Every year over a thousand of new student has been register to higher institutions. Universiti Teknologi Mara Kedah is one of them. Until today, UiTM Kedah has become a school to over 7000 students that taken the numerous of course in Diploma and Degree. That covers the full time mode and part time mode. Library is one of the important components of university. One of the library roles is become places that provide the information to students in supporting the learning process. The recent changes in learning process (Teacher centered Learning to Student Centered Learning (OBE)) have bring the impact in way how the student use the library. Considering the issues, library look will become more important.
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In promoting the library as a place that student can be used as a place to allocate the information. The library orientation is need to organized. Library orientation is one of the library education programs that usually have practice by the academic library. Library orientation also known as library orientation or bibliographic instruction depends to the library that set the objectives of programs. During the library orientation session, usually the objectives of programs are to introduce the students to library material and systems, where at the end of programs the new student will able to retrieve the information they want quickly and effectively.
Besides, the library introduces the library about the library material and systems, the library also can use the platform of library orientation to teach the users, using the finding tools that available in library. For examples, teach the user in how using the OPAC (Online Public Access Cataloguing) in finding the information and materials. The library orientation also used by the certain library, to develop the positive view to library by getting the positive impressions and develop the student confidence in cope the library anxiety towards using the library service.
Background of Study
In UiTM Kedah, the library orientation is responsible organized by the Perpustakaan Sultan Badlishah (Academic library). Usually library orientation for new student took place during the Minggu Destini Siswa week (MDS) – Orientation Week or a first week in after the orientation week. During the library orientation session, the new student will be first to listen the brief explanation about the library and service, took the form of registration and ending with the library tour in groups varying in size from forty to 100 students. Depend into the situation and aggregate of new student.
This study also, will be investigates the current of library orienations method that has been practiced todays relevant or not relevant (suitability). Level of students understanding towards the library orientations programs objectives and level of students usage after involve the library orienations sessions. Towards the programs that have been organized. The research will be conduct in Perpustakaan Sultan Badlishah. The scope of the proposed research is about the topic on library orientations effectiveness. The research respondent will be randomly selected through the set of questionnaire. That asks the respondent about the effectiveness of library orientation.
Background of Organization
PSB UiTM Kedah or Perpustakaan Sultan Badlishah UiTM Kedah has open in lately 1997. The PSB UiTM Kedah has begun the operation in the Academic Building before moved into the new building in mid-July 2001 and has become a computerized library in 202, which used the ILMU system (Integrated Library Management Utilities). Over the 750 students can be fitted in one time in PSB UiTM Kedah.
Nowadays, PSB UiTM Kedah is headed by the Head of Library, Puan Norhayati Ismail with the assist of three librarias who are Puan Noor Azlin Abdullah, as the Head of Bibliographic Development and Processing Tech (UPSPT), Information Technology and System Unit (USTM) and Unit Volume (UV). Cik Athirah Ruslan as the Unit Journals and Database (UUPD) and Knowledge Resources Development Unit (UPSI), and Encik Mohd Amiruddin Mohd Nasir as Head of Customer Services and Collection Management (UPPPK), Information Services Unit (UPM). The library is also has support with the 26 supporting staff.
As a solely academic library in UiTM Kedah, the collection of library has holds over 43967 volumes of books collection at the open shelf until December 2011. The collection of books at the open shelf covers from the variety of fields that can be freely accessed and loan by register members as accordance in terms of used of library policy. The categories of collections that can be loan by users has explain in the library education programs (library orientation) with the users has explain the color of book label (orange stickers can be loan, green stickers cannot be loan).
Research problem
1.3.1 Problems Statement
Library orientation is one of the important sessions that important to the new user to involve. This is because; through the library orientation most of the basic information about the library will be delivering to students. However, the recent student intake from the July 2010 until Jun 2012 show many student only get the basic information about the library, this situations happen because many of students cannot focus with the library orientations that organized in limited space in library with the large group per sessions. Based on my informal communication with these new students, the PSB UiTM Kedah was conducted the library orientation at the short time per sessions (15 minutes per sessions). From the informal interview with the student, their only have received the brief explanation about the library and the service that provided by library. Additionally, from my observation also seen the student also has been given the library guide book that include the information about the library, but the given of guide book look not to practically without the explanation by librarian because student after received the book there just keep it. This method is similar to the method that states by Nicholas (1993), which this methods adopt a student-centered approach (student learn by-self).
The choosing of this area of study begins from my interesting to know about what the student or user get after involve in library orientation session. In addition as a member of student orientation committee week, after bring the new student into the library orientation, when talking to them and me ask about, what their get from the session, they’re not know what their get it form the session. These situations make me more interest to study details about these problems.
Therefore, this study was investigated about the effectiveness of library orientations among the first year student (semester 1 and semester 2) in UiTM Kedah. From this study, the outcomes able to explain whether the current library orientations that organized by Perpustakaan Sultan Badlishah is effective or no. Apart from this study also, it will reveal the needs of library to revised their current library orientation method or no, for the improvement of user education service.
These studies will be used three variables in investigated this problems, first variables is based on Library Orientation Method, were the investigated will observed the several type of current library orientation that practice in organizing the library orientations. For the next variables is user understanding. That will investigated the level of user understanding towards the objectives of library orientations are organized. Third variables are student usage, which looks the effect in the usage of library among the first year student.
Purpose of the study
This research is to survey on the student’s feedback towards the library orientation programs by UiTM Kedah student at Perpustakaan Sultan Badlishah (PSB UiTM Kedah). The expectation outcome from this research is to identify whether the library orientations that organize are effective or not.
Research questions
What is a current library orientations method?
What are the levels of student understanding after following the library orientation session?
What the levels of student’s usage are after involve the library orientations?
Research objectives
To identify the current library orientations method that suitable to practice by
library nowadays.
To identify the levels of students understanding after involve the library
orientations sessions.
To identify the levels of student’s usage after involve the library orientations
session.
Significant of study
The significant of this study is:
A survey about the current library orientation method, will able help the library choose the best method to implement that save the cost and staff time in next time library orientation session.
Based on the level of users understanding after involve the library orientations sessions, hope that it will help the library to make improvement in the ways how the library can deliveries the orientations to the new user.
Based on the level of students usage after involve the library orientations it will able library know what the causes that can attract the new user come to library and use the service that have been provided.
1.8 Limitation
The scope of this study is limited to first year undergraduate’s students. The limitations of time has become a constraints, to this study is only doing at semester one and semester two whose part of first year students in UiTM Kedah. The population of study is only investigates the students that have experience with the library orientation at PSB UiTM Kedah.
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 Effectiveness of Library Orientation
. In a paper by John Walsh (2008), he claimed that the library orientation can increase the student familiarity with the library and resources, his addition in the literature review that his made and conclude the library orientation have effects the increases of student usage statistics.
Accroding to the J.Dunt and Barbara F.Schloman (1995) that cited the idea by James Rice 1981, has stated library was a part of the levels of library instruction which cover the library orientation, library instruction and bibliographic instruction. One of the objectives the library orientation programs has been organized in this week are to get the students initial impressions towards the library staff and systems overall. (Nicholas, 1993).
Accroding to Jan Nicholas, which explained about the library orientation objectives, the library orientation can be understand as a programs that used to tell the student about the library system which consist the library registration process, way to use the library material and facilities , explain the information seeking by using the OPAC (Online Public Access Cataloguing), and as a tool the library to identify and cope the library anxiety among the new user.
2.2 Library Orientation Method
Library orientation is an activity where library provides an introduction to users about the physical library layout, collections and services (Du Mont and Schloman, 1995). From the review of past paper, the selection of library orientation programs can be considers as important decisions that need to do, the implementation of library orientation programs usually involve the others issues for example, the cost that library need to use, how far the programs will effect library staff time (Fjallbrant, 1981) and the impacts of activity to students.
Use the Lecture plus conducted tour and electronic demonstrations.
Taken the example of findings result related to the library orientation programs from the Kent State University as highlight by the Du Mont and Schloman in their article “The evolution and reaffirmation of a Library orientation program in an Academic Research Library” that published in Spring 1995, has conclude the use variety method in library orientations are need. For example at the Kent State University there are have two methods that has practice:
Lecture plus conducted tour
Lecture plus electronic demonstrations (No Tour)
Lecture Plus conducted Tour is method where the student was need to attend to library orientation session and in the session the student will be listen to librarian, about the collection, service that has provided. And at the end of session the student was bring to library tour. This method is similar practice that used by Perpustakaan Sultan Badlishah in conducted the library orientations. In the evaluation result that found using this method, has received the mixed respond, with the feedback that give by the new student said, the program had introduced key finding tools and provide an orientation to the physical layout of the library and main service, however this method also has contribute the passive experience to students. Compare to the Lecture plus electronic demonstrations (No tour), the uses of electronic devices more give the less experience to students.
Use the Self-paced exercise and Workbook.
As noted by Hahn and Zitron (2011), the first year student frequently faces the problems in searching the materials in library. These problems statements already reveal how important the library orientation needs to organize. The uses of the Self-paced exercise (Fjallbrant, 1981) and workbook (Nicholas, 1993) is suitable to applied to the large numbers of student because the applied of it have save a time, and provide a reasonable cost to library.
From the paper presented by Fjallbrant et.al (1981) in “Self-paced exercises for library orientation”. Have explained how the library orientation using a self-paced exercise has brought the positive respond from users. The paper has claimed this method as excellent method to practice because it economical and saving the library staff time and student time. Self-paced tour is a library orientation practice where the students were given the set of orientation guide with individual exercise sheets, where the students have direct to complete it. From the result paper has claimed this method has achieved all the library orientation objectives where the student has able to: –
Aware of the existence of the university library, know what library contain and when library open.
Know to locate the varieties of library material and photocopying areas
Know to distinguish between the use of the author catalogue and the subject catalogue.
Know to use the library in generally and know to fill the requisition form for the most common types of loan.
Know to use the library with confidence in connection with studies.
The uses of Workbook as presented in the paper “Library Orientation: A Workable Alternative Re-Worked” by Nicholas (1993), in the result of this paper, the user have given the mixed feedback, where uses of this method are useful but more prefer to library tour.
2.3 Level of Students understanding
Accroding to Igun and Adogbeji in the “Orientation on Library Use for New student Delta State Unversity, Abraka, Nigeria that published on November 2006 in Library Hi Tech News has state, the library is a place where the books and non-books are kept for users, which kept for use by student and staff in fulfill the research, educational, recreational and cultural need of users. In evaluate the library understanding after the library orientation programs the library need to make sum of the library checklist for example use the library orientation objectives checklist or library anxiety checklist.
In ensuring the level of user understand after involve the library orientations has given the impacts, the librarians are need to do the checklist of the objectives of library orientations after sessions. According to Nicholas (1993), the objectives of library orientations can consist from several aspects of activity:-
Introduce students to their subject librarians
Register students as library members.
Make students aware of the library facilities and services that provided.
Tell the students about the location of material in library
Create the positive attitude
Teaching the basic knowledge using the OPAC (Online Public Access Cataloguing).
Make students receptive to, and interested in, the concept of further information skills
However, if all the above listed objectives are not achieving the library need to the alternative plan, for example used the workbook instead library tour (Nicholas, 1993) or Self-paced exercise (Fjallbrant, 1981) .
The objectives of library orientation also are to helping the user to cope the “library anxiety”. Taking the example of research by the Brown et.al (2004) in evaluate the users anxieties, the research has used the Library Anxiety Scale that developed by Bostick. The scale has used to see the relation aspects that cover the barriers with staff, affective barriers, comfort with the library; knowledge of the library and mechanical barriers.
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2.4 Level of Student Usage
The evaluation result after the library orientation is the most reliable measure of student’s usage. In order to library make the improvements, the evaluation towards the student’s usage are need to be conducted. In this research the students usage will be measures through the student’s feedback about the method that have been practiced in Perpustakaan Sultan Badlishah have given the benefits or no. in effects their experiences in usage the library.
2.5 Conceptual Framework
Library Orientations Method
Effectiveness of Library Orientations
Level of Students Usage
Level of Students Understanding
Figure 1: Conceptual framework
At above is figure of conceptual framework consists of three independent variables (IV) that have been used in this research proposed. The variables is consists the library orientation method, levels of students understanding and levels of students usage which supported by review of literature. These variables have been used to relate with the research questions in this study. At the end, of this research, hopefully it can answer all the interested questions that involve in these three variables.
Research Methodology
In this study, research methodology has been develop in order to work systematically solve the research problem.
Research design
This study will be looked the effectiveness of library orientation programs in Perpustakaan Sultan Badlishah (PSB UiTM Kedah), that research the first year student. These researches are quantitative research.The reasons of uses of quantitative researches The purposes of study are to survey the student’s feedback towards the library orientation programs by UiTM Kedah student at Perpustakaan Sultan Badlishah (PSB UiTM Kedah). The expectation outcome from this research is to identify whether the library orientations that organize are effective or not.
This study is also focused on the effectiveness of library orientations that faced by new student that involve in library orientations. This study investigated based on conceptual framework consists of three independent variable which consist library orientations method (that look the variety way in implement the library orientations), second variables is level of student understanding and third variables which is level of students usage, The variable that has been used in this study has a relationship with the dependent variable that will be look the effectiveness of library orientations program.
Data collection in this study is based on questionnaire. The questionnaire has been use in this study contained structured question. This study involved library user focusing on undergraduates’ students of Bachelor of Library and Information Management, UiTM Kedah. The questionnaires were distributed randomly among undergraduate student semester one of Bachelor of Library and Information Management, UiTM Kedah.
Population
The population of studies was planned to involve respondents from UiTM Kedah students. The respondents will be random choosing among undergraduate students from semester one and semester two only. The total of undergraduate students that taken the various course of Bachelor in UiTM Kedah is 1338 students which consist of students from part one to part six, male and female. However for this study, only the respondents from semester one and semester two were choose. The reasons of the chooses of this respondents because this two group are still remember the experience with library orientation and additionally this two group itself are enough for the aspects of research size for this study. However for this study, only the 100 respondents will be choosing.
Sample and sampling technique
In total, population of semester one and semester two students that take Bachelor in UiTM Kedah is 299 of students. The samples will be selected as suggested by Sekaran (2010). Sampling technique were used in this study is quota sampling were the respondents will randomly choose with the certain quota. For example, the student from Bachelor of Information Management is 20 respondent, and the Bachelor of Business Management also 20 respondent.
Data collection
This study will be used the questionnaire to collect all data among the respondent. The questionnaire was distributed randomly among undergraduate student who were become the respondent in this study. One week will be allocated to collect the data from respondent. However, if the data could not collected in one week, another day will be used to collect the data,
Data collection instrument
The data in this study were collected by administering the questionnaire. The questionnaire will distribute among Bachelor student that from semester one and semester two of Bachelor student at UiTM Kedah. The questionnaire will be used is structured questions consisting several set of questions divided into several sections.
Data analysis
After the questionnaire collected back from the respondents, the data will be analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) and the result will be represented through descriptive statistics such as percentages. The data were analyzed to determine the effectives of library orientations.
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