RESEARCH PROJECT ON SIGNIFICANCE OF PROPER

SHELVING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS; A CASE STUDY

OF KAIMOSI FRIENDS UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED BY:

NASSIM MUDEIZI
ADM NO:

A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE
AWARD OF DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION STUDIES
OF SHAMBERERE TECHNICAL TRAINING INSTITUTE.
 DECLARATION
With every effort that has been made to ensure that this information is accurate as far as my
research is concerned, I hereby wish to declare that this research is purely the true copy of my
original work.

I permit the reproduction, storage, or transmission of parts or aspects of the information within this
research project but only for the purposes of research, criticism, or review. No responsibility for
the loss or damaged occasion to any person acting or refraining from action as result of the research
project will however be accepted by me.

Declaration by student;
Name: NASSIM MUDEIZI
Sign: ……………………….
Date: ………………………

Declaration by supervisor;
This research project has been submitted for examination with my approval as the supervisor.
NAME: Miss
Department of Information Communication and Technology
Signature ………………….
DATE: …………………
Shamberere Technical Training Institute

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 DEDICATION
I humbly wish to dedicate this research project to the ALMIGHTY GOD for all the provisions
blessings and wisdom to do this work successfully. Also, to my loving parents Mr. & Mrs. Mudeizi
for the unending support throughout my studies.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude first to the Kenya National Library Services-Kaimosi
for allowing me carry out my project in their library and offering a well conversant library
technician to supervise my progress. I am really humbled for your support.

My special regards also goes to my supervisor Madam Winnie for all the useful guidance, support
and more so constructive criticism in the writing of this report.

I also wish to entirely acknowledge specially the department of Information Communication and
technology for all the efforts you put in to see our studies successful in this institution.

To my parents, dad and mum I cannot thank you enough for all the sacrifices you make for my
sake. I honestly thank my sisters Joanne, Julie and Jackie, you are a blessing to me. Thank you for
your mutual understanding and support.

My classmates, thank you for making all this journey a beautiful ride. You all have been amazing
friends and a force to reckon. For all the sweet, tough and rough times we’ve had and all the
beautiful memories we have created I say you are the strongest people I have seen ever. Last but
not least, I am grateful to the Almighty GOD for with you, everything was possible.

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Table of Contents
DECLARATION ......................................................................................................................... i
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................ ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ......................................................................................................... iii
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... vi
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1
1.1: BACKGROUND INFORMATION .................................................................................... 1
1.2: OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 1
1.3: OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY Main Objective ............................................................... 2
1.4: RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................................. 2
1.5: LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY....................................................................................... 2
1.6: DEFINITION OF TERMS .................................................................................................. 3
CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................ 4
LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Shelving materials ................................................................................................................. 5
2.2.1 Books and documents .................................................................................................... 5
2.2.2 Oversized books, posters and audio-visuals .................................................................. 6
2.2.4 Filing materials .............................................................................................................. 7
2.2.5 Displaying materials ...................................................................................................... 7
2.3 Basic library procedures: Shelving and shelf-reading procedure Shelving .......................... 8
2.4 Terminology of bookshelves ................................................................................................. 8
2.5 Different types of shelving .................................................................................................... 9
2.6 Shelving arrangements ........................................................................................................ 12
2.7 Special designators .............................................................................................................. 18
CHAPTER THREE....................................................................................................................... 22
3.1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................ 22
3.2 DATA ANALYIS AND HIGHLIGHTS OF FINDINGS .................................................. 22
3.3 DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................................... 23
3.4 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................... 24
3.5 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 25
CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................................... 27

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 DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION ...................................... 27
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 27
4.0 Personal information. .......................................................................................................... 27
4.1.1 Gender distribution. ..................................................................................................... 27
4.1.2 Length of time served at Kaimosi Friends University library ......................................... 28
CHAPTER FIVE........................................................................................................................... 32
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..................... 32
5.0 INTRODUCTION: ............................................................................................................. 32
5.1 Summary of the major findings. ......................................................................................... 32
5.1.1 Effectiveness of information organization program for the users (Shelving) .............. 32
5.1.2 Policy governing information organization program for the users. ............................. 32
5.1.3 Inadequate training to users who visit the library ........................................................ 32
5.1.4 Insufficient staff awareness on shelving ...................................................................... 33
5.1.5 Challenges facing shelving of information materials in the library ............................. 33
5.1.6 Importance of shelving to the users ............................................................................. 33
5.2 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 33
5.3 Recommendations. .............................................................................................................. 35
5.4 Suggestions for further research ......................................................................................... 37
BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 37
APPENDICES .......................................................................................................................... 38

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 ABSTRACT
This research work examined the proper shelving of library materials in Kenya National library
service a case study of Kaimosi Friends University library. The data was obtained through
observation and documentary sources. Observation being a major instrument of data collection
involved site visits, which was designed to elicit information relevant to the research questions
and objectives. The data obtained were analysed and results show that proper shelving of library
materials were done by Para-professionals and recommendation was made that shelving of library
materials should be done by Para- professionals under the strict supervision of professional
librarians.

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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1: BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Kaimosi friends University College is the only university in tropical rain forest in Kenya.
Kaimosi teachers training college (TTC) is a predecessor of Kaimosi friends’ University College
that was established as a constituent college of Masinde Muliro University of Science and
technology on 2006 east African yearly meeting of friends church Quakers proposal to establish a
university and submitted a proposal to a commission of university education. In November 2008,
its first inspection visit observed that no significant progress has made. In July 2012 friends’
church decided to explore the possibility of stablishing the KTTC as a constituent of a public
university. On 24th July 2012, MMUST council considered friends church request and
recommended the establishment of KAFUCO constituent college. On 27th of august 2012, CUE
inspected the facilities with a view of establishing the availability, adequacy and appropriateness
for the proposed university. On 30th January 2014, then the governor of Vihiga county Hon
Akaranga chaired a stakeholders meetings which included representatives from MMUST, CUE,
Moi University, JKUAT, KTTC and local communities geared towards establishment of the
university college
1.2: OVERVIEW
Shelving of library materials is veritable technique that ensures that books and other information
materials are kept on correct shelves after the materials have been processed at the technical
services section or after the materials have been consulted by users.

In every library, information materials are arranged on the shelves according to definite plan.
Shelving is defined as the process of returning processed or used books to the appropriate shelves
from cataloguing/ classification section and reading tables respectively, while shelf reading is the
act of examining books kept on the shelves to see that they are properly shelved and in their correct
positions on the shelves.

However, in shelving library materials, efforts are made to put them according to the symbols of
classification call-number in shelving of library materials, there is need to ascertain the positioning
of the materials.

At the Kenya National Library Services, shelving of library materials is an activity aimed at
facilitating the dissemination as well as retrieval of information. Apparently, shelving in Kaimosi
Friends University library is among routines which constitute professional jobs done by library

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attendants professionally trained and further supervised by experienced professional staff
especially readers services librarian and serials/documents librarian.

1.3: OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY Main Objective

1. To find the significance of proper shelving of library materials
Specific objectives
i. To find out the National libraries that shelf their library materials
ii. To identify the methods used for proper shelving of library materials
iii. To find out the types of materials shelved at the national library
iv. To assess the importance of shelving use of library materials

1.4: RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In an effort to generate data on this study, these researches were formulated;
i. How often do you shelf the library materials?
ii. What methods do you apply to ensure proper shelving of library
materials? iii. What type of shelves do you use for shelving library materials?
iv. What types of library materials do you shelf in your library?

v. Does shelving of library materials have any effects on the use of library materials categories
of library staff are involved in shelving of library materials?

1.5: LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The research centres on shelving of library materials in National libraries with particular reference
to Kaimosi Friends University library. The obvious limitation of the study financial constraint,
time constant and logistics to get to the field of study.

Generating data was a strong challenge as much as literature has not emphasized so much on library
shelving as a practice.

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 1.6: DEFINITION OF TERMS
The following recurrent terms are defined for clarity;
Library, Shelving, Library materials, Shelf reading, Shelving staff, Significance.
1. Library: Is a curated collection of sources of information and similar resources selected by experts
and made accessible to a defined community for reference or borrowing often in a quiet
environment conducive for study.

2. Shelving: the act of organizing books by call numbers in sequential order and placing them in their
correct location on the library shelves.

3. Library materials: means books, periodicals, related ordering, processing, cataloguing or binding
costs or services, references databases, cataloguing and security systems, maps, documents,
microforms, computer software or pre-recorded audio-visual resources for the benefit of learning.

4. Shelf-reading: the process of checking through the library collections to ascertain improperly
shelved, missing or stolen books. Shelf reading has saved libraries a great deal of time and
resources by locating books that may have otherwise been lost.
5. Shelving staff: library staff members who are engaged in the shelving routine. This varies from
library to library in some libraries it is solely schedule of the junior library staff while in some
libraries both junior and senior staff members are involved.

6. Significance: having the quality of being meaningful or important.

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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction

Though literature abounds on organization of library resources, such as using classification

schemes in managing the resources, not much study has been conducted on staff attitude to
shelving and shelf-reading, therefore literature available for this study is very scanty. Shelving is
described as organizing books by call numbers and placing them in their correct locations on the
library shelves; while shelf reading is the process of reading the call numbers on books that are
currently on the library shelves and making sure that they are in the proper order. In stressing the
importance of these two main tasks in libraries, Agboola (1984) pointed out that shelving is an
important aspect of library work which can determine user satisfaction or frustration as far as
locating library materials is concerned. Lyons and Rutherford (1998) on the other hand, noted that
shelving is critical to the success of a library’s service delivery strategies. Hence proper and
accurate shelving and shelf-reading maintain patrons‟ confidence.

In most libraries in developing countries, shelving of books is done by junior staff. Corroborating
this, Agboola (1984) acknowledged that in libraries, the shelving of books is done by junior library
staff under the supervision of professional librarians. In developed countries, shelving of books is
done by part time shelvers (Rodgers 1998). However, shelving and shelf reading can be monstrous
and boring and being a routine duty, staff can develop a negative attitude to it. Power

(1999) observed that library users‟ perception of shelving staff as the lowest in the library staff
hierarchy can also affect their attitude. Lyons and Rutherford (1998) in their review of the
University of Queensland library’s shelving operations reported that there used to be a long
standing history of inter-personal conflict and dissatisfaction amongst the shelving staff before a
solution was proffered.

Furthermore, Power (1999) emphasized that since shelving is time consuming and involves
repetition of tasks, it requires motivated staff to effectively perform the task very well. In line with
the above Aliero (2003) claimed that most inappropriate shelving is done by library staff
themselves. He highlighted a number of reasons for this which includes ignorance, non-challant
attitude, lack of supervision, under staffing and lack of motivation.

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Once materials have been classified and catalogued, they are ready to be put on shelves, on display,
or in files in the resource centre.

2.2 Shelving materials

Shelving means arranging materials on shelves according to their classification number. Materials
on the same subject have the same classification number, so they are arranged together
alphabetically by the first three letters of the author’s name, or by title if no author is given.

Good shelving:

• makes it is easy for users to find what they

need
• Makes it easy for staff to do a stock check
helps staff to answer queries.

It is very important to ensure that each material is put in the right place. If books have been mixed
up, they must be rearranged in the correct order. This is called „shelf reading‟, and needs to be
done regularly.

2.2.1 Books and documents

Books should be arranged upright from left to right, starting on the top shelf. Shelves must not be
overcrowded. Overcrowding can damage the books by preventing any flow of air between them
and making it awkward to remove them. It will also leave little space for adding new books. It is
best to fill only three-quarters of the shelf space to allow for new additions. This will save staff
from constantly having to move books to make room for new ones.

Each shelf should be labelled according to its subject, so that users can see where to find material
on a particular subject. If shelves are labelled with classification numbers and the subject that they
represent, it will help users to understand the classification system.

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Shelf labels or book labels can also be used to identify different categories of materials. For
example, different coloured labels can be used to identify materials that may not be borrowed, or
to distinguish training manuals from other publications.

Labels can be hand-made and stuck onto the shelves, or a special shelf-label holder can be obtained
from library suppliers.

2.2.2 Oversized books, posters and audio-visuals

It is often convenient to keep very large books separately from other books, as this makes better
use of shelving space, and enables more materials to be fitted into a smaller resource centre.

Slides are sometimes kept in hanging files, either in filing cabinets or filing boxes. Posters are
usually stored in map chests or plan chests, or in a large folder (see Section 3.3: Choosing furniture
and equipment). Rolling up or folding posters is not recommended, as it may damage them.

Videos are sometimes kept in a locked cupboard. If so, it is very important to provide a list of
videos in subject order, with brief summaries of their content, so that users know what is available.

2.2.3 Periodicals
Periodicals are best kept in pamphlet boxes or magazine boxes (see Section 3.3.3). These help to
protect the periodicals and make them easily accessible. All parts of a periodical volume should
be kept in one box. Several periodicals can be kept in the same box, to save space. Each box should
be clearly labelled with the title of the periodicals in it, and the years of publication and volume
numbers. Issues of each periodical should be arranged in the order of their volume and issue
number, starting with the first volume and issue number and continuing to the most recent.
There are two choices about where to keep periodicals. They can either be kept together in a
separate section of the resource centre, arranged by title, or they can be put on the shelves (in
pamphlet boxes) with books and other materials on the same subject. Keeping periodicals with
books can help to bring them to the attention of users who are interested in a range of materials on

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a particular subject. However, a separate section may also be needed for periodicals that cover a
wide range of subjects.

If funds are available, it might be worth having complete volumes of periodicals bound. However,
before doing this, it is important to consider how long each periodical will be kept, and how often
it will be used. For example, news magazines are useful for a shorter period than other periodicals
containing less time-specific information. Instead of keeping the whole periodical, useful articles
could be catalogued and kept in a filing cabinet.

2.2.4 Filing materials

It is important to keep materials such as leaflets, brochures and annual reports in a way that makes
them easy to find. These materials can kept either on the shelves (in pamphlet boxes) with books
and other materials on the same subject, or in filing cabinets, filed by subject or organisation name,
depending on how the information is most likely to be sought. If there are a lot of materials, such
as leaflets about many different organisations, they could be filed first by geographical area and
then by organisation name.

2.2.5 Displaying materials

There are a number of reasons for displaying materials in a resource centre. Displays help to
highlight new materials, and encourage people to use them. An attractive display adds colour and
interest to the resource centre, and shows that staff are actively providing a good service.

New books, periodicals or other materials should be displayed in a „display area‟ of the resource
centre for between a week and a month (depending on how often new materials arrive), so that
users can see them before they are put on the shelves. Details of new materials should be included
on noticeboards elsewhere in the organisation, to promote them to those who do not visit the
resource centre regularly (see Section 8.2: Promoting the resource centre).

Current issues of periodicals are usually displayed on display racks, arranged alphabetically by
title. Each time a new issue arrives, the previous issue should be removed and put in the appropriate
pamphlet box.

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2.3 Basic library procedures: Shelving and shelf-reading procedure Shelving
In a busy library, shelving and shelf work is a never-ending and seemingly, thankless task. The
arrangement of books in the library makes them accessible and usable by library patrons. If
materials are misplaced or never reshelved, locating information would be impossible. It is
recommended that all library materials be reshelved within twenty-four hours of their return to the
library, yet many libraries fail to realize the importance of shelf work. Although shelvers may
rarely come into contact with library patrons and are often the most junior people on staff, the
quality, speed, and efficiency with which shelving is carried out will affect how patrons view the
library and its services. Backlogs of unshelved materials cause delays in service because patrons
must wait for unshelved items to be located. Shelving and shelf work is critical to the efficiency
and effectiveness of any library.

2.4 Terminology of bookshelves

Before discussing shelving arrangements, it is important to be clear on terminology used to
describe shelves and shelving in libraries. There are four components to bookshelves:

1. Shelf – A flat piece of wood or metal that is placed horizontally between two uprights to
hold books. Shelves are hung in a series of slots running the length of each side of the
upright. This permits shelves to be easily adjusted for materials of varying heights. A 3ft.
shelf length is the standard. Depths of 8, 9, 10, and 12 inches are available. However, a 9

Inch depth is considered the standard.

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 2. Section (also called a Bay) – A vertical series of shelves, between two uprights. A
section is 3 ½, 5 ½, or 7 ½ feet high. The section is the basic unit of shelving and may be
a. Double-faced – shelves are hung on both sides

b. Single-faced – shelves are hung on one side only and are usually placed against a wall

3. Range – A number of sections lined up end to end. Ranges are aligned parallel to each
other. Sections of freestanding shelves are usually bolted together and made more
aesthetically pleasing by installing end panels. As well a range will be capped with a top,
referred to as a canopy top. The canopy top adds stability, protects books on the top shelf
from getting dusty, and gives a finished appearance to the range.

4. Stacks – All of the ranges within the library are collectively referred to as “the stacks”.
The aisle width between ranges should be a minimum of 3 feet. Information about access
for people with disabilities is available from the National Library of Canada.
2.5 Different types of shelving
In addition to the standard shelving illustrated above, there are a large variety of display and special
purpose shelving available for:

• audio-visual materials
• periodicals and paperbacks
• special displays (e.g. new books)

As well, special types of storage shelving has been developed to help libraries rearrange their
collections to increase capacity. Compact storage systems can house more books than traditional
shelving in the same amount of floor space because most aisles are eliminated. There are two kinds
of compact shelving:

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 1. Compact mobile shelving
When an aisle is required, the stacks are moved to one side or the other to open-up an aisle. The
ranges are mounted on metal rails and can be moved by: pushing, use of a mechanical crank, or
use of an electric motor. When an aisle has been opened, there is no aisle access available for the
neighbouring ranges. Built-in safety devices ensure that an aisle cannot close with a patron
standing in it. Patrons and shelvers may have to line up while waiting for unavailable ranges.
Browsing time may be limited if others are waiting. This type of shelving is usually used for
infrequently used material or for items that can be retrieved without browsing (e.g. outdated book
collections or old runs of bound periodicals). Because of the weight of compact movable
shelving is heavier than standard shelving, it must be installed on the ground floor or in a

specially built facility.

2. Sliding drawer system

This type of shelving is a fixed framework of individual shelves can be pulled out into the aisle.

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It requires more aisle room than standard or compact shelving.

Open and closed stacks

Library collections can be open stacks or closed stacks. There are reasons to have both in a library
and implications for library staffing and shelf work.

1. Open stack collection

Open stack collections give patrons complete access to the materials on the shelves. Patrons may
browse and choose their own materials. The result of open access is more reshelving and
maintenance to keep the collection in call number order. There are extra problems with security.
Libraries try to discourage patrons from reshelving their materials because untrained individuals
may miss helve materials and as a result materials become lost. Signs are typically posted
encouraging patrons to put material they have used onto specially designated carts, tables, or
shelves. This facilitates the job of collecting, sorting, and reshelving materials for library staff.
The level of maintenance required in an open stacks collection is justified by a major increase in
accessibility for the patron.

2. Closed stack collection

Any collection that is not open to the general public or only on a selective basis is a closed stack
collection. Stacks are usually closed to protect rare or valuable material or control high-demand
materials. In libraries with closed stacks, materials are “paged”, i.e. the item is retrieved by a
library staff member and brought to the patron. The patron requests the material by writing the
call number on a “call slip” that is given to a staff member at the circulation desk. The library
staff member, or page, is sent to select the requested book from the closed stacks and carries it or
sends it by conveyor or book lift to the circulation desk where it is given to the user.

Closed stack collections are prevalent in universities, special libraries, and archival collections.
Since the collection is accessible only to library staff, it is generally in better call number order
and requires less maintenance. Also, the stacks can have narrower aisles than open stacks, so the
collection may require less floor space.

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Libraries with open stacks may keep certain materials in closed stacks because they are in high
demand, valuable, or may be stolen. Some materials are kept in closed separate stacks because of
their physical shape (e.g. maps or newspapers). As well, if a collection is very large and the library
has fixed stack space, little used materials are often kept in a closed stack storage area.

2.6 Shelving arrangements

The arrangement of books on the shelves make them accessible to patrons and library staff.
Unless you are starting or completely revising a library collection, the arrangement of materials
in the stacks is already established.

In all types of libraries, nonfiction is usually arranged according to classification systems (Dewey
Decimal or Library of Congress). These systems group material by subject and make it possible
to browse the shelves.

In public libraries, fiction is arranged in one of three ways:

* Alphabetical order according to the author’s last name
* By type or genre (e.g. science fiction, mystery, romance)
* By audience (e.g. children, young adult, adult)

Academic libraries classify fiction as “literature”. Literature is arranged by call number (usually
Library of Congress) so that an author’s works are shelved in the same area with the criticism of
these works.

Most libraries have reference material shelved in a separate area from the regular collection.
Reference materials will include such things as dictionaries, atlases, and handbooks that are
consulted on a regular basis.

Other materials that are often kept in separate areas include:

* audio-visual materials
* biographies
* foreign language materials

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* government publications
* large print books
* micro formats – e.g. Microfilm or fiche
* new books
* newspapers
* paperback fiction
* periodicals
* rare books

Shelving these types of materials in separate areas facilitates browsing. As well, the nature of the
material may require special cases or shelving. However, separate areas makes shelving,
retrieval, and browsing more complicated. Signage and library maps are helpful tools for
explaining library arrangements.

Materials are arranged in the stacks using a block arrangement. The typical pattern of shelving is
from left to right, from the top shelf down, section by section, and range by range.

Call numbers and shelving

Library materials are assigned to their places on the shelves through the use of call numbers.
These are found on the spine label. Call numbers arrange materials by subject based on
classification systems. In addition, the call number divides subject classification by author. In

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North American libraries, the two most common systems are Library of Congress and Dewey
Decimal.

Dewey decimal classification

In public and school libraries nonfiction books are usually shelved according to the Dewey
Decimal Classification (DDC) system. These call numbers consist of whole numbers and
decimals (e.g. 629.13, 629.5. 629.9). Typically a DDC is not sufficient to identify a work for all
library purposes. A book number, also called an author number or Cutter, is added to the
classification number to create a unique call number for each item in the library. The call number
is composed of a classification number and an author number (e.g. 629.13 A253).

The book number is used to create a unique call number. The simplest form, used by small
school and public libraries, is one to three letters from the author’s last name. Instead of an
author number, many libraries use Cutter numbers, named after their inventor Charles Ammi

Cutter. The author number is derived by combining the initial letter or letter(s) of the author’s
Last name with numbers from a numerical table designed to ensure an alphabetical arrangement
of names. The Cutter number is a decimal.

Components of DDC call number with a cutter number Example:

629.13 A253

629 = the first part of the classification number is a whole number and is filed numerically.
.13 = the next part of the classification number is read and filed as a decimal
A253 = the third line is filed by the letter and then by the number. However, the number is read as
a decimal.

A sample shelving arrangement for a DDC call number using a simple author would appear as
follows:

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For example, four books with the following call numbers:

641.5 Con
641.564 Cot
641.145 Cor
641.49 Con

Would have a correct sequence of:

641.145 Cor
641.49 Con
641.5 Con
641.564 Cot

Remember the latter part of the classification number is a decimal. Number “49” comes after “5”,
yet “.49” is smaller than “5”. Similarly, “.5” is smaller than “.564”.

A sample shelving arrangement for a DDC call number using a Cutter number would appear as
follows:

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Four books have DDC call numbers with Cutter numbers as follows:
697.042 D30
697.001 D565
697 D345
697.042 D34

The correct sequence would be:

697 D345
697.001 D565
697.042 D30
697.042 D34

In school and public libraries, fiction books are often simply shelved alphabetically by the
author’s last name or simply by the author number or the cutter number. The classification
number is usually used only with non-fiction.

Library of Congress
Most academic and special libraries shelve books according to the Library of Congress (LC)
classification system. These call numbers are based upon groups of letters and numbers. The
letter number combinations represent subjects.

Components of the LC call number

LB The first unit consists of letters and is shelved alphabetically
2395 The next unit consists of whole numbers and is shelved numerically
.C65 the third line is shelved by the letter and then by the number. However, the number is read as
a decimal

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1991 The final line is the date of publication and should be filed chronologically.

A sample shelving arrangement for LC Call numbers would be:

One example of LC call numbers with Cutter numbers as follows:

HD 8103 .C65 1980
Z 682 .W65 1985
LB 2334 .I884 1983
TX 911.5 .T73 1979

A second example:
HD 30.3 .J36 1981
HD 57.7 .H46 1985
HD 31 .B48 1987
HD 216 .F75 1969

The correct sequence for example 1 would be:

HD 810. .C65 1980
LB 2334 .I884 1983
TX 911.5 T73 1979
Z 682 .W65 1985

The correct sequence for example 2 would be:

HD 30.3 .J36 1981

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HD 31 .B48 1987
HD 57.7 .H46 1985
HD 216 .F75 1969

2.7 Special designators

In both the LLC and DDC systems, other special collections of items are arranged to the general
rules that apply to the rest of the collection. However, special designators are added above the
call numbers to show that the items are shelved in a special collection. Some examples include:

Juv Juvenile Juv C244

Ref Reference Collection Ref Q 175 .E3
Oversz Oversize Collection Oversz Q 175 .E3

Shelf work
Shelf work is the physical maintenance of the stacks and involves: sorting, shelving, shifting, and
shelf-reading.

1. Sorting
Materials to be shelved come from a number of sources:
* returned material
* new acquisitions
* books used by patrons in the library and left on tables or special shelves

Before materials can be shelved, they need to be broken down into workable units according to
shelf location and call number. Sorting prepares materials for efficient and quick reshelving.

Sorting is usually done on book trucks or on special shelves.

2. Shelving
Shelvers move book trucks of sorted library materials to the appropriate location to begin
shelving. As the books are shelved, the shelvers should be looking for miss helved materials and

18
routing them to the sorting area, or reshelving them properly. Shelves should be straightened by
aligning all spines even with the edge of the shelf. This makes it easier for patrons to see titles
and remove them from the shelves. At the same time, volumes should be shifted to the left side
of the shelf. A book support (a wire fixture hanging from the shelf above) or bookend should be
used to draw the books closely together to prevent lean.

Books should not be tightened too much with the book support or bookend. If books are too
tightly packed, patrons will have difficulty removing books and may damage book spines. Also,
if they attempt to reshelve a book they will push several books to the back of the shelf.

If books are too loosely packed, the patron will push some of the books to the back of the shelf.
Eventually, they fall in behind the shelf and are not easily found. Loosely packed books may fall
off the front of the shelf and hurt someone. Books will sustain damage if they are leaning at
sharp angles.

3. Shifting
Shifting is the process of moving sections of books. A shift may be necessary because:
* a collection is being rearranged
* differential growth in the collection
* portions of the collection are being removed
* new shelving has been added * a new facility has been built

To minimize disruptions to patrons, shifts should be scheduled during periods of low collection
use (e.g. over holidays or between semesters).

Free space can be obtained by:

* leaving top or bottom shelves empty
* leaving space at the end of each major break in classification
* leaving space at the end of each range

19
Each shelf should be left roughly two thirds full. This gives enough room to shelve new books and
returned books without overcrowding.

Remove books from the shelves by grasping them in the middle rather than tugging at the head
cap. Adjacent books can be pushed slightly towards the back of the shelf so enough of the book
can be exposed for grasping.

Book trucks are usually used for transporting materials. They should be loaded in the following
manner to prevent non-sequential transfer to the new location and to keep the truck from tipping.

Load carts with the spines facing outwards, not up, to prevent spine damage.

Materials should be carefully placed in order in their new location. Range numbers and directional
signs will need to be modified.

4. Shelf reading
Following a shift and on a regular schedule throughout the year, the collection should be shelf
read. Shelf-reading is the process of checking the shelves to make sure that each item is in its

20
proper place. Books get out of order because of staff and patron errors. To keep the collection in
order, each shelver is usually assigned a particular section of the stacks that they are responsible
for reading on a regular basis (e.g. daily, weekly, or monthly).

The library literature recommends shelf-reading at least once a week. In most libraries, there is
simply not enough time, or staff, to shelf-read the entire collection once a week. Heavily used
areas are shelf-read daily and other areas read less frequently.

As the shelves are read, any materials on crowded shelves should be shifted. Shelf-reading
usually turns up lost or long overdue items that were incorrectly shelved. Shelf-reading is
psychologically and physically challenging. Because it is boring, eye-straining, and stressful on
the back, each shelf-reading session should be no more than 1 to 2 hours with a break every 3045
minutes.

References
Bright, Franklyn F. Planning for a movable compact shelving system. Chicago: American Library
Association, 1991.

Hubbard, William J. Stack management: a practical guide to shelving and maintaining library
collections. Chicago: American Library Association, 1981.

Weihs, Jean. Integrated library: encouraging access to multimedia materials. Phoenix: Oryx Press,
1991

21
CHAPTER THREE
3.1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research is a case study of Kaimosi Friends University library. The method used for data
collection involved use of three methods of data capturing techniques there are: a. Gathering data
through visits

b. Use of oral interviews

c. Administration of questionnaire.

All regular library staff of the Library who normally participates in shelving was involved in this
study. A total number of fifteen shelving staff members ranging from library attendants to library
officers were identified and involved in the study. Ten copies of the questionnaire were
administered and five oral interviews conducted. All ten questionnaires were collected but only
eight were found usable representing 80% of the questionnaires administered.

The questionnaire has two parts. Part one sought information on such variables as educational
qualification, sex, age, marital status, experience in shelving, training received in shelving, as well
as views on the level of supervision of shelving staff. The second part of the questionnaire
measured the individual’s attitude to proper shelving of library materials.
3.2 DATA ANALYIS AND HIGHLIGHTS OF FINDINGS
The data obtained from the questionnaire and oral interview reveals that all 15(100%) of the
respondents were from the Kaimosi Friends University library. Out of the total respondents, 9
(60%) were male while 6(40%) were female. 7 (46.7%) were married, 5 (33.3%) were single, while
3 (3.7%) did not indicate his/ her status. This reveals that majority of the respondents are family
men and women who are expected to be responsible men and women in the society and therefore
may reflect this trait in their attitudes to work.

In terms of qualification 4(26.7%) had a Bachelor’s degree Certificate and its equivalent results,
7(46.7%) had a diploma certificate in librarianship while 4(26.7%) had other diploma certificates
(not in librarianship). This implies that shelving staff in the selected academic institutions have
enough educational background to help them in their shelving task. In terms of training, 10(66.6%)
received training in shelving while 5(33.3%) indicated that they were not trained for the task. Age
wise, 13(86.7%) were between the age of 20 and 40 years and 2(13.3%) were above 40years. Also

22
the implication of this was that the shelving staff were adults who should know the importance of
organized shelves on library image.

The second part of the questionnaire was analysed to determine the importance of proper shelving
of library materials. Respondents were asked to indicate their opinion on whether proper shelving
is an enjoyable and important task or not. Table 1 reveals that a total of 12(80%) of the respondents
agreed with the statement, 2(13.3%) respondents were undecided while 1(0.7%) of the respondents
did not agree with the statement. This shows that the majority of the respondents knew the
advantages and importance to proper shelving in the selected national library.

Respondents were also asked to indicate their opinions on whether every member of the library
should be involved to ensure proper shelving. A cumulative of 12(80%) of the respondents agreed
to the statement while only a cumulative of 3(20%) of the respondents disagreed. This shows that
shelvers are not happy that librarians were exempted from shelving

3.3 DISCUSSION

Table 1. The importance of proper shelving of library materials

Response No. of respondents Percentage Cumulative

Strongly agree 5 33.3 33.3
Agree 7 46.7 80
Undecided 2 13.3 93.3
Disagree 0 0 93.3
Strongly disagree 1 0.7 100
Total 15 100

23
Table 2. Whether every member of the library should be involved to ensure proper
shelving.

Response No. of respondents Percentage Cumulative

Strongly agree 6 40 40
Agree 6 40 80
Undecided 0 0 80
Disagree 2 13.3 93.3
Strongly disagree 1 0.7 100
Total 15 100

The study reveals that shelving staffs in the three selected national library have positive attitudes
toward the importance of proper shelving. This may be a result of maturity as most of the
respondents are married adults who by virtue of their status in the society are supposed to be
responsible people. They do not see users as constituting an unnecessary burden for them as „the
work of a shelving staff is never done‟ due to its repetitive nature. Their only grievance was that
every other member of the staff including the librarians should be involved in shelving. This may
be borne out of the perception that shelving staff are regarded as the lowest in library staff hierarchy
(Power 1999).

3.4 RECOMMENDATIONS
In order to improve proper shelving of library materials as well as boost its significance, the
following recommendations were made:

• Library management should give adequate training to shelving staff before they are assigned
to shelves. During this training, the importance of accurate and timely shelving should be
emphasized.

In addition to this, training should also include health care talks because shelving entails repetitive
actions which can cause muscle fatigue, strain on the eyes, neck and back.

• Motivation should be put in-place such as rewarding the most accurate and best shelving staff
at the end of the year.

24
• Opportunity should also be given to shelving staff to contribute their input and develop a
shelving policy for the library so that they can have a sense of belonging.
3.5 CONCLUSION
In conclusion, proper shelving of library materials, being a vital part of a healthy library, needs
motivated and dedicated staff to accomplish it accurately. Supervisors should not be too bossy and
should be able to correct the shelving staff with love. Due to the monotonous nature of the shelving
task it should be noted that shelving staff may only be able to maintain their concentration to detail
for a few hours at a time. There are also some health factors to be considered as shelving staff may
need to squat, kneel or sit on the ground to read the bottom shelf, lift and push heavy books and
trolleys, and look up or stand on a small stool to read the top shelf. Therefore supervisors should
know the strength of their staff and should be able to direct them to function at their optimal level.

In order to combat the psychological effects of status on shelving staff, they should be made to
understand that librarians have more professional duties to attend to; every staff has his/her area
of specialization which should be attended to so that the whole system will function and fulfil its
goal. Innovations should be introduced to shelving; this will reduce the staff stress and negate any
odd feelings. In addition equipment that can reduce staff stress should be acquired by the library
management, and finally, volunteers can be involved in shelving.

REFERENCES
1. „National bibliography, national Library service of Kenya 2010. Retrieved 25 February
2020.

2. Chowdhury G.G; Foo, C. (2012). Digital Libraries and Information access: research
perspectives. Chicago: Neal-Schuman. Pp. 2-3

3. Aliero, S.A (2003) Problems of Disorganized Shelves in Nigeria University Libraries.

Gateway Library Journal 6(1) 19-28.

4. Lyons, M and Rutherford (1998) From Bolshie To Beaming – the Cultural and Operational
Transformation of Shelving at the UQ

5. Cybrary. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/papers/bolshie.pdf accessed 25/02/2020.

6. 4Power, A (1999) Towards Better Shelving Solutions. Australian Public Libraries and

25
 Information Services.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3315/is_2_12?ai_n28734040/?tag=content:col1 accessed
25/02/2020.
7. Akporhonor BA (2005). Library funding in Nigeria: Past present and Future. The bottom
line: managing library Finances 18(2):63-70.

8. Agboola AT (1984). Shelvers and their attitudes to shelving in university library. Bendel
libr.J7(1):4-17

26
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
INTRODUCTION
. This chapter presents analysis and attempts to interpret data collected during the study with a
view of answering the research questions. Data presentation has been done through description
tables, pie charts and graphs which has facilitated interpretation of the same.

4.0 Personal information.

4.1.1 Gender distribution.
GENDER. FREQUENCY. PERCENTAGE.

Male 12 60

Female 8 40

Total. 20 100

The results of the research showed that more male participated as compared to female where60%
of respondents were men while 40% were women. The teaching staff had a bigger percentage of
male as compared to record centre staff. Most of record centre staff was female. With the current
situation, more female have enrolled to librarianship training as compared to male. The researcher
concluded that same situation was identified at the Margaret Thatcher Record centerwheel most of
record centre staff was female.

The chart below was used to represent the above information.

27
4.1.1 Age distribution.
AGE. FREQUENCY. PERCENTAGE.

20-29 3 15

30-39 4 20

40-49 10 50

50 and above 3 15

Total. 20 100

From the findings above, 50 % of the respondents were aged 40-49 whereas 20% were aged 3039
which implies big percentage of the sampled population were the productive age group. 15 % were
close to retirement age and 15 % were youthful employees. This could imply that with adequate
facilitation, the age bracket can be able to deliver maximum output in that the productive age
groups are aware of the new technologies which can be used to improve the provision of services
in this digital era. The researcher concluded that AMPATH Centre has a potential of providing
information programs to Users since they have the right age group of staff to deliver services
effectively and efficiently.

4.1.2 Length of time served at Kaimosi Friends University library

LENGTH OF SERVICE. FREQUENCY. PERCENTAGE.

1< 5 years 3 15

5<10 years 7 35

>10 years 10 50

Total. 20 100

The table above indicates that 50% of the sampled population has served the Margaret Thatcher
Record centre. For more than 10 years, 35% have worked between five and ten years, 15% have

28
worked between one and five years. There were no staffs that have worked below one year. This
is an indication that the employees with their long experience were able to reliably answer
questions on provision of information program since they had a real picture of what has been
happening in the Margaret Thatcher record centre.

The chart below further illustrates the above findings.

4.3 Material available at the Margaret Thatcher Record centre

The respondents were asked to name available material in their record centre that are used to
provide information to Users and they identified as followed; printed material (books) periodical,
newspaper, reference sources like dictionaries ,encyclopaedias among others. They also identified
various types of information such as CDs and tapes. The record centre also has a cyber café where
patrons can access information over the internet

4.3.1 Forms of information materials frequently accessed and used

Asked about the forms of information materials they use more frequently, the record centre, the
patrons gave the following;

36(180%) of the patrons only use printed materials like books, journals, newspapers among others.

20(100%) of these Users access and use both the books as well as the electronic materials
accessible through internet.

29
12(60%) of the Users use only the electronic resources which they access through the internet in
the record centre cyber.

4(20%) of the Users use CDs but on rare basis

Material Frequency Degrees

Printed material 36 180

Both electronic and 20 100

printed

Electronic 12 60

CDs 4 20

Forms of information materials Percentage

Printed m arterial
Both electronic and printed
Electronic
CDs

4.4 Significance of shelving to counter mismanagement of records

The researcher went further ahead to seek out how relevant the Shelving of information resources
tools as plagiarism checks. Through interviewing the staff (50%) indicate that the LLC were very
significant in research and to avoid plagiarism, (33%) of the staff acknowledge the services as
being relevant while (17%) viewed that LLC fairly relevant in checking the plagiarism menace.

30
 Discussion
Answers to the pre-application survey show that many of the participants were in fact
unconcerned about the seriousness of plagiarism. This implies that there is a strong need for
training students on LLC to eliminate, plagiarism at universities. Second, the study

Rempel, H. G., & Mellinger, M. (2015).Why the participants are tolerant to the acts considered
plagiarism is most probably because of cultural reasons

4.5 Staff challenges during Shelving of information resources

The study sought to find out challenges encountered to which the library management supported
the Shelving of information resources tools by providing various services and not provide others.
Results indicated that 40.05% of respondents felt the services provided were satisfactory, 32.4%
not satisfactory and 20.6% did not give any opinion.

Discussion

The respondents felt that the services were good, fair or poor as shown by the mean scores. The
study established that facilitating conditions followed by effort expectancy (ease of use) were
influential factors in the individual decision to accept and use LLC or reject the LLC.

4.6 Summary
In this chapter, the results of the data analysed have been presented. To bring a further
understanding of the results, the interactions between variables have been analysed. The challenges
to use of Shelving of information resources tools have also been presented. This information is
used to discuss the findings and inform the summary, conclusion and recommendations that are
presented in the next chapter.

31
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 INTRODUCTION:
This chapter brings out clearly the main findings of the study. In addition it gives recommendation
that aim to resolve the problems involved in shelving of information materials. These
recommendations if implemented will help Kaimosi Friends University library revitalize in the
shelving of information materials for the users in the library.

5.1 Summary of the major findings.

5.1.1 Effectiveness of information organization program for the users (Shelving)
The study revealed that the Kaimosi Friends University library has shelving of information
materials program but the program is fairly effective.

5.1.2 Policy governing information organization program for the users.

Also the library has no policy governing information organization program. The reason for this is
that there are no qualified librarians on shelving of information materials and nobody has been
assigned the responsibility of overseeing the program.

5.1.3 Inadequate training to users who visit the library

Most students are aware of the e-library resources but do not use them because they lack the
searching skills. They have not been formally taught the usage of e-library resources. Shelving of
information materials programme is an embedded course in the library, an aspect of general
studies. The librarians and teaching librarians are responsible for delivering shelving contents in
the institution. Yeboah (1999) and American Library Association (2005) saw the idea as a
collaborative effort between faculty members, librarians, and medical administrators.

The Kaimosi Friends University library, offers training on information organization program but
to a very small extend. The major training offered in the library is library orientation and library
tours which is mainly focused to first year students in the library. There is a computer section with
internet connectivity for accessing the resources. The problem is that there are no computer courses
offered to students.

32
5.1.4 Insufficient staff awareness on shelving
The general courses contents need to be updated to include information organization as a course
of its own. For these reasons, the Kaimosi Friends University library, need to organize other
specialized information skills programmes such as use of databases, internet searching skills and
training on referencing resources. This will benefit the students during their learning process.

Kaimosi Friends University library is seen to be mainly practicing library tour/orientations sessions
which are not sufficient to provide information to the students. The general courses, such as
communication skills and research methods, which are integrated into the curriculum by the library
as compulsory credit earning courses, are still not sufficient to equip students to function
effectively in this digital age. Students merely read with the aim of passing those courses.

5.1.5 Challenges facing shelving of information materials in the library

Some barriers such as lack of interest by students, teachers, and management, inadequate human
resources to handle information organization programme, lack of facilities, low acceptance of
online information delivery approach and absence of information organization policy were
identified as factors militating against librarians‟ effort when advocating and providing
information at the Kaimosi Friends University library.

5.1.6 Importance of shelving to the users

The study informed library administrators on the need of providing shelving to the users.
Librarians need to provide information to Users in order to facilitate full exploitation of
information resources and services in their library.

5.2 Conclusion
This study has described shelving of information materials program at the Kaimosi Friends
University library and faculty librarians were found to have different understandings of the concept
“shelving of information materials”. Arising from the different definitions, there is need for library
associations to organize a conference or workshop on shelving of information materials to arrive
at a clear understanding of information to enable librarians in different institutions advocate and
deliver shelving to stakeholders.

33
Library orientation, library manuals, personalized reference services, and computer oriented
training programmes and communication skills courses are useful in that they focus on the main
problems of new undergraduate students: finding materials they need, and knowing when, and
from whom, they should ask for assistance with confidence. The experience gained through
information organization programmes can be useful in knowing how to use any other information
centre. However, as it can be seen from the earlier discussion, information organization training
for library students in Kenya is not a success story. It is observed that, in spite of scattered efforts,
the majority of students are forced to pass through the library system without ever mastering the
art of information retrieval and use.

However librarians alone cannot accomplish the task of providing shelving. To have practical
application, shelving of information materials instruction is best carried out in the context of the
students‟ daily information use. The teaching faculty can contribute to effective shelving of
information materials programs by encouraging the students to use library and build information
usage into their teaching programs. There is a need to develop programs that address the different
information needs across all the courses in the library curriculum. Therefore success can only be
achieved through collaboration between the library personnel and experts in the different
disciplines. From the organizational perspective there is need for campus, to formulate wide
policies that integrate information organization programme as an integral part of the library
curriculum. This will facilitate the support that library need in terms of facilities, finance, and
librarians training.

The main barriers that library face in providing information programs are lack of both finance and
human resources, and inadequate support by their parent organizations in terms of policies and
resources for running the program. There is also a failure on the part of librarians to push to the
forefront information organization programme as being a function of the library library. Their
ability to develop computer skills is hindered by a lack of financial and human resources. In most
cases there are only a few workstations available for library use, with little or no resources to
acquire others. There is still computer illiteracy among Kenyan librarians hence a shortage of
personnel to provide information technology training. With an absence of institutional policies as
far as information technology is concerned, library find it hard to mount effective training in the
use of information sources for their Users.

34
More than ever, in Kenya as in the rest of the developing world, with the increasing recognition
throughout the world that proper use of information is a prerequisite for progress, library services
should be regarded as an integral resource, and not merely an optional part of higher education.
All library students, as well as the community at large, should be able to effectively obtain and use
information in whatever the source, location or format. For this to be possible they need to
understand how information is structured and organized. Therefore information organization
programme should be regarded as a key aspect of library learning activities. Librarians, with their
expertise in information organization and retrieval, are best placed to understand the information
skills needs of new library students and address them appropriately.

5.3 Recommendations.

• All librarians in library need training and re-training in order to be able to use technology
effectively and to be able to pass on the skills on shelving of information materials to users.
Library management, the library, non-governmental organizations, and the government
should organize seminars or workshops to equip librarians with the skills needed in this
digital age for Juvenile collections.

• The Kaimosi Friends University library Management should adopt at least one of the
organizations of shelving for the user’s competency standards available to be used in the
institution and make it available to each course instructor and necessity for achieving the
standards should be stressed. To implement these fully, the library should review its
mission and educational goals to determine how information organization programme
would improve learning and enhance effectiveness.

• The Kaimosi Friends University library. Should develop its e-library project by procuring
all necessary facilities and also open the planned internet cafe for users to access the e-
library and make effective use of its resources. Users and librarians should learn more about
e-library and information literacy for the schools who have benefited by laptop project
initiated by the government through the Ministry of Education.

35
• The library curriculum should be revised at the national level to accommodate the
integration of information organization programme and the use of library for the users in
the surrounding community, either as embedded or standalone courses. This is in
recognition of the changes in technology, especially in managing information. Design and
review of the curriculum and teaching of the information organization programme courses
should be all embracing. It should involve all stakeholders in the library.

• Medical library should come together and find ways of developing a suitable shelving of
information materials program for the Users that can be used among the member library.
After developing the program, information organization training materials should be shared
with other library who probably want to develop their shelving of information materials
programs by sending details of the designed instruction materials on the library website,
through e-mail attachments or by post, to others who want to use them to develop their
information organization program. This will help in saving librarians‟ time and stress in
preparing such training materials.

• Various methods should be developed for providing and assessing the information
organization programme of the students, which may include: one-on-one instruction,
interactive classes, online tutorials, as well as building assignments around research
situations. Lecturers must also include the use of the library resources and computers as
well as the internet and online searching skills in teaching.

• Partnerships between librarians and faculty librarians can be developed by lobbying to be

involved in providing shelving courses to students, such as instruction about catalogue and
databases, how to assess or evaluate internet sources and possibly participating in providing
input regarding student grades. Librarians can collaborate with other stakeholders
(students, teachers, and management) in their institutions to ensure an information
organization policy formulation is adopted in their institutions.

• For effective shelving of information materials training to occur, library management, the
government and non-governmental organizations need to provide the necessary funding

36
 for the library to acquire modern computers, provide internet connectivity and regular
power supply in the library.

5.4 Suggestions for further research

Modern library are faced by many challenges and therefore they are charged with responsibility of
providing effective information organization program. In respect to this the researcher
recommends the following as possible areas for further research;

a. There is need for further research to investigate on the shelving of information

materials to Users

b. To improve on the methods of providing information to Users for effective

utilization of library resources.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Guinchart, C and MENOU, M (1983) General introduction to techniques of information and
documentation service/work, New Delhi, Vani Education Book

Lundu,M.C and BWEWE,G(1993)Factors restraining the formulation and implementation of a

national information policy(NIP)process the Zambian experience African Journal of library,
Archives and information Science Vol.3(1)

Ocholla, D.N and Ojiambo. J.B (1993) issues in library and information studies, Nairobi: JKF

Ojiambo, J.B, Developing human resource capacity for information service in Africa. Africa
journal Archive and Information Science vol 2(2)

Gathegi, J.N (1994) Organization Effectiveness of Agriculture Scientific information

dissemination and management system in Kenya-Journal of Agriculture and Food Information
Vol-2(4Harrod librarians Glossary (1987)

Macmillan English Dictionary for advanced learner international Student Edition

Kemp, A. (1879) Current Awareness service, London: Clive Bingley

37
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRES
I am a student from Rift Valley Technical Training Institute pursuing a certificate course in
Certificate in Information Science. As part of the course requirement, I am carrying out a research
on significance of proper shelving of library materials; a case study of Kaimosi Friends
University library-Eldoret.

The finding and recommendation obtained here will be monumental contributing to knowledge
development in the field of shelving of information materials in a public library to users and form
a backdrop against which improvement of shelving of information materials can be made in the
library.

Your sincere contribution will be highly appreciated and treated with outmost confidentially, and
will not be used in any other way other than for the purpose of this study.

INSTRUCTIONS

Please indicate your response by ticking the provided boxes. For questions that require suggestions

or comments, please use the provided space.

Background Information

1. Gender........................................................................................
2. Highest education level.....................................................................

3. Age:

a) Below 25

b) 26-35

c) 36-45

d) 46-55

38
e) 56-65

f) 66-70

2. How do you perceive the Selection and acquisition of information resources tools services
provided by the library management?

a) Satisfactory

b) Not satisfactory

c) No opinion

3. Facilities and Services

Adequate computer hardware

Adequate computer software

Personnel for digitization and

Education and training of users and staff

Promotion and marketing

Funding

Licensing and copyright issues

4. Do you think the use of the Selection and acquisition of information resources tools is important
to MTRH Library? In either case explain briefly.

......................................................................................................

................................................................................................

39
5. In your opinion what are the introducing Selection and acquisition of information resources tools
to the library and the users?

a) Library..............................................................................

b) Users....................................................................................

Marketing and Promotion Strategies

6. How did you get to learn about the existence of the Selection and acquisition of information
resources tools?

a) Colleague/friend

b) Lecturer

c) Bulletin board

d) Library website

e) Internet

f) Media

g) Library mandate

h) Any other................................................................................
7. Do you use the Selection and acquisition of information resources tools as an assistance for
research? In either case explain briefly.

………………………………......................................................................................................

8. Please suggest possible solutions to the identified problems

....................................................................................................... ……………………………

....................................................................................................................................................

THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.

40