Book Availability and Performance Measure in an Academic Library: The Case of the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Library, Mthatha Campus, Gbade A. Alabi

Today’s academic libraries according to Simmonds and Andaleeb (1998) are confronted with challenges on several fronts, on-line information providers, multi-media products, document delivery services and other competitive sources of information as well as the evolving technological innovations which are apparently threatening their role and even their very survival. Academic libraries may have to adopt a more strategic orientation in which the creation and delivery of service satisfactions for their users play an important role. In assessing what role academic libraries should be playing, the need to improve and deliver better services based on user needs is emerging as an important theme. At the same time, providing access to information is being advocated as a more desirable measure of the quality of academic libraries. Similarly, academic library users also need to know how to use a library; such as the provision of an introduced Information Literacy or orientation programme. The instructional methods are as varied as the users, ranging from detailed teaching sessions to simple signage. Despite all manners of instruction, there is a nagging sense that a number of patrons still have difficulty using the library.