Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
2020
Abstract
Print media usage presented some important qualities overtime, which have made it an advantageous medium of study regardless of the technological advancements of the contemporary times popularly described as the information age. The value, as perceived by scholars in training (users of academic libraries especially), were sort by this research to analyze why prints are still glamour for, in a digital era with all the improvements made by digital adoptions. This study revealed that 378 respondents returned their questionnaire copies out of the 500 sent out and constituted 75.6% returns. Results for objective 1, revealed among others that, clients’ have developed deeper relationships with prints media over a long time targeted around users’ study interest areas. Users revealed that these prints have brought enlightenment, education and enabled a smooth running of the global economy as well as its civil societies. It also revealed that users’ value for prints have been built on a strength that prints form the foundation for reading and learning. Users were loyal to prints publications as they provide high quality content on areas that settle their specific interest. Respondents further revealed prints as being friendly, flexible for accessibility and utilization, encouraging sequential personal study with ease and without posing health challenges. Objective 2 indicated users’ perceived value as associated to the library revealing that librarians’ who were once seen as obsolete can now develop new skills, perform their jobs better, become friendly to their clients, improve and update services while streamlining academic standards. Regrettably, in objective 3, users revealed a catalogue of challenges posed on them while utilizing print materials. They are, overcrowding the prints record library during examination time because of few copies of information materials, non-replacement of mutilated pages, disorganized catalogues, missing entries and outright un-even distribution of prints. The researchers believe that if these challenges were addressed, users would be more satisfied with utilization of prints resources