Web-Based Academic Library Coleman Library:

¶ … Web-Based Academic Library

Coleman Library: Evaluation of the website of an Academic Library

Coleman University Library acts as a networking link between the University's faculty and the students. The librarian undertakes to facilitate the linkage by overseeing day-to-day publications, upload and availability of content to the accredited users. Significant volumes of inputs are received from the course facilitators and staff setting in an environment conceptualized as dynamic as well as challenging to both users and the authorized administrators.

The enormous advantage realized from the web-based library is the additional service point allowing clients and accredited user to access information on or off the university's facility. The notion of accrediting users comes in as an additional advantage to the facility that can restrict the flow of information privy to individuals affiliated to the library. The accreditation facility for the library web site presents a challenge to student client and users since authentication for remote access require knowledge of multiple passwords. This challenge can be resolved by allowing clients to use their emails as accreditations to access various portals and information.

The bigger challenge comes with the students and users need to print out the uploaded information rather than read the content on the screen. The process of outputting the information to web-based print media is frustration to students new to the system. The time students spend acclimatizing themselves with the various aspects of online print makes access of information less desirable. This challenge is not only with the students but also with the course moderators who find it cumbersome. The access of the web print base portal needs printer drivers that most of the users have no knowledge about. To some extent the need for technical knowledge to install and work with these drivers is required. This limit the potential of the web-based library to serve as an alternative source of information for the learning needs of the students.

The success of the site is attested with the level of communication between students and their course instructors. Virtual learning point for the students is facilitated allowing for closer interaction outside the class room and off campus. Course material access and requirements for assignments is done online this gives the course facilitator ample time to utilize course learning time to facilitate class learning. Students can access the required reading materials for their course and explore a wider spectrum of the course learning requirements. The web library has journals, books and web-based books recommended to students allowing for ease of access and precise information for their assignment requirements.

The language used in cataloging resource files in the library is extremely technical to the extent the librarians are overwhelmed by the students' need for guidance. Student can access the web-based library outside campus but, they find it ideal to use the facilities in the university in order to get guidance from the librarian. The use of technical cataloging codes makes it difficult for inexperienced student to utilize the web-based library service. This reduces the efficiency of the librarian and course modulators and students in undertaking their respective roles. Course modulators have a difficult time making references for course required material since the library code language is not in their knowledge. Course modulators find themselves making frequent inquiries to the library staff as well as asking for assistance in resource upload.

There is a need for simplification of the library code and language to facilitate ease of use. The library staff need to device easier search mechanism such as book titles and subject other that coded numbers. Training to web-based library facility users is needful to allow user conversance with the utilities incorporated in the web library. These trainings need to be carried out on a regular basis so that challenges faced by clients can be leant. The relevant system administrator will gain an understanding of the client needs and be able to re-orient the system facility to accommodate the different need of use. Frustration emanating from use incapability can be dealt with appropriately through the trainings. Faculty members and students can learn from experts how to face up with the challenge of access.

When using virtual access point to library document, it is essential that the experience appear similar to physical access to library document. The relevance in this is to make the use preferred owing to it flexibility. E-resources need to offer the end user flexibility not to visit the physical library to access the information. The web-based resource makes multiple accesses to similar resource possible and this reduces the congestion in the physical library facilities. The ease of congestion will serve to improve the learners experience as-well-as reduce the workload to source moderators.

Available materials on the web-based material need to have a sense of accuracy, reliability and academic relevance. In the web-based library, the materials need to be authenticated for these qualities. In the case of the universities website accreditation of the resource materials is determined through affiliated partnership with journals and publishers and printing press. These partnerships give guidance on quality assessments of the articles on the web library and vet their relevance for the course being taught in the university.

The Journals books and articles materials on the online-based library are given a relevance rating according to their dates of publication. These ratings on relevance give guidance to students and course moderators on the value of the article to their course. Essentially the system of relevance rating allows for the e-resource-based library to retain those articles whose relevance may be low. Although the resources are old knowledge, they are not discarded or kept away from users. Clients (students and course moderators) can make reference on information and finding and build on this knowledge to advance their field of study.

Interaction between course moderators and the learners is of paramount importance. Through the web-based library service, learners can receive instruction and further guidance without necessarily convening a meeting. Clarifications to the course and assignment requirements can be made through the web-based portal. Outside class learning where discussions can be held between student and, students with their course modulator. This aspect need to encompass a learning environment outside class.