ASSESSMENT OF COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES FOR USER SATISFACTION IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN ENUGU STATE

The main purpose of this study was to examine the collection development practices for user satisfaction in public libraries in Enugu State. The study adopted descriptive research design as suitable for the study with180 sampled size comprising 120 users and 60 professional and non- professional staff. Questionnaire was used as instrument of data collection. Consequently, several collection development practices determine the extent user satisfaction is achieved in public libraries in Enugu State. These include community analysis, collection development policy, acquisition, selection, weeding, censorship and evaluation. Other factors that affect user satisfaction which is peculiar to users include user effort, user effectiveness, user characteristics and system effectiveness. This situation calls for librarians to wade-in and adopt effective collection development practices that will help enhance user satisfaction in public libraries in Enugu State. It is therefore recommended that librarians should develop information resources that will effectively satisfy users information needs. It is also recommended that librarians should organize orientation programme for users to help improve user effectiveness, effort, characteristics and system effectiveness. Finally, it is also recommended that censored materials should be properly kept away from users while effort should be made to select information materials appropriate for users. This can be done by adopting and implementing relevant development practices during collection development