Abstract

This study was set out to examine automation of cataloguing and the effect on library services in the Buea Municipality. The study was guided by three research question which were; are library catalogues automated and what are the effect on library services? How does the use of automated library catalogue system affect the retrieval of needed information?How do the challenges faced in using the library automated catalogue affect library services? The research design used in this study was the descriptive survey research design. The researcher used questionnaire as instrument for data collection.A sample of 16 library staff were used, from higher institutions of learning in the Buea Municipality. The data was analyzed using frequencies and percentages and presented in tables. From the findings, it was revealed that automated catalogue plays a significant role to facilitate user satisfaction in the library.The findings also proved that automated catalogue is instrumental in retrieving information resources in the library, yet most library users do not make use of automated catalogue in these libraries.The findings also revealed that there are challenges that library staff faced in using the library automated cataloguing system. From the findings, it was recommended that universities should ensure that libraries have constant power supply and internet connection so that automated catalogues can be used effectively in libraries.