Abstract

Author(s): Bhyrappa M, P. Sarasvathy

The present study depicts the library facilities and services rendered to physically challenged category by academic libraries at Mysore district. By accessing information needs of users, identifying various channels of information used by users to make use for academic purpose, the study analyses the perception of uses about the library services and also examines the services provided by academic libraries to user ends. The study finds that the questionnaire method was used along with observation and interview schedule for data collection from the respondents. The researcher distributed 280 questionnaires for the respondents. Among 200 filled-questionnaires were received back with 71.42 percent response rate. The study result found that the majority of the respondents belong to Male category (66.50%).The highest number of the respondents 109 (54%) belongs to age group of 25 years and above. The highest number of respondents 150 (75%) has obtained Diploma as academic qualification. The majority of the respondents 175 (87.50%) visit the library for the academic purposes. The ‘Text book’ is a major type of resources used by the respondents which represent mean score 3.52. The majority of respondents (mean=3.15) mainly depends on ‘Book borrowing facility’ provided in the libraries. The ‘Reference service’ and ‘Reading facility’ are next most used services representing Mean value 2.56 each. The various Software like Jaws and Dasburg etc. are most preferred and fundament assistive technology used by the majority of the respondents (mean = 2.34). The sign language for the hearing impaired students is one of the prime services which represent mean value 1.82 followed by ‘Braille translation’ (mean = 1.79) and ‘Help from staff or cooperation’ (mean=1.73)