CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to
the Study
From
an etymological stand point the term “theological institution” can be best
defined when separated into two (theological and institution). Theological is a
derivative of theology. Theology when further split into “Theo” (Greek word for
God) and “Logos” (Greek for word), will stand for the study of the word of God.
According to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary 7th edition
theology is the study of religion and beliefs. And it also defines “institution”
as a large important organization that has a particular purpose, e.g.
university. Therefore a theological institution is an organization that is set
up for the study of the word of God (religion and beliefs), as well as related
disciplines. Theological institutions are places of education, usually for
religion and beliefs. Examples of such places include school, seminary,
academy, college or university for the education of priesthood. The seminaries
under study are those whose main function is to provide an adequate means for
clerical education that is in turn necessary for church planting, church
administration and effective ministry of church members. This of course is the
goal of the church organizations that own the seminaries.
To
fulfill this goal, theological institutions need libraries like any other
educational organization. Libraries of these institutions (theological
libraries) help in fulfilling the curriculum of the institutions necessary to
attain the goal of the parent organizations (the churches). The curriculums are
fulfilled through the provision of service (information materials) necessary
for enhancing the teaching, learning and research in theology and their related
disciplines. Hence they were mainly set up to enhance the fulfillment of the
curricula of the institutions, through teaching, studying and research. This
does not exclude the use of these libraries for leisure purpose such as reading
of newspapers, magazines etc within their holdings. These theological libraries
are information brokers for their patrons where by whether on-site in the
library buildings or through email and instant messaging their patrons
(faculty, staff, students, administrators of host institutions and alumni) are
saved of time and frustration. Through collaborations with each other, and
offering expert guidance on how to access newly available resources,
theological libraries in the west today widen the circle of information
resources they offer to their patrons.
Libraries
in theological institutions (as another class of higher institutions of
learning) are referred to as theological libraries. Theological libraries are a
type of special libraries with an inclination towards academics, so are
academic because they enable teaching and learning in these institutions of
higher learning. Yet theological libraries still maintain their identity as a
class of special libraries due to their common features they share with other
special libraries. They lay emphasis on a single subject (theology in the case
of theological libraries); have a particular group of readership (theology
students and staff theologians) and lay emphasis on service (information
provision) among others. Therefore theological libraries can be defined as the
group of special libraries whose emphasis lies in the role of provision of
service (information oriented) to theology students and staff theologians for
effective learning and teaching of theology, for effective evangelization and
church administration.
The
resources in theological libraries are mainly information resources or library
collections. They include reference materials like Bible dictionaries, Lexicons
in Biblical languages (Hebrew and Greek), and their dictionaries (Hebrew to
English and Greek to English), Encyclopedias of religions, theology,
Encyclopedia Britannica and Americana, Bible Concordances, Commentaries, Bible
atlases and maps of the Holy land, journals (both print and electronic), music
work books and hymnals, church documents, conference proceedings, international
church conferences proceedings, magazines, newspapers, audiovisual materials
like film strips, missions and ad hock committee resolutions; as well as
monographs (textbooks) in related disciplines in the five major branches of
theology as indicated in catalogues, indexes and abstracts and as displayed on
stacks or shelves, bookshops and finally the Dissertations, theses and projects
of teaching staff and ex-students of the host institutions. Theological
libraries especially in the western world, do have Internet resources and
computers to enable their patrons access remote or on-line information and
scholarly literature of their collaborators. For theological libraries to
continue to sustain their existence, they need a form of continuous quality
assurance in them. Such a quality assurance program usually takes one of the
most important ways of assessment namely evaluation of library services to
users. It has been noted by Haris and Marshal in Donald (2006) that, whether a
library chooses to evaluate money-saving or time saving, productivity increase
or quality of library services, it is obvious that the library needs to make
some kind of effort to evaluate library services. This is because evaluation or
assessment of library services to users will prove the worth of the services,
the relationship between cost and benefits of applying technology in service,
and is the way of determining areas of staff skills needing attention in the
library.
The
origins of theological libraries can be traced from ancient times through the
medieval and modern periods. In the ancient times, the dispersion of the Qumran
community by the Romans in 125BC-7OAD forced this Hebrew brotherhood to secure
their scrolls and papyrus scripts in earthen pitchers subject to high heat, in
caves. These manuals of Discipline of the community, Rule of Consecration, Rule
of Order and Rule of War time, unearthed by archaeological discoveries in 1947,
revealed the teachings of the congregation, strict inner discipline, high moral
lessons and Messianic expectations of the community as valuable Biblical and
theological aids.
In
the medieval period Christian monasteries came up in the western part of the
Roman Empire when its rule declined, and upheld lapsing literacy. And in the
Eastern part of the Roman Empire, Emperor Constantine the Great promoted
literacy that culminated into Renaissance in Europe. Hence leading monasteries
developed libraries whose collections were mainly religious and some
non-religious writings. Monastery and cathedral schools developed having
Bibles, religious texts, St. Augustine’s writings, works of classics, Hummer
vigil, cantons grammar and mathematics as collections to enhance teaching and
learning. These schools later developed into theological libraries.
Enlightened
rulers and prominent individuals like Emperor Charlemagne (742-814) of France
had a library and recruited Alcuin an English Monk (735-804) to take control of
it, (Edoka 2000). Alcuin later established a Model library for religious
institutions when he became the Abbot of St. Martin of Tours. Meanwhile Prophet
Mohammad had founded Islam in the Arabic Peninsula and it spread to impact
positively on library development.
In
the modern period, benchmarks, like emergent middle class, invention of
printing press and expanding literacy promoted the multiplicity of books.
Multiple printed materials, plus improved means of making them accessible
emerged in response to information needs of different interest groups. The
scope of the educational opportunities, the number and sizes of tertiary-institutions
and their library types also emerged to cater for the needs of their users.
Theological
libraries like their counterparts in the same class of special libraries do
perform unique functions. They are mission oriented in nature of their host
organizations (i.e. enhancing the full attainment of the churches evangelistic
mission through provision of information materials for training pastors and
priests of reputable caliber). From their specialized collections, they serve
specialized group of users, by offering specialized and usually personalized
services. The users of theological libraries are homogeneous in nature. The
users (theology students and staff theologians) have a common subject or group
of subjects (theologies, biblical languages and philosophies) as the main
common denominator. They also have a group of persons out of their own group
existing out there. Hence the services rendered by theological libraries are
biased towards providing information for acquiring the craft of preaching to
bring people to salvation, and under pastoral care. This makes theological
libraries a potential or veritable instrument for the transformation of the
human society. For a society without such a potential source of skills can not
attain full restoration of the dignity of mankind. For theological libraries to
assert their position in the society as a source of human empowerment they need
to be up-to date in terms of information materials, retrieval or access devices
(i.e. facilities) and in the services they offer to their users who are pastors
and priests (clergy men and women) in training. The choice of the theological
libraries under study is based on the fact that they are within two regions of
the ten geopolitical regions, with predominantly English language as medium of
expression.
The Herman Herzog Library of the Presbyterian
Theological Seminary (PTS) Kumba could be traced back from the humble
beginning of its host institution, the Catechist Training Centre (CTC)
established in 1931 in Nyasoso in the South West region of Cameroon, by the
Basel Mission (a missionary society) based in Basel-Switzerland. After a
temporary stop by 1952, the institution was re-opened under the Catechist
Training institute, and developed rapidly into a Theological Training Center
(T. T. C) in the same year.
Development
and innovations were being introduced, as a result, a prominent one, namely a
small library was established in the house of the center’s principal in 1957.
This small library that was open to staff and students greatly enhanced,
promoted and deepened theological studies at the institution, Zimmermann
(2002). Through these humble beginnings the library grew over the years and by
2002, it had 7000 copies in its holdings. This figure later increased to 8,500
copies by the year 2009, and the library was named after its founder Herman
Herzog.
Meanwhile
earlier in 1972 the Theological Training Center was renamed the Presbyterian
Theological College since it was awarding the diploma in theology. In March 10th
1988, it transferred from Nyasoso (a remoter town), to Kumba (a cosmopolitan
city). And by April 10th 1988
it re-opened its doors in the new location. By April 1994 the institution was
renamed the Presbyterian Theological Seminary (PTS) Kumba to reflect its new
status as degree awarding institution.
The Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary
(CBTS) Ndu library also has a humble beginning of a Bible School that
was established in 1946 in Belo Kom in the North West Region of Cameroon, by
Rev. Dr. Don S. Constron, beginning with 14 part time students. In 1950 the
Bible School was relocated to another station known as Mbem still in the
Northwest Region of Cameroon. It was in the same year that Rev. Ahrens and his
wife set to establish a library with 60 books in its initial holdings. By 1977, the name of the institution was
changed to Baptist Theological College (BTC) to reflect its Diploma in Theology
awarding status; and again changed in 1983, to Cameroon Baptist Theological
Seminary (CBTS) Ndu, to reflect its new status as an institution that awards
degrees in Theology, Nfor (1977).
The St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary (STAMS)
Library Bambui also can be traced
from a humble beginning when in 1972, preparations geared towards setting the
stage for the establishment of the host institution, led to the transfer of the
former Catholic Teachers Training College operating on the site where the
seminary is found today, to another site along with its books. In 1973 the
seminary was started and the books of the Catholic Teachers Training College
brought back to the former site, this time hosting the St. Thomas Aquainas
Major Seminary (STAMS) Bambui, in the North West Region of Cameroon. In the
same year more books were ordered from Millhill to start the library. Rev.
Fathers Moris Megil and Henri Peeters are reported to have started the indexing
of the books, Peeters and Assah (2010). Although all books acquired for the
library are said to be through a center discovered in Netherlands in early
1980s, they have over the years until recently, been acquired through
donations. Religious institutions such as the Dominicans, Divine Word
Missionaries and the Milhill Congregation, as well as individuals from U.S.A,
Netherlands, England and France donated books and magazines. When further
expansion was done in 2007/2008 by the addition of metal shelves, it created
space for the 60.000 books and pamphlets it now has. The library is opened to
staff and students of the seminary, as well as students of the higher
educational institution for teachers training near by.
The Cameroon Baptist Seminary
(CBS) Library Kumba which is relatively the latest among the four
libraries under study also has a humble beginning. Serim, (2010) attests that
this library was opened in the same year 2001, when the seminary was started.
Books for the initial library holdings were acquired through donations and
purchases, although the initial number is not known to this researcher. From
its inception, the library has two sectors (i.e. the inner and the outer
stacks) in terms of its arrangement. As at now the library has 3000 volumes
with no professionals to organize them for proper and easy access by its users.
Users of theological library services
The
importance of the information materials or resource of theological libraries to
their users cannot be overemphasized. For the resources enhance teaching,
learning and research by the users of the libraries. A person or thing that
acts upon something by making use of it to achieve a purpose is a user. In the
context of the library, those who make use of its resources, facilities and
services for studying, research, or leisure are library users. Whilttaker as
sited in Agu (2006) defines a library user as a person who uses one or more of
library’s services at least once a year. Thus visitors of either a private,
public, school, academic or special library for reasons requiring the attention
of library staff, are library users. Consequently the theology students and
staff theologians attended to in libraries of theological institutions or
theological libraries as the ones currently under study, are users of such
libraries. All the theology students are part of the libraries’ clientèle along
with the teaching staff, although are not registered. Their characteristics are
that they have a homogeneous goal of studying theology and its related
disciplines; they pastors and priest or to be after studies. Their needs
include information materials in theology and its related disciplines necessary
to fulfill requirement for their teaching, learning and research. People who
are not regular students or teaching staff are allowed to research in the
theological libraries, so they are also users of these libraries. However care
is taken to identify and monitor them for the purpose of securing the books and
other information resources.
Theological libraries have since
emerged as veritable instruments for transformation of the ailing human
society. And for them to really assert themselves in this position as a source
of human empowerment they need to be up-to-date in terms of information
materials, retrieval or access devices and in the quality of the services they
offer to their patrons. The need to constantly fulfill the information needs of
their clients, through effective services delivery. Effective service delivery
can be properly attained by these libraries after quality assessment. Therefore
constant evaluation of library services to users is an imperative action for
the theological libraries under study.
Statement of the Problem
EVALUATION OF LIBRARY SERVICES TO USERS IN THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE NORTHWEST AND SOUTHWEST REGIONS OF CAMEROON
