Access to information for decision-making by parliamentarians: : case study of Dodoma parliamentary library in Tanzania

The Dodoma Parliamentary Library is an important source of information for parliamentarians, so it needs an effective system of information services in order to assist its users. In view of the above, this study was carried out at Dodoma Parliamentary Library of the Tanzania Parliament - Dodoma Municipal with the objective of assessing the level of its performance and effectiveness in providing information to parliamentarians. A Sample of 47 respondents involving the parliamentarians (users) and library staff at Dodoma Parliamentary Library was selected through convenience and purposive sampling techniques. Four methods of data collection were used namely the interview, questionnaires, literature review and observation. The findings revealed that the existing library in general failed to meet the information needs of parliamentarians. Also level of information services being provided was not much effective and its performance was not all that adequate. Some of the problems facing that library were lack of adequate staff and that most of staff members needed training so as to cope with the changing information environment. Other problems include lack of modem facilities such as computers for the management of information, inadequate space and lack of culture of reading.To improve the situation, the study recommends that management of Tanzania Parliament to consider computerization of its library, allocation of adequate resources, expansion of the library, creating awareness on the importance of information, recruitment of qualified personnel, library cooperation and resource sharing.