TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page……………………………………………………………………………… i
Approval Page………………………………………………………………………… ii
Certification…………………………………………………………………………… iii
Dedication…………………………………………………………………………….. iv
Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………… v
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………….. vi
List of tables…………………………………………………………………………… viii
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………… ix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the study……………………………………………………………….. 1
Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………… 7
Purpose of the study…………………………………………………………………… 8
Research Questions…………………………………………………………………….. 9
Significance of the study……………………………………………………………… 9
Scope of the study……………………………………………………………………… 10
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual Framework………………………………………………………………… 11
Various Types of Serial Collection…………………………………………….. 21
Types of Journals
……………………………………………………………………… 24
User Strategies towards the use of Serials ………………………………….. 28
Problems of Serials Collection……………………………………………. 31
Strategies to enhance serial Collection…………………………………..… 33
Review of Empirical Studies…………………………………………………………… 35
Summary of Review Literature…………………………………………37
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS
Research design………………………………………………………………………… 39
Area of Study…………………………………………………………………………… 39
Population of the study………………………………………………………………… 39
Sample and Sampling technique……………………………… 40
Instruments for data collection……………………………………………… 40
Validation of the instrument…………………………………………………………… 40
Method of data collection……………………………………………………………… 41
Method of data analysis………………………………………………………………… 41
CHAPTER FOUR PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
Research Question I……………………………………………………………………. 42
Research Question II……………………………………………………………………. 44
Research Question III…………………………………………………………………… 45
Research Question IV……………………………………………………………………. 46
Research Question V…………………………………………………………………….. 46
Research Question VI……………………………………………………………………. 46
Research Question VI…………………………………………………………………….. 47
Summary of the Study ………………………………………………………………….. 48
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Discussion of Finding…………………………………………………………………… 49
Implication of Study……………………………………………………………………… 55
Recommendations……………………………………………………………………….. 55
Limitations of the Study…………………………………………………………………. 56
Suggestion for Further Research…………………………………… 56
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………… 57
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………….. 58
APPENDIX A Chart of types of journals……………………………………… 62
B Distinctions of different types of journals……………………….. 63
C Table for population of the study………………………………. 64
D Letter for Evaluation……………………………………………… 65
E Questionnaires for staff and users………………………………… 66
F Observation checklist Questionnaire………………………………. 68
G Interview schdule ……………………………………………… 74
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Population of the study ……………………………………………. 64
Table 2: Distribution and return rate of instruments ………………….. 42
Table 3: Availability of serial collection ………………………………. 43
Table 4: Extent of usage ……………………………………………………………….. 44
Table 5: Respondents view on currency of serials ………………. 45
Table 6: Purpose of using serials …………………………………………. 45
Table 7: Level of Satisfaction ………………………………………………….. 46
Table 8: Problems affecting serial collection ………………………….. 46
Table 9: Strategies to enhance serial collection ………………………….. 47
ABSTRACT
The study evaluates serials
collections in medical libraries in Imo state.
Seven purposes guided the study; identify the types of serials
collection in medical libraries in Imo state, Find out extent of use of serials
collection in medical libraries in these libraries, Identify the purpose of
using serials in these libraries, Examine the currency of these serial
collections in these libraries, Identify the level of satisfaction in using the
serials, Identify the problems affecting the serial collections in these
libraries and Suggest the strategies for enhancing serials collection in these
libraries. Three medical libraries were selected for the study. Data relevant
to the study was collected using the questionnaires, Interview and observation
checklist method. A total of 195 copies out of 225 of the questionnaire
returned were found usable signifying 84.7% response. Data was analyzed using
percentage, frequency counts and mean scores. The findings revealed that serials
collections that are available in medical libraries are Newsletter, Newspaper,
medical journals, Magazine, while these collections that are not available in
their libraries; Trade publications, proceedings, Transaction of societies,
monographic serials, medical year books and medical reports and medical
libraries user does not use these collections. The major problems encountered in
the evaluation of serials collections are Insufficient fund, Insufficient fund
Non frequency of publication, Insufficient staff non increase in budget of
hospital management, Non Updating of serials, Insufficient computers, Lack of
internet connectivity. Appropriate recommendations were proffered which includes
insufficient fund, frequency of publication, sufficient staff, increase in
budget of hospital management, updating of serials, sufficient computers, and
internet connectivity.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study.
Medical libraries are libraries where
collections of medical books are kept, which serve medical institutions or
organization. Medical library plays the
role of providing information for immediate and utilitarian purposes and the
information function must always take priority over technical process. The
materials used in medical libraries are specialized rather than generalized in
character. Medical libraries maintain their own libraries for their employees
in doing specialized research related to their work. Medical libraries are
libraries where collections of medical books are kept, which serve medical
institutions or organization. Medical library is a special library that is
characteristically a unit or department of an organization primarily devoted to
educational purposes, Provision of value services, which improves information
delivery. Medicallibrariesare typically found in hospitals,medical
schools, industry, private and in medical or health associations.
(Greenbaun 2002).
According to Akowe (1992) medical libraries
provides provision of needed medical
literature and other serials materials needed for teaching, research and
patient care to doctors, students, educators, Para-medical practitioners and
other groups of workers in their libraries.
Medical libraries promote research by making
available new serials materials to their clients. A typical health or medical
library has access to Medline, a range of electronic resources, print and digitaljournalcollections
and print reference books. Medline (Medical
Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online) is a bibliographic database of life sciences
and biomedical information. It includes bibliographic information for articles
from academic journals covering medicine,
nursing,
pharmacy,
dentistry,
veterinary medicine, and health care.
Every medical library is supposed to conserve knowledge and ideas by
acquisition of materials written by different authors throughout the world.
These materials could be serials collection, books, journals, and non book
materials which have relevant information to satisfy the information needs of
the users and the entire medical community. A Serial is an item which is
published periodically, with a unifying title as intended to be continued
indefinitely. Serials may be a regular book, pamphlet, magazine or newspaper.
Serial is a term used in a wide sense to include publications of indefinite
duration which appear in sequence, regularly or in some cases, not so
regularly. The hallmark of serials is that it has a common title as a rule.
Accordingly, serials include journals,
bulletins, report, proceeding government gazettes and similar annuals
publications as directories, year book (Okoro, 2000).Harrods’s librarian
Glossary (1995) defined serials as any publication issued in successive parts
appearing at intervals, usually regularly. Frequent publication of serials
ensures that materials contained are almost invariably up to date than those
contained in books. Very often materials appearing in serials subsequently
appear in book form. However, most new discoveries and novel presentations of
ideas appear first as periodicals articles and a large number of these articles
are not subsequently published in any form. Serials are publications in print
or in non print form, issued in successive parts, usually having numerical or
chronological designations and intended to be continued indefinitely.
The history of serials could be
traced to the pre- Gutenberg’s invention period. The earliest serials was in
existence some 4,700 years ago by the annuals of transcribed tombs of the first
dynasty kings of Egypt
(2750 – 2625BC). It was presented that the world publication of serials will
grow from one in 1609, when the first printed newspaper appeared to one
million, five hundred thousand (1500, 000) by the year 2000. However modern day
serials are relatively recent type of publications. They are the product of
three centuries of the prints: 18th century of pamphlets, the 19th of
books and both century of periodicals.
Serials serve very useful purposes:
Serials offer a variety of viewpoints from several authors on various topics.
Serials contain articles contributed by different people on different issues,
and as such grant an individual access to variety of standpoints in different
disciplines. They supplement books available in the library because of the
current information they supply. Serials contain current and up-to-date
information, which are unavailable in books and so serve as good enhancement to
books. Serial support school subjects and provides information on topics not
well covered in the textbooks. Serials supply additional information or
materials when the reader has exhausted all information in the available books
he can find on the subject. They provide to the students and teachers accurate
information quickly and in-depth particularly on topics of current concern and
stimulate the growth of new interests and hobbies in areas like sport. Serials
help teachers in book selection through their book reviews. One of the most
useful sources of information on recent publication is the book review, which
are usually contained in periodicals. Hence, they are helpful to both the
teachers and librarians in the selection of materials to be added into their
library collections. Reviews are more dependable than the publishers’
advertisement, bibliography published by professional organizations, scholarly
text and dissertation. (Ode & omokara 2000)
In medical library, serials provide
forum for reporting latest research endeavors .in these form of empirical
investigations, theoretical aspects of the discipline, and state of the art
paper. Serials also serve as information outlets for researchers on
conferences, workshops and review of latest publications in their disciplines.
(Aina and Mabawonku, 1996)The significance of serials as a means of
transmission of knowledge has increased manifold, the magnitude of serial
publications provide ample proof of the growing recognition of this kind of
reading materials their currency and updating information further accentuates
their importance and wields preference over monographic literature. Alokun
(2003) stated the importance of serials that; they provide up- to- date
information on various fields and subjects. The importance of serials for
offering current information particularly to research workers has long been
identified needless to say” They furnish articles and papers more recent than
any book on a subject, particularly, in ever changing fields of politics,
economic, science and technology. The latest ideas on any subject will be found
in the periodical subjects about whom the library may have no books .Most original
noticed scientific work was first published in a periodical Literature, rather
than a book. They contain articles and papers on authorities and specialists in
many subjects and contribute to periodicals frequently, and the results of work
already done are usually found in periodicals”. Serial publications (including newspapers,
periodicals bulletin, reports, most Government documents, and books in series)
constitute perhaps seventy five percent of all publications, an indispensable
part from the new points of research. It is in serial publication that advance
information and discussion are found, in them are found historical study. Attention
to the acquisition and recording of serial publications is therefore, of most
importance to every large research library because the separate issues of
serials cannot be treated individually as are books, but must be considered in
conjunction with other issues, they represent the form of publication which is
most different to control at all stages of acquisition, accessioning,
processing and service. (Raqaz 2005)
For Woodward (1998), evaluation of
serials collections in libraries requires an understanding of the nature of the
collection. It explained that the role of serial evaluation in medical library
is to ensure that serials collection is and remains, relevant to the needs of
the user community. Serials evaluation is to ensure prompt and uninterrupted
receipt of serial users by useful budgeting, regular updating and maintenance
of financial control systems, timely payment of invoices, claiming parts of
raised and close liaison in which supplier’s supplies serials. He further
stressed that serials evaluation also facilitates access to up to date
information about the ranges scopes, and location of materials within serials
collection. This covers the importance of clear and consistent cataloguing and
classification practice, including ongoing catalogue record maintenance and
updating it, It also facilitates access to current and back issue of serials
held in the collection. In other words, assuring the efficient of processes and
arrangement for checking in, shelving and tidying serials evaluation exploits
the calculation by alerting users to the range of serial acquisition by
assisting users seeking information. Furthermore, to evaluate serials is to
supervise(medical) serial staff and over see the processes by which serial
materials are acquired, to ensure an efficient and effective service to library
users. This involves the application of such evaluation techniques such as
setting of objectives, staff training, appraisal and motivation. Serial
evaluation dates back to the period when man started keeping records of books.
The selection of serials in a medical library is fundamental for its
organization and for the best service to borrowers, because serials, as
compared with books, brings out all the newest advances in the medical field in
the shortest and most regular periods of time. The evaluation of serials,
although an important matter for the medical library field, has not been considered
in all of its aspects. This is due probably to the great volume of world
medical literature that is produced. The continuous advance of science in all
fields and the enormous quantity of publications make difficult work for men
who search out bibliographic references and preliminary studies about some
specific subject. De Gennaro (1984:101) predicted correctly that, “there
is the need to evaluate serials in medical libraries, because in no distant
time, the excellence and usefulness of a library will be measured not only by
the state and quality of its collections, but also by the range of collections
or materials that its staff are able to deliver to users by conventional and
electronic means from a growing variety of services. Users will no longer ask
what the library has, but what it can provide.
Imo
state university teaching hospital library was established in November 2004,
the library has only medical collections such as medical books, journals,
audio-visual, materials, and reference books. The library has six sections
namely cataloging and classification, reader services, serials, reference,
audio-visual section. The library has fifteen staff, the library is founded by
the hospital management board and the classification scheme used in this
library is library of congress classification scheme.
School of
Nursing and Midwifery Library, Emekuku, Owerri is located five kilometers from
owerri, the capital city of Imo State in the
south east of Nigeria.
The school library was established in 1942 when the training school started.
The library is situated at the opposite of the school chapel left wing of the
school, beside the school of nursing blocks. The library is housed in a one
storey building. The library is funded by the hospital management board and
school management board. There are also donations from private individuals,
organizations; the classification scheme used is library of congress
classification scheme.
Federal medical centre Owerri library started in 1903 but was managed by nurses until 1976, the hospital witnessed further expansions as a result of increased patronage, thus librarians were employed to managed the hospital library .The library is located at the ground floor situated at besides outpatient ward and is made up of twelve (12) staff that run the library. There is nine (9) professional staff, there are non professional. The materials that are stocked in this library are only clinical or medical materials. The library is founded by the present organization. The classification scheme used is that of national library of medicine classification.
EVALUATION OF SERIAL COLLECTIONS IN MEDICAL LIBRARIES IN IMO STATE
