very satisfied with it. Only 18(26%) of the respondents indicated that they were satisfied with it. Twenty nine (42%) were dissatisfied whereas 22(32%) were very dissatisfied. Users’ satisfaction with the reference sources The respondents were asked to indicate their level of satisfaction with the reference sources in their libraries. The responses are represented in Table 6. Table 6: Users’ satisfaction with the reference sources Very Very Satisfied Dissatisfied Total College Satisfied Dissatisfied Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 1 1.5 30 44.8 24 35.8 12 17.9 67 100.0 CB 4 4.9 39 48.2 31 38.3 7 8.6 81 100.0 CC 3 4.3 38 55.1 25 36.2 3 4.4 69 100.0 CD 2 2.4 40 47.1 28 32.9 15 17.6 85 100.0 CE 1 1.9 30 55.5 17 31.5 6 11.1 54 100.0 Total 11 3.1 177 49.7 125 35.1 43 12.1 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 Table 6 shows that, in general, 177(49.7%) of the respondents indicated that they were satisfied with the reference sources whereas 11(3.1%) indicated that they were very satisfied with them. One hundred and five (35.1%) of the respondents were dissatisfied while 43(12.1%) were very dissatisfied. When ‘satisfied’ and ‘very satisfied’ response are combined, generally, greater proportion 188(52.8%) of the respondents were satisfied with the reference sources. However, with respect to CA and CD the findings indicated that a smaller proportion of 31(46.3%) and 42(49.5%) of the respondents respectively were satisfied with the reference sources. Users’ satisfaction with the textbooks To ascertain the level of users’ satisfaction with the textbooks in the libraries, the researchers asked respondents to indicate their level of satisfaction with the textbooks. Their responses are indicated in Table 7. Table 7: Users’ satisfaction with the textbooks Very Very Satisfied Dissatisfied Total Satisfied Dissatisfied College Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 0 0.0 24 35.8 25 37.3 18 26.9 67 100.0 CB 2 2.5 33 40.7 21 25.9 25 30.9 81 100.0 CC 5 7.2 28 40.6 23 33.3 13 18.8 69 100.0 CD 2 2.4 40 47.1 28 32.9 15 17.6 85 100.0 CE 1 1.8 23 42.6 17 31.5 13 24.1 54 100.0 Total 10 2.8 148 41.6 114 32.0 84 23.6 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 Generally, as shown in Table 7, 148(41.6%) of the respondents were satisfied with the textbooks as 10(2.8%) also indicated that they were very satisfied. One hundred and fourteen (32%) of the respondents were dissatisfied whereas 84(23.6%) were very dissatisfied. Even though Table 7 depicts that greater percentage of the respondents indicated that they were satisfied with the textbooks as compared to those who were dissatisfied, if ‘satisfied’ and ‘very satisfied’ responses are put together, and ‘dissatisfied’ and ‘very dissatisfied’ also put together, greater number 198(55.6%) of the respondents were dissatisfied with the textbook as compared to 158(44.4%) who were dissatisfied. Users’ satisfaction with the periodicals Respondents were asked to indicate their level of satisfaction with the periodicals in their libraries. Table 8 shows their responses. Table 8: Users’ satisfaction with the Periodicals Very Very Satisfied Dissatisfied Total College Satisfied Dissatisfied Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 0 0.0 9 13.4 25 37.3 33 49.3 67 100.0 CB 0 0.0 27 33.3 20 24.7 34 42.0 81 100.0 CC 2 2.9 22 31.9 23 33.3 22 31.9 69 100.0 CD 0 0.0 32 37.7 28 32.9 25 29.4 85 100.0 CE 1 1.8 21 38.9 19 35.2 13 24.1 54 100.0 Total 3 0.8 111 31.2 115 32.3 127 35.7 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 Table 8 shows that, in general, greater percentage of the respondents 127(35.7%) indicated that they were very dissatisfied with the periodicals, followed by 115(32.3%) who were dissatisfied. Only 3(0.8%) indicated that they were very satisfied with the periodicals whereas 111(31.2%) also reported that they were satisfied with them. This implies that a combined majority 242(68%) of the respondents were dissatisfied with the periodicals as against 114(32%) who were satisfied with them. As could be observed from Table 8, with the exception of CC and CE where only 2(2.9%) and 1(1.8%) were very satisfied, in the rest of the Colleges none of the respondents indicated that they were very satisfied with the periodicals in their libraries. In CA, only 9(13.4%) of the respondents were satisfied with the periodicals as against 25(37.3%) and 33(49.3%) who were dissatisfied and very dissatisfied respectively, implying that a combined majority of 58(86.6%) were dissatisfied with the periodicals. Users’ satisfaction with electronic resources of the libraries As user preference is shifting from print materials to electronic resources, the latter have become critical component of library resources in an academic library. The study therefore sought to measure the availability and users’ satisfaction with the electronic resources of the libraries. The responses indicated that none of the Colleges had electronic resources. Surprisingly, however, it emerged from the study that all the public Colleges of Education in Ghana had collectively subscribed to Science Direct database but since the necessary platforms (Computers and internet accessibility) to access the database were not available, users were not having access to them. Users’ satisfaction with the overall collections of the libraries Respondents were thus asked to indicate their level of satisfaction with the overall collections of their libraries. Table 9 illustrates the responses. Table 9: Users’ satisfaction with the overall collections of the libraries Very Very Satisfied Dissatisfied Total College Satisfied Dissatisfied Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 1 1.5 22 32.8 23 34.3 21 31.3 67 100.0 CB 0 0.0 34 42.0 32 39.5 15 18.5 81 100.0 CC 3 4.3 30 43.5 24 34.8 12 17.4 69 100.0 CD 4 4.7 38 44.7 30 35.3 13 15.3 85 100.0 CE 0 0.0 25 46.3 19 35.2 10 18.5 54 100.0 Total 8 2.2 149 41.9 128 36.0 71 19.9 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 As could be observed from the Table 9, only 8(2.2%) of the respondents were very satisfied with the overall library collections of the Colleges as compared to 149(41.9%) who were satisfied with them. One hundred and twenty-eight (36%) respondents reported that they were dissatisfied with the overall collections of the libraries while 71(19.9%) indicated that they were very dissatisfied with them. Putting the ‘satisfied’ and ‘very satisfied’ responses together, and ‘dissatisfied’ and ‘very dissatisfied’ responses also together, a greater number 199(55.9%) of the respondents were dissatisfied with the overall collections of the libraries as compared to 157(44.1%) which were ‘dissatisfied’ and ‘very dissatisfied’ responses are combined, CA had the highest number 44(65.6%) of the respondents being dissatisfied with the overall collections of the libraries, followed by CB 47(58%), CE 29(53.7%), and CC 36(52.2%). CD recorded the least number of 43(50.6%) of respondents indicating that they were dissatisfied with the overall collections of the libraries. Users’ satisfaction with reference service The researchers asked respondents to indicate their level of satisfaction with the reference service of the libraries. Table 10 below shows the responses. Table 10: Users’ satisfaction with reference service Very Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Total College Dissatisfied Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 4 6.0 27 40.3 25 37.3 11 16.4 67 100.0 CB 9 11.1 30 37.0 28 34.6 14 17.3 81 100.0 CC 3 4.3 25 36.2 30 43.5 11 15.9 69 100.0 CD 15 17.7 30 35.3 28 32.9 12 14.1 85 100.0 CE 6 11.1 21 38.9 19 35.2 8 14.8 54 100.0 Total 37 10.4 133 37.4 130 36.5 56 15.7 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 As shown in Table 10, 133(37.4%) and 37(10.4%) respondents were satisfied and strongly satisfied respectively. Contrarily, 130(36.5%) and 56(15.7%) respondent respectively indicated that they were dissatisfied and strongly dissatisfied. Even though, as evident in Table 10, a higher number of 133(37.4%) of the respondents reported that they were satisfied with the reference services, when the results of ‘agreed’ and ‘strongly agreed’ are put together, and those of ‘disagreed’ and ‘strongly disagreed’ also put together, a greater number of 186(52.2%) were dissatisfied with the reference services as compared to 170(47.8%) who were satisfied. However, in College CD, 30(35.3%) and 15(17.7%) were satisfied and very satisfied respectively. This implies that, though generally, greater percentage of the respondents were dissatisfied with the reference services, with respect to CD, when combined, greater proportion - 45(53%) of the respondents were satisfied. In the case of CE, 21(38.9%) and 6(11.1%) respondents were satisfied and very satisfied respectively. When combined, 27(50%) respondents were satisfied. The findings however revealed that, in general, a higher proportion of the respondents were not satisfied with the reference services rendered by the library staff. Users’ Satisfaction with circulation services Circulation service is the activity of lending library books and other materials to the users and ensuring that the borrowed materials are returned. The responses to circulation services are represented in Table 11 below. Table 11: Users’ satisfaction with circulation services Very Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Total College Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 0 0.0 15 22.4 25 37.3 27 40.3 67 100.0 CB 15 18.5 30 37.0 24 29.6 12 14.8 81 100.0 CC 12 17.4 33 47.8 17 24.6 7 10.1 69 100.0 CD 20 23.5 35 41.2 22 25.9 8 9.4 85 100.0 CE 10 18.5 28 51.9 13 24.1 3 5.6 54 100.0 Total 57 16.0 141 39.6 101 28.4 57 16.0 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 The study found out, as indicated in Table 11, that 141(39.6%) and 57(16%) were satisfied and very satisfied with the circulation services respectively as against 101(28.4%) and 57(16%) who were dissatisfied and very dissatisfied respectively. All though generally, greater percentage of the respondents were satisfied with the circulation services, in the case of CA, 25(37.3%) and 27(40.3%) were dissatisfied and very dissatisfied respectively as compared to 15(22.4%) who were satisfied. Users’ satisfaction with user education User education is one of the emerging services in academic libraries. Users are supposed to be educated on ‘where to find what’ and ‘how to use what’ in the library. Table 12: Users’ satisfaction with user education Very Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Total College Dissatisfied Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % Freq. % CA 2 3.0 13 19.4 25 37.3 27 40.3 67 100.0 CB 10 12.3 35 43.2 24 29.6 12 14.8 81 100.0 CC 5 7.2 20 29.0 23 33.3 21 30.4 69 100.0 CD 13 15.3 30 35.3 24 28.2 18 21.2 85 100.0 CE 5 9.3 20 37.0 26 48.1 3 5.6 54 100.0 Total 35 9.8 118 33.1 122 34.3 81 22.8 356 100.0 Source: Field data, 2017 Table 12 shows that 118(33.1%) and 35(9.8%) indicated that they were satisfied and very satisfied respectively. On the contrary, a higher number of 122(34.3%) and 81(22.8%) of the respondents reported that they were dissatisfied and very dissatisfied respectively. This implies that, when combined, a higher number 203(57.1%) of the respondents were dissatisfied with the user education as compared to 153(42.9%) respondents who were satisfied. The picture was however different in CB and CD where a greater number of 35(43.2%) and 30(35.3%) respectively indicated that they were satisfied. When combined, 45(55.5%) and 43(50.6%) in CB and CD respectively indicated that they were satisfied with the user education. Discussions The study found that a higher proportion of the respondents were satisfied with the library buildings of the colleges. The findings compare favourably with that of Tiemo (2016) who in a study on the level of user satisfaction with library information resources and services at the College of Health Science Library, Niger Delta University, revealed that even though the library was faced with a lot of deficiency with respect to library resources and services, the users were not totally dissatisfied with them. The findings of the study however, contradict the views of Sens (2009) who emphasizes the need for modern libraries to make provisions for discussion rooms as a shift in pedagogy has made learning more team oriented rather than individualistic. The study also found that majority of the respondents were satisfied with the library furniture which confirms the findings of Iwhiwhu & Okorodudu (2012) who found out that users of Edo State Central Library were satisfied with library facilities such as furniture. The findings from the study revealed that, with the exception of CA, none of the other colleges provided computers at the library for patrons. This indicates that library users were deprived of access to relevant electronic resources which could undermine the quality of scholarly work in the colleges in the Twenty-first Century. However, the findings compare favourably with that of Filson and Agyekum (2014) who conducted a study on evaluation of the Colleges of Education libraries in Ghana and found that 21.4% of the Colleges had no computer facilities while 64.3% had only 1-3 computers. With respect to users’ satisfaction with the textbooks, the study revealed that a higher proportion of the respondents were not satisfied. The librarians mainly attributed the poor nature of the textbooks in the libraries to lack of funding and inadequate commitment on the part of management. The findings of the study also established that a higher proportion of the respondents were dissatisfied with the periodicals of the libraries. The study further revealed that newspapers were the only periodicals that were regularly subscribed to by the Colleges. Even with that, due to financial constraints, most of the Colleges had limited their subscription to a maximum of three. CA had however, stopped subscribing to the newspapers as a result of late arrivals. Periodicals such as magazines, journals and newsletters were not common in the libraries, and those found were outdated. The findings contradict the assertion made by Oyewusi and Oyeboade (2009) that libraries should collect varieties of materials, including periodicals. It emerged from the study that a higher proportion of the respondents were not satisfied with the reference services of the libraries. This was due to the fact that the library staff were not able to help them meet their information needs. The findings do not support that of Namugera (2014) who, in his study on users’ awareness, perceptions and usage of Makerere Library services, found that the respondents were highly satisfied with the reference services rendered by the library staff. The study revealed that, with the exception of CA where a combined majority - 57(77.6%) of the respondents were dissatisfied with the circulation services, most of the respondents generally were satisfied with the circulation services of the libraries. With respect to user education, the study revealed that most of the respondents were dissatisfied. The only time users received user education was during orientation programmes for the fresh students where the librarians were usually given opportunity to educate the fresh students on the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ in the library, and how to use the library. Surprisingly, the study revealed that, despite the key role that reprographic services play in an academic library, none of the Colleges rendered it to their users. This implies that users were denied an opportunity to reproduce part of books or documents when they wished to do so. The situation is likely to ‘compel’ some users to either tear portions of the books they would be interested in or steal the entire book. Conclusion The new status of the Colleges of Education in Ghana as tertiary institutions requires enhancement of library resources and facilities to respond more appropriately to the information needs of the library users. However, based on the findings of the study, it could be concluded that the Colleges of Education in Ghana generally lack adequate and relevant library resources to render satisfactory services to their users. If pragmatic measures are not put in place to savage the situation, the very purpose for upgrading the colleges to tertiary status would be critically compromised. Recommendations The colleges should provide adequate number of computers with internet facilities at the libraries to ensure access to electronic resources for library users. Though library are falling, librarians of the Colleges of Education should strive to acquire more current and relevant collections which required to meet the information needs of users. This could be done by to eliciting suggested titles from users and in addition to collaborating with faculty members to obtain relevant titles in their respective subject areas. Again, aside the orientations that are usually given to fresh students, the libraries could also organize workshops and seminars on user education regularly for the library users. Management of the Colleges of Education should support the libraries to provide reprographic services with adequate budget allocations. Moreover, library staff should be well-trained to offer quality reference services to meets users information needs. References Adeniran, P. (2011). User satisfaction with academic libraries services: Academic staff and students perspectives.Academic Journals, 3(10), 209-216. Bame (n.d.). 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Users` Satisfaction with Library Information Resources and Services: A Case Study College of Health Sciences Library Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Nigeria. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(16), 54-58. View publication stats