TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title Page – – – – – – – – i
Approval Page – – – – – – – ii
Certification Page – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – v
Table of Contents – – – – – – – vii
Lists of Appendices – – – – – – – ix
Lists of table – – – – – – – – x
Lists of Figures – – – – – – – xi
– – – – – – – – – xi
Abstract – – – – – – – – xii
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study – – – – – 1
Statement of the Problem – – – – – 11
Purpose of the Study – – – – – – 12
Research Questions – – – – – – 13
Significance of the Study – – – – – 14
Scope of the Study – – – – – – 15
CHAPTER
TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Conceptual Framework. – – – – – – 16
Concept of Academic Library – – – – 17
Collection Development in academic libraries – – – 17
Collection Development Policy – – – – – 24
Availability of Collection Development policies on Collection Development in Academic Libraries – – – – – – 26
Contents of Collection Development Policies in Academic Libraries – 29
Extent of Application of Collection Development Policies in Academic Libraries – 31
Perceived Benefits of Application of Collection Development Policies in Achieving the Objectives of Libraries – – – 32
Constraints to the Application of Collection Development Policies among the Academic Libraries – – – – -35
Strategies for Enhancing the Application of Collection Development Policies in Academic Libraries – – – – – – – 38
Review of Related Empirical Studies – – – – 40
Summary of Literature Review – – – – 47
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD – – – 49
Design of the study – – – – – – 49
Area of the Study – – – – – – 49
Population of the Study – – – – – – 50
Sample and Sampling Technique – – – – – 50
Instrument for Data Collection – – – – 51
Validation of Instrument – – – – – 52
Method of Data Collection – – – – – 53
Method of Data Analysis – – – – – 53
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF DATA – – 55
CHAPTER FIVE: DICUSSION AND CONCLUSION – – 64
Discussions of the Findings – – – – 64
Implication of the Study – – – – – 68
Recommendations – – – – – – 70
Limitations of the Study – – – – – 71
Suggestion for further Research – – – – 71
Conclusion – – – – – – – 72
REFERENCES – – – – – – – 74
APPENDICES
Appendix I: List of Academic Libraries in North West, Nigeria – 81
Appendix II: List of Academic Libraries and number of the professional staff used – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 82
Appendix III: Distribution and percentage return of questionnaire according to Academic libraries – – – – – – – – – – – – – 83
Appendix IV: Application of Collection Development Policies Questionnaire 85
Appendix V: Interview Schedule – – – – – 89
Appendix VI: Observation Checklist – – – – 90
LIST
OF TABLES
Table 1: Mean responses of professional staff on the content of collection development policies in academic libraries – – – 57
Table 2: Mean responses of professional library staff on extent of application of collection Development policies in academic libraries 58
Table 3: Mean responses of professional library staff on the benefits of application of collection Development policies in academic libraries 59
Table 4: Mean response of professional library staff on constrains faced in the application of Collection development policies in academic libraries – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 60
Table 5: Mean responses of professional staff on ways of improving application of collection Development policies in academic libraries – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 61
LISTS
OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Observation checklist of available collection development policies in academic Libraries in North West, Nigeria – – 56
Figure 2: Availability of collection development policy base of academic library and the type of ownership – – – – – 57
ABSTRACT
This research
work investigated the application of collection development policies in
academic libraries in North West, Nigeria. The study was guided by six specific
objectives which includes to: ascertain the availability of collection
development policies; ascertain the content of collection development policies;
determine the extent of application of collection development policies; ascertain the perceived benefits of the
application of collection development policies in achieving the objectives of
the libraries; investigate the constraints to the application of collection
development policies among the academic libraries; and suggest strategies to
enhance the application of collection
development policies in academic libraries of North West, Nigeria. A descriptive research design was used for
the study. The area of the study was North West, Nigeria. A total population of
166 respondents consisting of all professional library staff of 10 out of 35
academic libraries in the zone was sampled and used. The instrument for data
collected and used were; questionnaire, interview and observation checklists.
The instruments developed in accordance with the research questions were face
validated by three expert lecturers from the Department of Library and
Information science, and the researcher’s supervisor. The researcher with the
help of one trained research assistant from each academic library studied
distributed 166 copies of the questionnaire to professional librarians in ten
academic libraries, 160 were duly filled and returned, representing 96% of the
total population. Simple percentages, frequencies, table and means scores were
used for data presentation and analysis. The study was designed to ascertain the
availability of policies on collection development in academic library in North
West Nigeria. The results of the findings revealed that major obstacle in the
application of collection development policies in academic libraries are; lack
of funds, administrative bottle necks, effect of ICT among others. Some
suggestions were given as; The Nigerian Library Association (NLA) should create
a standard policy for academic libraries’ on their material collection
development, and ensure compliance by all academic libraries. Efforts should be
made to recruit more librarians in academic libraries in North West, Nigeria.
The researcher conclusively, suggest that for application of collection
development to be meaningful and realistic
in academic libraries, officers in-charge of collection development need to be
committed, appropriately trained formally and informally, and also be willing
to spend considerable time and energy to develop useful and relevant policies.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Academic
libraries are libraries established in institutions of higher learning. Uwaifo
(2010) defines academic library as those libraries established and maintained
by higher/tertiary institutions of learning such as universities, polytechnics,
colleges of educations, school of nursing, school of health technologies,
petroleum training institutes etc. Aina (2004) stated that, academic institutions
are categorised mainly into two namely; university and non-university
institutions such as, colleges of education, polytechnics, school of nursing,
and others, other than secondary schools. Libraries in these institutions
perform functions directly related to the mission of each institution they
serve. Libraries of these institutions according to Dara (2005) are established
to be the source of the procurement and supply of textbooks, journals, and
adequate current valuable information to promote academic excellence. The central
function of an academic library is to support the teaching, learning and
research programmes of the institution by acquiring adequate print and
non-print information resources and audio-visual materials, and make them
available for use by students, faculty members and researchers in general.
These
libraries are established in their various institutions in order to support all
academic work, and achieve the objectives of academic libraries which are to
provide adequate information resources for teaching, learning and researches
for all users. This is in agreement with Omeje (2005) who noted that academic
libraries worldwide may differ in size and sophistication, but they have one
common objective: to provide information resources to facilitate teaching,
learning, research and community services embarked upon by the parent
institution. Academic libraries, according to Boakye (1994), are charged with
the responsibility of providing adequate information materials to satisfy the
needs of well defined specialized users, who are lecturers, researchers,
administrators, or students of a particular academic institution. These materials
to be provided should be varied enough, to meet the functions of teaching,
research and development, publication and community services particularly, of
the lecturers and students, and library users in general.
Edoka (2000) enumerated objectives of an
academic library as follows: to provide information materials required for the
academic programmes of the parent institution, provide research information
resources in consonance with the needs of faculty and research students,
provide information resources for recreation and for personal self-development
of users, provide study accommodation in a useful variety of locations, provide
protection and security for these materials, co-operate with other libraries at
appropriate level for improved information services, and to provide specialized
information services to appropriate segments of the wider community. He further
stressed that the prime obligation of an academic library is to provide
appropriate information resources for study and research to the members of its
own institution. Maidabino (2011) maintains that library collections constitute
the bedrock of service provided to the community and serve as important assets
to the library. The entire information resources or, library holdings are known
as the library collection. Library
collections are very important in meeting the academic libraries objectives of
teaching, learning and research of a particular institution.
Ifidon
(1999) defined library collection as information bearing materials which enable
the library to fulfil its goal of meeting the information needs of its users.
Cssel (1999) on his part asserted that library resources are information
bearing materials, and that they are broadly classified according to their
formats, these are printed and non printed resources. Printed resources are
printed words which include textbooks in any form or documents in hard copies,
while non printed resources are those materials that require the use of
equipment to explore their contents such as video materials, audio materials,
graphic materials etc. All these materials are acquired, processed, preserved
and made available in the library to meet information needs of library users.
On this note, every institution needs an
adequately stocked library if it must produce quality graduates that would be
able to compete in the international arena. “The Nigerian educational system
has been expanding at a rapid rate and as the system expands, so also with a
corresponding need for increased information acquisition” (Erwat & Fabunmi,
2006). This increased information acquisition as a result of system expansion,
will help to assemble all manners of information resources of whatever type for
library users. Omagbemi (2003) defined
collection development as a planned continuous, cost effective and preferential
acquisition of qualitative, relevant materials to meet the needs of users and
the objectives of the library. Song
(2000) noted that information and document resources are the most essential
condition for higher personnel training and scientific research in higher
educational institution in China. This
fact is true all over the world because high calibre professionals,
technocrats, scientists and administrators everywhere are products of academic
institutions in which academic libraries are the pillar. The extent, to which a
library collection is utilized, depends upon the quality and relevance of the
collection itself. The quality and value of library collection is the outcome
of the collection development activity due to its critical function in any
library since it determines to a large extent, the usability or otherwise of
its collection.
The
size, nature and contents of the library collection depend upon the objective
of the institution and needs of the community it serves. Chukwu cited in Owolabi
and Akintola 2010, observed that the major indicator of a good library is the
quality and quantity of its collections. This is why it is necessary for
libraries to acquire current and relevant information resources necessary for
sustaining teaching, learning and research activities that academic libraries
are known for from the beginning. According to Aina (2001), collection
development is the aspect of the library
and information work that is
responsible for selecting
and acquiring information
resources that will enable library
and information practitioners to
perform their myriad functions to the users effectively. According to Eguavoen
(2002), Ochai (2002), and Pryterch (2002), collection development is the
process of planning a stock acquisition programme not simply to cater for
immediate needs, but to build a coherent and reliable collection over a period
of years, to meet the objectives of the institutions. Ozioko and Ekere (2011)
are of the opinion that collection development is not only viewed from the
angle of growth in volumes and titles, but in the quality of acquired materials
in enhancing effective information delivery and the usage of such to reduce
user frustration.
Collection
development is one of the fundamental functions of any library. It is
the process through
which library professionals
engage in developing and maintaining
library resources. From the
forgoing, collection development means the planned and systematic building of
library collection. Collection building may involve a library that is starting
an initial collection, or developing an already existing library collection.
Ozioko and Ekere (2011) viewed collection development as either building a
collection from the scratch, (ab-initio) or working on an already existing collection.
Kolo (2010) opines that collection development is basic to librarianship and
that it is the essence and corner-stone of librarianship. It is necessary for
academic libraries in general, and North West, Nigeria in particular, to
acquire current and relevant information resources necessary for sustaining the
objectives that academic libraries are known for. Owolabi and Akintola (2010)
noted that, “the major indicator of a good library is the quality and quantity
of its collections”. In support of the above quotation, academic libraries are
to maintain standards for selecting relevant information resources necessary
for learning in their various institutions.
In
order to achieve a balanced collection of information resources in all areas of
the library`s specialization, a collection development policy is designed to
guide the selection of library materials. Ozioko and Ekere (2011) asserted that
collection development policy is a written document representing a plan of
action and information during selection and acquisition of library materials
and which proves very useful in pointing out subject areas that need emphasis. Evans
(1987) describes a collection development policy as a library’s written plan,
aimed at correcting the weakness of the collection and maintaining inherent
strength. He sees the policy as a plan of action which guides the library
personnel’s thinking and decision making. International Federation of Library
Association (IFLA) cited in Adomi 2006 noted that a policy statement is a kind
of framework and set of parameter within which library staff and users work.
The American Library Association(ALA) cited also in Adomi 2006 describes collection development policy as the
document which defines the scope of a library’s existing collections, plans for
the continuing development of the resources, identifies collection strengths, and outlines the
relationship between selection philosophy and the institution`s goals, general
selection criteria, and intellectual freedom. In agreement with this statement,
Van-Zijl (1998) states that a policy which gives clear but simple
guidelines in the selection of material would clearly be of benefit to
bibliographers and would lead to them making more consistent and informed
decisions.
Collection development policy is
very important to the library as it assists staff to build a balanced and
healthy collection which can meet user`s information needs. No wonder, Adomi
(2006), quoted Johnson (1994) that “libraries without collection development
policies are like business without plan”. Writing on collection development policy,
Ahmed (2005), and Olaojo and Akewukereke (2006), maintain that collection
development policy is a formal document which establishes ground rules for
planning, budgeting, selecting, and acquiring library materials, and that this
document provides a framework for coordinated collection development programme
throughout the libraries that uses it. They assent to the strategic importance
of a collection development policy in improving and effecting a comprehensive
and detailed library collection.
In view of the above, it can be said
that collection development policies are needed in libraries as they perform
planning functions to the librarians, and communication functions to all types
of users. It can therefore be said that, a collection development policy is a
document drawn up by a specific library to provide guidelines which develop the
collection to meet the needs of library users. It may be written or unwritten
policy. Collection development policy
guides libraries on issues and processes in selecting information materials to
satisfy needs of the users, as it spells out issues related to content and
format of the collection, to the authorities responsible for selecting and
acquiring library information resources. Due to the strategic importance of
collection development in academic libraries, it is glaring that a policy
document is expected, in order to guide the operations of the library
activities and act as a buffer against unjust complaints from critics, as
Ogbonna (2009) pointed out that, a collection development policy is the blue
print that guides the library in its collection development. According to him,
it may be written or unwritten, and usually consists of the following;
introduction, philosophy and goals, selection policy, acquisition policy,
special format, gifts, weeding, intellectual freedom, and revision. Ocho (2003)
however explained that, policies are usually written to minimize
misunderstanding; facilitate dissemination to all concerned; force implementers
to focus more attention on the policy and thereby achieve further clarity and
minimise arbitrary interpretation by policy implementers. In view of these, it can be said that genuine
policies are official document that can be consulted, read and interpreted as
the need arise. The documented written policy minimizes sudden, unreasonable
variations in decisions and implementation that arise from serious diversion
from the practices, necessitating explanation and justification as to why
something is done.
Collection
development policies (also known as collection development policy statements)
are a written or unwritten statement of the plan to assess the strengths and
weakness of a collection with an intention to correct the weaknesses and
improve the strength of the collection. Policies have proven valuable tools to
many collection development librarians in academic libraries, as these
systematic documents provide a framework for co-ordinated collection
development programme, as its proper application is an essential instrument in
providing materials in academic libraries for the ever-increasing information
resources. According to the American Library Association (ALA) standard for
collection development policy, as discussed by Olaojo and Akewukereke (2006),
the general overview of a collection
development policy, shows an introduction to the policy, a description
of the community the library serves, collection development efforts that
defines and explains the operations to be covered. Some major topics covered by
a policy include: purpose of the policy, its intended audience, a description
of the institution and its clientele, and an overview of how the collection has
developed. Also included in a policy are details on the types of programmes or
patrons’ needs that are to be met by the collection. Furthermore, the
general priorities and limitations of
the collection are usually included in a policy. Normally the policy specifies
who is responsible for selection, methods of selection, treatment of gifts and
donations; weeding and collection assessment are also included in the overview
of a collection development policy for a healthy effective and efficient
collection for a proper attainment of the objectives of the library and its parent
institution as well.
The need for the collection
development policy in a library is closely related to the operation of a well
established collection, as it supports the library’s role in providing
resources to meet the learning, teaching and research needs of its intended
users. Collection development policy is very important to the library as it
assists staff to build a balanced and healthy collection which can meet user`s
information needs. Today each library attempts to keep a balance between developing
their own physical collections and providing remote access to information
sources. Collection development policies give an indication of the scope of a
library’s existing collection, plans for the continuing growth of collections
as well as the type of resources the library aims to acquire. Academic libraries
are developing collections primarily to support the current and anticipated
research and service programs of their respective institutions. The central
function of the collection development policy is to guide the systematic
selection of the world’s recorded knowledge, and the important fact is that
library collections must be viewed by those who develop them and those who use
them as a total coordinated resource materials.
Perhaps, there seems to
be no consensus among librarians in the application of a collection development
policy, as different library scholars have expressed their views on the
application of a policy in developing collections in libraries. Some scholars are of the view in support of
the use of an approved standard policy in collection development in academic
libraries; others see no need for a guide when developing a library collection. An observation of the libraries in institutions
of higher learning in North West, Nigeria, suggested that most of the academic
libraries in this geo-political zone lag a collection development policy.
Commenting on this, Ifidon (1990) noted that most African university libraries
do not have collection development policies, mainly because librarians think
that the primary objectives of the libraries are quite clear and that they could
be guided by such objectives; but a collection development policy is certainly
more than that, this is why Johnson (1994) in a general but brief statement maintains
that “libraries without collection development policies are like businesses
without business plans”. This is because one has to understand what the
business is/or is doing at the moment and where it is heading. Even though a
collection development policy can be written or unwritten, without either, Librarians
and collection developers are likely to go into excesses in some areas to the
neglect of other areas. The implication is that such libraries may have numerous
information materials, but cannot satisfy the information needs of the
community they serve, and the aim of setting up such institution will be
defeated.
According to National Universities
Commission (NUC, 2013) website, there are one hundred and twenty nine
Universities owned by Federal, States and Private government, out of which
thirteen are located in North West, Nigeria. National Board for Technical
Education (NBTE 2012) website, there are forty six Federal and State government
polytechnics in the country and eight of them are located in North West, accordingly,
National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE 2012) website, there are
thirty three colleges of education owned by Federal, State and private
organization and eleven of them are located in North West, Nigeria. There are
therefore, thirty five academic institutional libraries in North West, Nigeria.
National University Commission (NUC), National commission for Colleges of
Education (NCCE), and National Board for Technical Education (N
