Utilization of school libraries by students in selected schools in Dar es salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

The study investigated the utilization of school libraries by Students in selected schools in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Data were collected from 147 respondents using questionnaire, interview and covert observation. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis while quantitative data were analysed by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 18.0 computer software programme. Findings revealed that students from both private and government schools rarely used the school libraries. However, the majority (25%) of private school students use libraries everyday while only 1 percent of the students from government owned schools use library every day. Moreover, the study revealed that books and newspapers are the main school library information resources available in the school libraries. Furthermore, the study findings revealed that self-reading, doing assignments, reading notes and borrowing books are the main activities conducted by students in school libraries. The study concludes that students’ utilization of school libraries is low in government schools as compared to private schools. The study concludes further that books and newspapers are the main information resources found in the selected schools libraries while the main students’ activities conducted by students in school libraries are self-reading, doing assignment, reading notes and borrowing books. The study recommend that head teachers in both private and government schools should lobby top management from the Ministry of Education Science and Technology to consistently allocate adequate funds for building school libraries and library collections, training school librarians and conducting information literacy training programmes for both students and teachers.