Abstract
This chapter documents the experience of upgrading services in the Faculty of Pharmacy Library, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and future management plans. The participatory and “give-back-to-community” approach, future mappings of users, faculty and library management are documented using a descriptive survey with questionnaire and interviews for data collection. Data was analyzed using frequency counts and percentages, and interview findings are thematically discussed. It was revealed that users expected top rate technology facilities and learning commons with augmented and virtual reality-utilized classrooms and laboratories to replay lectures, experiments, and real-time demonstrations. Online reference-services, booking makerspaces with lecturers locally and internationally solving pharmaceutical problems in prime time, were expected. Strategic planning, technology training, crowdfunding, and human resources collaboration were recommended for implementation of these future services.
TopBackground
The Faculty of Pharmacy Library, University of Ibadan was set up in the 1980/81 academic session. The Faculty of Pharmacy Library is a synergy. It has associate collaboration of all library information resources such as print, non-print and electronic databases with the central library called the Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan. Its collections are anchored largely on the central library. Collections such as text books, reference resources and pharmacy relevant online electronic databases are adequately supplied by the central library while other information resources such as periodicals, projects and dissertations, off-line electronic resources were also supplied by the faculty for user consultation. Adequate provision of information had increased the number of users in the library which automatically indicates the satisfaction level of library users.
In the early years of the new millennium, the Faculty of Pharmacy Library had very limited resources and the library was small in size. The situation of things had changed for new users’ experience of library user satisfaction currently. The conduciveness of the Faculty of Pharmacy library is now highly commended in the University. The present size has increased from its sitting capacity of 33 to 86 sitting capacity at a time. The library also acquired more current and relevant information resources for users’ consultation. In addition to this, the library has installed air conditioners and separated e-resources section for users with available internet facility. Users’ satisfaction in terms of library resources, conducive environment and provision of prompt library services are paramount to the library staff in the Faculty of Pharmacy Library. The act of decentralization of library is to take information services to the door step of users to satisfy their needs. All these essential roles are being played, to the Faculty of Pharmacy library users. The Library opens at 8.00am and closed at 4.00pm to readers. In this regard, the e-resources are working 24/7. The facilities and services offered to library users are enlisted as follows:
- 1.
Circulation services
- 2.
Orientation programme for Freshmen
- 3.
E-Resources retrieval facility
- 4.
Current Awareness Services of newly acquired books and other information resources
- 5.
Reference/Information Services
- 6.
Reservation of Books Services
- 7.
Reprographic Services
Key Terms in this Chapter
Pharmacy Library: This is the warehouse or custodian of all print and non-print information resources required by pharmacy students and other related users.
Basic Medical Sciences: It is the body of knowledge in the generic knowledge area of the basic and medical sciences of which Pharmacy is a department.
Library Services: These are professional tasks rendered to library users in anticipation and on demand in meeting their information needs.