Library Catalogues Usage for Searching Library Resources in Academic Libraries in Mbeya Region in Tanzania

This paper examines the use of library catalogues by library users, when searching library resources in academic libraries in Tanzania through exploratory research. The study used qualitative data though quantitative elements were included in collecting data. In identifying the problem, the paper addressed three specific objectives, which are: to find out how often do users in academic libraries use library catalogues in searching library materials; to find out the purpose of using library catalogues; and to identify the challenges faced by library users when searching different forms of library catalogues. The populations for the paper are librarians, administrative staff, as well as Third Year students, from selected academic libraries. The paper used a sample size of 120 respondents from Catholic University College of Mbeya (CUCoM) (50), Teofilo Kisanji University (TEKU) Mbeya Campus (30), Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST) (20), and Mzumbe University Mbeya Campus (20). A set of frequency tables were used to present the results of the paper.