designing a selective dissemination of information system for mityana modern secondary school library

Description

The purpose of the study was to design a selective dissemination of information system for Mityana Modern Secondary School (MMSS) Library. The objectives of the study were to; identify the types of information resources held by MMSS Library, examine the information needs of library users at MMSS Library, examine the methods used in dissemination of information to the users on the new information resources available in the school library, find out the challenges faced in dissemination of information to the users on the new information resources at MMSS Library, and design a Selective Dissemination of Information System for MMSS Library. Data was collected using face-to-face interview, questionnaire and observation methods. Purposive sampling method was used to select 54 respondents who participated in the study. The study found out that the different information resources accessible in MMS Library were; text books, past papers and questions banks, use handouts and pamphlets, maps and photographs and electronic resources. The needs of the library users for information resources in the library were; revision purposes, complete their assignments, and exercises left, to get up dated with the current news. Librarians disseminate information through the use of telephones, displaying information on notice boards, using Email, list of latest periodical received, news clipping service, and school assemblies. The challenges included; unreliable electricity, poor network connectivity, storage problems, unawareness about the existing sources of information, inadequate support staff, lack of the up to date information in some fields of specialization, inadequate information resources, there is delay in delivery of current awareness information via emails, some selective dissemination of information services are not readily available. The solutions to the challenges were; training of the library users on the use of ICTs, regular acquisition of the up to date information resources, increasing the funds for the library, and using social media. The study concluded that implementation of the selective dissemination of information system would help librarians alert the library users on the new information resources acquired in the school library. The study recommended Mityana Modern Secondary School that it should implement the SDI System in order to promote the users access to library services.