Cornelius Simba’s scientific contributions

The school library system is the most valuable facility of the school and an integral part of the educational process and a tool for teaching and learning. This study explored the role of secondary school library resource centres in resource-based learning in Iringa and Njombe regions of Tanzania. The study used a cross-sectional descriptive survey design. The study involved a sample of 148 heads of secondary schools and 36 school librarians. The types of secondary schools studied included public and private owned schools. The data were collected using questionnaires. This study found that the secondary school library resource centres were vital tools for teaching in the resource-based learning. Librarians cooperatively work with teachers to facilitate resource-based learning. They are also critical for provision of professional expertise to enable teachers and learners to effectively use the resources and services to foster critical thinking and lifelong learning, a prerequisite for resource-based learning.

The study was based on the premise that the culture of library assessment from the users’ perspective is of vital importance to determine what users’ needs are and whether these needs are being met. Consequently, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the existing library services and using the assessment results to improve service delivery. The study examined the quality of library services at the University of Iringa Library from the users’ perspective. The users’ expectations and perceptions of service quality were investigated to determine the extent to which the library met users’ expectations. A sample of 294 undergraduate students, 31 postgraduate students, and 50 academic staff were surveyed. The adapted LibQUAL+TM questionnaire was self-administered to respondents. A total of 213 (72.4%) undergraduate students, 20 (64.5%) postgraduate students, and 31 (68%) academic staff responded. The descriptive statistics was used for analysis. The insights gained from this study indicate that there was a gap between user’s expectations and perceptions of service quality. The magnitude of the gap varied depending on individual services.