LIBRARY READER SERVICE

Reader service is one of the most important divisions of any type of library. In fact, they can be seen as the public relations of any given library. The reader service serves as an interface between the library resources and its users. Here, the library users’ come in contact with the library resources and services provided. The users are privilege to personally accessed the resources and sometimes make a request to the librarian.  The librarians occasionally need to interrogate the users in order to actually ascertain their needs so as to render assistance according to the users’ need.

The objective of the reader service is to provide assistance for effective, efficient and easier retrieval of the library resources. These efforts are geared towards ensuring conscious utilization of the library resources and its facilities. Some of the resources in the readers’ service are placed under open access while others are in the closed access. The open access is a free access that is generally open to users without any form of restriction and allowing them to consults the resources with little or no assistance of the librarians. While the resource in the closed access on the other hand can only be accessed based on the request of the users to the librarian who can provide the service because of the restriction placed on them.

The readers’ service includes:

Circulation section is saddle with the responsibility of performing various functions such as: reservations, borrowing, returns, renewal, photocopy, inter-library loan e.t.c.

The reference section provides (quick reference service, research, current awareness, counseling, personal development service e.t.c).

Serial/periodical section houses materials such as journals, magazines, monographs, Research reports, Bulletin, Annual reports, newspaper e.t.c.

The Reserve section is a closed access area; there is restriction placed on the users by not allowing them to have direct contact with the resources without the consent of the librarian. The resources in this section can only be used based on the request of users to librarian in that section. These resources are highly on demand and are limited in number of copies.

·        Generally, the following are some of the functions of the readers’ service:

·        Conducting orientation/user education for new users.

·        Registration of new library users.

·        Charging and discharging of books (Borrowing, Returns and Renewal e.t.c).

·        Keeping statistics of daily users and resources consulted.

·        Provide easy access to library materials for library patrons by introducing them to manual and online public access catalogue (OPAC).

·        Shelving and shelf reading of library materials.

·        Current awareness services (CAS) i.e email alert, compiles bibliographies on various subjects e.t.c.

·        Selective dissemination information services (SDI).

·        Gives instruction and assistance on the use of internet, online public access catalog (OPAC), CD-ROM and other multi-media and web-based facilities.