Exploring the causes of the decline in student visits to the STIKes Binalita Sudama Medan library

In the higher education ecosystem, the library holds an irreplaceable, central role, functioning as the intellectual heart that pumps knowledge resources throughout the academic community. Its function as a fundamental information hub requires the library to be a dynamic and actively visited space to meet literacy needs, support research activities, and foster the continuous development of knowledge. More than just a repository of books, the academic library is a crucial infrastructure that underpins the tripartite mission (tridarma) of higher education. Consequently, its condition and existence demand serious attention to ensure its functions are performed effectively and optimally. The success of this function is measured not only by the comprehensiveness of its collection or the sophistication of its technology but also by the extent to which these resources are utilized by the community it serves (Maisya & Sayekti, 2024). Within the operational context of a library, the rate of user visitation—whether by registered members or general users— is one of the most tangible and easily measurable vital indicators of its success and relevance. The presence of users is the essential element and the primary objective of all services provided; without them, the library loses its significance. If a library experiences low foot traffic, it serves as a strong signal that its role within the academic ecosystem is not functioning optimally, indicating a disconnect between its offerings (services and collection) and user demand. Thus, user visitation rates are not merely statistical figures but a barometer that determines the success of a library’s operations, strategic management, and justification for its existence (Maharani, 2022). This study addresses a key research gap: a lack of studies specifically investigating this topic within specialized health sciences higher education institutions (STIKes), as researchers typically conduct similar studies in general university libraries. Furthermore, this research links student behavioral factors with enhancement strategies, unlike most studies that only identify causal factors without formulating effective strategies to restore visitation frequency. The function of the modern library extends far beyond the traditional task of merely collecting and storing materials. Today’s libraries are expected to transform into active partners in the learning process, proactively assisting students and faculty in completing complex academic tasks. This includes providing access to the latest scientific journals, offering guidance in literature searches for research, and supplying collaborative spaces conducive to discussion and group work. However, a serious challenge to this ideal role has been clearly identified at the library of the Binalita Sudama Medan College of Health Sciences (STIKes) (Muhtadien & Krismayani, 2017). Based on preliminary observations conducted for this study, a significant and alarming downward trend in student visitation rates has occurred over the past two years. This phenomenon is not merely anecdotal but is also visibly reflected in the minimal student activity within the library space, indicating a low level of interest in its collections and services. Internal library data confirm this observation in Figure 1: in the 2023/2024 academic year, 2,196 visits were recorded, but this number plummeted by 87% in the 2024/2025 academic year, to only 267 visits (Laporan Statistik Kunjungan Perpustakaan, 2024/2025). This drastic decline is a warning sign that indicates a fundamental shift in the behavioral patterns of students in seeking and accessing academic information. As digital natives, students show a growing preference for digital resources that can be accessed instantly and flexibly from any location, ultimately leading to diminished interest in visiting the physical library. If this phenomenon is not analyzed and addressed strategically, the decline in visits could severely impact the library’s effectiveness as a learning center and risk diminishing the quality of students’ information literacy and critical thinking skills, which heavily depend on access to validated resources. Theoretically, library visitation rates are a dependent variable influenced by a complex and interrelated set of independent factors. These factors include physical and digital accessibility, the completeness and relevance of the collection to the curriculum, the comfort of study facilities, and the library’s ability to leverage information technology to enhance service quality. However, at STIKes Binalita Sudama Medan, a significant gap exists between the ideal and the reality. Ideally, the library should be a dynamic and bustling hub of academic activity. In reality, the extremely low visitation rate threatens to impede the optimization of the library’s function as a learning center, despite the availability of book and journal collections relevant to health sciences programs. Therefore, this research aims to conduct an in-depth exploration to answer the questions: why has the student visitation rate declined, and what strategies can be implemented to revitalize the role and increase visits to the STIKes Binalita Sudama Medan Library? The quality of service provided by librarians is one of the most frequently highlighted factors in the literature as a primary determinant of visitation interest (Faiq, 2019). Efficient circulation services and informative reference services, delivered professionally and empathetically by librarians, can directly influence a student’s decision to visit and utilize the library continuously. Positive interactions with library staff can shift a student’s perception of the library from a mere place to borrow books to a human resource that can assist in navigating complex information (Permatahati & Ninghardjanti, 2024)the influence of librarian services on the interest of OTKP students in visiting the Library of SMK Wikarya Karanganyar, and the influence of library facilities and librarian services on the interest of OTKP students in visiting the Library of SMK Wikarya Karanganyar. This research utilizes a quantitative descriptive method. The population consists of all OTKP students, as many as 93 students. The sampling technique used is proportional accidental sampling with a sample size of 75 students. Data collection methods include questionnaires, observations, and document analysis. The data analysis employs multiple linear regression analysis with prerequisite tests such as normality, linearity, and multicollinearity tests. The results of this research are as follows: (1. In addition to services, the comprehensiveness of resources and facilities plays a crucial role. An academic library must possess a relevant and up to-date collection that meets the specific needs of its academic community. This must be supported by modern facilities such as adequate internet connectivity, comfortable reading spaces, and functional discussion areas, all of which are expected to attract visitors and encourage them to stay for extended periods (Hayuni & Nurizzati, 2017). Efforts to increase participation cannot be separated from proactive and well-planned promotional strategies aimed at raising awareness of the library’s value among all students (Yusniah et al., 2023). Previous studies have explored similar issues, often with a different focus or context. For instance, research by Waluny et al. (2024) successfully identified factors causing low visitation at the primary school level but concluded at the problem identification stage without proceeding to formulate actionable strategies. Similarly, a study by Lombu (2023) at the junior high school level focused only on mapping causes like low reading interest and a preference for online sources. While relevant, strategies effective at the primary and secondary levels are not directly applicable to the higher education context, which has different dynamics and needs. Meanwhile, research by Maharani (2022) did address the student context but was set in the National Library, an institution with a vastly different scale, resources, and target audience, making its findings difficult to generalize to a smaller, private college library. This study, therefore, aims to fill this gap by focusing specifically on a health sciences college library, which has unique user characteristics and highly specialized information needs. The rationale for this study is the urgent and tangible phenomenon of a drastic decline in student visits at the STIKes library. This low visitation rate is not merely an administrative issue but an indicator of a deeper problem that must be comprehensively identified and understood. This research is critical because the underutilization of the library can directly impact students’ exposure to quality information literacy. If the causes are not promptly investigated and appropriate strategies are not formulated, this situation could further inhibit the library’s crucial role in supporting the academic process. Therefore, this study aims to uncover the root causes and formulate practical, context-specific strategies. It is hoped that this research will provide a significant practical contribution to the management of the STIKes Binalita Sudama Medan library and offer an analytical model that can be adopted by similar higher education libraries, ultimately supporting academic goals and revitalizing the library’s role in the knowledge ecosystem.

This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach utilizing a case study design. This approach was deliberately chosen as its primary objective is to gain an in-depth, rich, and contextual understanding of the complex factors underlying the decline in student visitation at the STIKes Binalita Sudama Medan library, as well as to formulate relevant enhancement strategies. The case study method allows the researcher to conduct an intensive investigation of this phenomenon within its natural setting, holistically exploring various interrelated variables. In accordance with the essence of qualitative research, the data gathered in this study are narrative in nature—presented in the form of words, sentences, and images rather than numerical statistics—thus enabling a richer interpretation of meaning from the informants’ perspectives (Nasution, 2023). To obtain comprehensive data, the researcher applied a triangulation of data collection methods, consisting of in-depth interviews, direct observation, and documentation analysis. This process was conducted at the research site, the STIKes Binalita Sudama Medan library, located at Jalan Gedung PBSI No.1, Pasar V, Medan Estate, where the researcher interacted directly with key informants. The selection of informants was carried out using the snowball sampling technique. The justification for this technique is based on the difficulty of directly identifying the population of students who rarely or never visit the library. Therefore, the process began with an easily accessible initial informant (a librarian), who then recommended student informants, and so forth, until the sample was deemed saturated and representative of diverse perspectives. The collected data were then analyzed using the interactive analysis model of Miles and Huberman, a systematic and continuous framework. This analytical process involved three interrelated streams of activity: (1) data reduction, the process of selecting and focusing raw data from interview transcripts and field notes; (2) data display, where the reduced data are presented in an organized, descriptive narrative to facilitate understanding; and (3) conclusion drawing/verification, where meaning is extracted from the displayed data and continuously tested. To ensure the trustworthiness of the data, this study used member checking, which was conducted by presenting summaries of the interview results back to the informants to confirm that the recorded data accurately reflected their statements. To ensure the credibility of the findings, data validity was further strengthened through source triangulation (comparing data from librarians and students) and method triangulation (comparing findings from interviews, observations, and documentation).

Based on in-depth interviews with six informants—comprising four students, one librarian, and one head of the library— the primary finding is that there has been a decline in visitation over the last two to three years. The main causal factors include limited facilities and a collection perceived as incomplete, as well as a low level of promotion for library services. A shift in information-seeking behavior is evident among students, who prefer using the internet because it is considered faster and more comprehensive compared to physically searching for books in the library. Strategies that have been implemented by the library include collaboration with lecturers, service improvements, and the use of social media. The data for this study, gathered through interviews, observation, and documentation, reveal that the phenomenon of declining student visitation at the STIKes Binalita Sudama Medan library is not a singular problem but a complex issue rooted in the dynamic interplay of various factors. The research findings broadly identify two main categories of causes: internal factors originating from within the students themselves, which include attitudes, motivations, and habits; and external factors originating from the library environment, which encompass the condition of facilities, the relevance of the collection, and the effectiveness of service and promotion strategies. The following narrative will deconstruct each of these factors in detail, integrating the voices of the informants with theoretical analysis to present a holistic and richly meaningful picture, before moving to a critical evaluation of the strategies already implemented by the library. The discussion begins by exploring the internal factors, which form the foundation of an individual’s information-seeking behavior. These factors, often psychological and personal in nature, proved to be the primary drivers behind the students’ decision to distance themselves from the physical library. One of the most potent and consistently expressed sentiments by the students was a combination of reluctance and the perception that the internet offers a far superior alternative. One student candidly revealed: “To be honest, I feel lazy about coming to the library. For finding information and reference sources, I prefer the internet over the library because the internet is more complete and faster, without having to search for books one by one on the shelves.” (Informant 3, interview, June 13, 2025). This statement is not a simple complaint but rather a profound reflection of a paradigm shift in the information seeking behavior among the digital-native generation. An analysis of this quote through the lens of Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) reveals several points. First, the “feeling of laziness” represents a negative attitude toward the behavior of visiting the library. Students perceive this activity as troublesome, inefficient, and requiring greater effort. Conversely, their attitude toward using the internet is highly positive, based on the belief that it is “more complete and faster.” Second, the phrase “without having to search for books one by one on the shelves” directly points to perceived behavioral control. Students feel they have far greater control and ease in navigating digital resources compared to physical ones, which are considered complicated and time-consuming. The combination of a negative attitude toward the library and a high perception of ease in using the internet significantly lowers their behavioral intention to visit. The tendency to choose the internet over the library can also be examined through the aspect of subjective norm in TPB. Students may be influenced by their social environment, such as peer influence, lecturers, or even an academic culture that is increasingly accustomed to relying on online sources. When the majority of their peers also seek references via the internet, it forms a social expectation that access to information no longer depends on the physical library. This norm reinforces an individual’s decision not to visit the library, as they feel it is socially acceptable even if they do not use the facility directly. Furthermore, from the perspective of technological advancement, today’s students live in an era that offers instant convenience. A library unable to match the ease and speed of access offered by search engines and digital platforms is likely to be left behind. Moreover, the aspects of spatial design and physical comfort cannot be ignored. Students often seek study spaces that not only provide information but also offer a comfortable and pleasant experience. If the library is perceived as uncomfortable, unconducive, or even boring, then the preference to shift to a digital space is a reasonable adaptive response. The second crucial internal factor is a general low interest in reading, especially for thick, in-depth print books. A student described this feeling clearly: “I don’t really like reading books, especially thick ones. I’m more comfortable finding references through short articles or videos than from the library because reading for a long time in the library feels boring quickly and seems too monotonous.” (Informant 4, interview, June 13, 2025). This finding highlights the impact of the digital-era culture of information consumption, which tends to favor concise, visual, and easily digestible formats—often termed “snackable content.” This habit shapes a learning preference that moves away from the deep reading process facilitated by library books. The “feeling of getting bored quickly” and the impression of it being “too monotonous” are manifestations of the mismatch between the library’s traditional information presentation format and the expectations and cognitive styles of modern students. This phenomenon shows that the problem lies not only in access but also in the format and experience of information consumption itself. The library, with its predominantly print collection, is seen as failing to compete in terms of “user experience” when compared to platforms like YouTube or blogs that offer information in more visually and narratively engaging formats. The rapid advancement of information technology has indirectly shaped new information access habits that are difficult to change. Today’s students tend to be individuals more familiar with using search engines, social media, and online learning platforms. The quick and instant access offered by the internet makes the activity of physically reading a book at a specific location feel less appealing and is considered inefficient for their busy time management (Aulia et al., 2024). This habit slowly but surely causes the library to be abandoned as a primary source of academic information, shifting its function to a last resort rather than a first choice. The reluctance and busyness expressed by students also cannot be separated from external factors, such as the lack of explicit demands from lecturers to use references from the library’s physical collection. Without encouragement from the curriculum or assignments that specifically require them to interact with library resources, students increasingly lose extrinsic motivation to come. Overall, these internal factors indicate that the problem of declining visitation is not merely a matter of momentary preference but a phenomenon rooted in a shift in mindset, habits formed from an early age, and the influence of a digital landscape that has fundamentally altered students’ perceptions of efficiency and the learning experience. Therefore, any intervention aimed at increasing visitation interest must begin with an approach that targets changes in personal motivation, the re-establishment of deeper literacy habits, and continuous education on the value and quality of curated academic information sources provided by the library, which often cannot be matched by shallow and unverified internet search results. Research by Sari (2025) also confirms that although internal factors are strong, they cannot be detached from environmental influences; facilities and infrastructure in the library play a crucial role in creating an environment that can either stimulate or extinguish that internal motivation. The transition from internal to external factors shows that students’ choice not to come to the library is not entirely an autonomous decision but also a logical response to the environmental conditions they face. The external factors, originating from the library itself, provide a strong justification for students to reinforce their negative attitudes. One of the most fundamental and frequently complained about external factors is the condition of the physical facilities and the collection, which are considered highly inadequate. A student provided a clear picture of the physical discomfort: “The facilities are inadequate, especially the chairs. If I sit there for a long time, my back often hurts. The chairs are hard because they’re made of wood, and the room is hot because it only uses fans.” (Informant 5, interview, June 13, 2025). This complaint was reinforced by another student who highlighted issues with digital infrastructure: “In my opinion, the internet connection in the library is also often problematic, so if you want to access journals or find information from digital sources, it gets hampered.” (Informant 6, interview, June 13, 2025). These findings unequivocally demonstrate that the library fails to provide the basic necessities for a conducive 21st century learning experience: physical comfort and reliable digital connectivity. An unstable internet connection not only hinders access to digital information sources like e-journals, e-books, and academic databases but also reduces the learning efficiency of students who are now heavily dependent on information technology. In the current digital era, a smooth internet connection is an essential tool to support academic activities, whether for reference searching, online discussions, or accessing the campus learning system. An honest admission from the Head of the Library further strengthens the validity of the students’ complaints: “We acknowledge that the book collection in this library is indeed still very limited, especially for study programs like nursing... We are also aware that the current facilities are very inadequate. The tables and chairs... are limited in number and are in old condition... the bag storage lockers... are insufficient... the room is also quite hot because... there are only a limited number of fans.” (Informant 1, interview, June 13, 2025). This statement indicates an awareness from the internal management but also implies resource limitations for making improvements. From the perspective of the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), these unsupportive environmental conditions directly affect behavioral intention. Uncomfortable facilities and a slow internet connection create significant barriers, lowering the perception of ease (perceived behavioral control), and ultimately forming a strong negative attitude toward the experience of visiting the library. The library, which should be a comfortable “third space” for learning, instead becomes a place to be avoided due to its discomfort. Beyond physical comfort, the scarcity of relevant and up-to-date library materials is the most fatal inhibiting factor. The very limited availability of the collection, especially for specific study programs like nursing and eye health, frustrates students as they cannot find the learning resources they need for their academic assignments. This condition creates a functional disconnect between the students’ curricular needs and the services provided by the library. Consequently, students’ reliance on unverified online sources becomes higher, not by choice, but by necessity. At this point, the library fails to perform its core function as a learning resource center. The combination of an irrelevant collection and facilities that do not support learning comfort makes students reluctant to make the library their first choice, even pushing them to seek alternative places like cafes or co-working spaces which, although paid, offer far more adequate facilities. As concluded by Pertiwi et al., (2020), adequate facilities and good spatial arrangement have a very strong positive influence on visitation interest. The second external factor exacerbating this condition is the lack of proactive promotion and service innovation from the library. When asked about promotional strategies, the librarian stated: “To promote library materials, we usually just go through our Instagram social media.” (Informant 2, interview, June 13, 2025). Although using social media is a good step, its limited implementation on a single platform and inconsistent execution have proven ineffective. This is reflected in a student’s admission: “Honestly, I don’t really know what services are available in the library. I once saw a post about a new collection, but that was it, there were no other new posts.” (Informant 3, interview, June 13, 2025). This lack of information exposure creates ignorance among students about what the library actually offers. If they do not know what is inside, there will be no motivation to enter. The student’s suggestion for an orientation session for new students is a very constructive piece of feedback, indicating a need for a more structured introduction to services from the outset. This lack of knowledge and positive experience, again according to the Theory of Planned Behavior, will form a negative or apathetic attitude toward visiting the library. If students perceive that there is no benefit to be gained from visiting (because they have never been told the benefits), then the intention to come will never be formed. This finding is in line with research by Inabah (2020), which states that visitor interest is greatly influenced by their perception of the collection’s completeness, service quality, and facility comfort, where all these perceptions are shaped by the information they receive. Without effective promotion, a positive perception will never be built. Facing this complex set of problems, the library has not been without effort. Based on an interview with the head of the library, Mardiah, S.Sos., it was revealed that several strategies have been implemented in an attempt to rekindle student interest. These strategies include efforts to establish collaboration with lecturers and academic staff, an emphasis on providing responsive and friendly service, and promoting library materials through social media. However, further analysis shows that the implementation of each of these strategies still faces challenges and has not been optimal. The first strategy, collaboration with lecturers and academic staff, is a very strategic step. Through this cooperation, lecturers can function as “agents of influence” who encourage students to utilize library resources as an integral part of their academic activities. The head of the library stated, “We have already collaborated with the academic side, we also work with lecturers to ask their students to find reference sources for their assignments.” (Informant 1, interview, June 13, 2025). This initiative was confirmed by a student, but with a critical note: "Some lecturers direct us to find references... in the library, but this activity isn’t done very routinely.” (Informant 4, interview, June 13, 2025). Here, a gap between intention and implementation is visible. Within the TPB framework, this collaboration aims to strengthen the subjective norm—the students’ perception that influential people (lecturers) expect them to use the library. However, because this encouragement is inconsistent and unstructured, its impact on the students’ subjective norm becomes weak and sporadic. The current collaboration lacks a systematic evaluation or follow-up mechanism. There is no system to monitor whether students actually use the library after being directed, nor are there incentives for lecturers who actively integrate library resources into their curriculum. This indicates that the collaboration is still superficial and has not yet touched upon deep and sustainable behavioral change. Nevertheless, this collaborative initiative remains clear evidence that the library is not operating in isolation and is open to synergy to improve its service quality (Komariah & Saepudin, 2021). The second strategy is an emphasis on friendly service from the librarian. Excellent service is the frontline in creating a positive user experience. The librarian sincerely stated their commitment: “For service, we definitely give our best. Sometimes if a student has difficulty finding the book they’re looking for, we help them find it.” (Informant 2, interview, June 13, 2025). This effort was appreciated by students, but again, with a critical note regarding consistency. A student shared their experience: “The librarian is friendly, sometimes they help us find the collection we are looking for, but at other times the librarian’s demeanor is stern and they are mostly silent.” (Informant 5, interview, June 13, 2025). This feedback is invaluable as it highlights that inconsistency in service can damage the library’s overall image. A negative experience, even if it only happens occasionally, can spread by word-of-mouth and form a collective opinion that the library is not a welcoming place. Good service can certainly be seen and felt in the ease with which users obtain information relevant to their current needs (Safitri et al., 2024). In TPB, a positive interaction with a librarian can strengthen a positive attitude toward visiting, but a negative experience can do the opposite. Therefore, consistency in providing empathetic and proactive service is key, as this interaction plays a crucial role in delivering excellent service (Mustofa et al., 2024). The third strategy, promotion of library materials, is the library’s attempt to communicate the value of its collection. Promotion aims to make students aware of the existence of information sources relevant to their needs (Rahmatullah et al., 2024). However, its implementation is admittedly still very limited. “To promote library materials and available services, we usually only inform through the library’s Instagram social media,” (Informant 2, interview, June 13, 2025). As discussed previously, this approach has proven ineffective due to its narrow reach and lack of consistency. A student explicitly stated: “Honestly, I don’t really know what collections are available in the library... there needs to be an improvement in promoting the materials.” (Informant 6, interview, June 13, 2025). This failure in promotion directly contributes to the low intention to visit. Without adequate information about what is on offer, students have no strong reason or motivation to come. Promotion focused on a single platform like Instagram is clearly insufficient to reach all students, who have diverse media preferences. The challenge of managing a library collection amidst budget constraints is a complex issue that requires special strategies to ensure the library can continue to function optimally (Ramadhan et al., 2025). Modern promotion strategies should be multi-channel and interactive, not just “pushing” information but also “pulling” users into a dialogue. Furthermore, based on observation, there have been no promotional efforts in the physical campus space, such as posters or digital information boards, that could increase students’ exposure to library services. Efforts to modernize promotion through social media must be utilized more strategically to build interaction and attract users, as suggested by (Maretno & Marlini, 2021). Without a holistic and consistent communication strategy, even the best collections and services are meaningless if no one knows about them.

Based on an in-depth analysis, this study concludes that the decline in student visitation at the STIKes Binalita Sudama Medan library is caused by a complex interaction between two main factors. Internal factors, originating from within the students, are manifested as apathetic attitudes such as reluctance and a strong preference for online information sources, which are perceived as faster and more efficient. However, these internal factors are significantly reinforced by external factors: the library’s condition, which fails to meet basic user expectations, such as inadequate physical facilities, a collection lacking relevance to the specific needs of the health curriculum, and unreliable digital connectivity. The combination of these two factors creates a negative cycle, where the unappealing state of the library provides a justification for students not to visit, thereby reinforcing their habit of relying entirely on alternative sources. The strategies that have been implemented by the library—including collaboration with lecturers, promotion through social media, and friendly service—have in practice been unable to effectively break this negative cycle. Their inconsistent and less-than-innovative implementation has failed to address the root problems of relevance and comfort. The main contribution of this study is the assertion that to revitalize its role, a health sciences academic library must move beyond conventional strategies. The practical implication demands a paradigm shift toward a user-centered approach, prioritizing the modernization of facilities, the acquisition of a collection highly relevant to the study programs’ needs, and a proactive, multi-channel promotional strategy to re-demonstrate its value as an irreplaceable learning resource center within the academic ecosystem. This research provides a critical recommendation for library management to reformulate more user-centered strategies to enhance the library’s appeal and relevance.