User Perspective of Library Services in the 21st Century in a Tertiary Based Learning Institution

Abstract

Academic libraries worldwide have supported their parents’ institutions to achieve their mission of providing quality education services to students and teaching faculty (Mahmood et al., 2023). These libraries include traditional services such as reading materials, textbooks, study hubs, manual loan systems and reference aids. Today, the digital revolution has introduced technological services such as printing, photocopying, online databases and artificial intelligence (AI) tools as referencing guides. However, while the academic libraries in the 21st century have drastically changed from traditional manual systems to technological driven operations (Momoh & Folorunso, 2019), there are various setbacks encountered by the academic libraries of Papua New Guinea (PNG) that cannot perform likewise. Unfortunately, there is lack of studies conducted in this area of which such evidence is required to enhance the quality of academic library services in PNG. This case study was conducted to examine the user’s perception of the academic library services in a developing nation in the 21st century. A qualitative case study has been done with a data collection method of focus group interview and individual semi-interview. A purposive sampling of thirty library users were selected and interviewed in three focus groups and three individual semi-structured interviews. The data collected have been recorded, transcribed and thematically analyzed. The study revealed users were equally satisfied with library facilities and dissatisfied with digital services. Participants perceptions were consistent with satisfaction of conducive library environment such as ‘I’m impressed of the set-up of the library, the space is big, very peaceful and quiet’, adequate resources, ‘easy to locate books…, the library has a lot of computers. The participants have evenly expressed dissatisfaction in the current trend of technological services stating ‘I haven’t used the online database like JSTOR…, the problem is the WiFi network, some of the materials we cannot access’, on the databases that were provided by the library. These responses indicate that users needed to be trained and guided with the technological services. The findings of this study recommend a need for more awareness and training to academic students and staff on new technological devices and systems that an academic library provides. Each user is to be trained by librarians to fully utilize technological services to enhance education and research spaces in Papua New Guinea.