Page
Title Page
………………………………………………………………………..i
Approval Page
…………………………………………………………………..ii
Certification Page
………………………………………………………………..iii
Dedication
…………………………………………………………………………iv
Acknowledgement
………………………………………………………………v
Table of
Contents………………………………………………………………..vi
List of
tables……………………………………………………………………..vii
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………ix
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction………………………………………………..1
Background to the
Study…………………………………………………………1
Statement of the
Problem………………………………………………………….5
Objectives of the Study
…………………………………………………………6
Significance of the Study
………………………………………………………..6
Scope of the Study
………………………………………………… …………….7
Research Questions
………………………………………………………………8
CHAPTER TWO: Review of the Literature …………………… ……………9
Conceptual Framework
……………………………………………. ……………9
Objectives, functions and roles
of University Libraries ………………………….11
Funding Needs of the University
Libraries ………………………………………12
Sources of
funding……………………………………………………………….16
Funding Trends of University
Libraries …………………………………………18
Problems Associated with Funding
of University Libraries ………. ……………20
Empirical Studies on Funding of
Libraries ………………………………………23
Summary of Literature Review
……………………………………. ……………26
CHAPTER THREE: Research Methods ……………………….. ……………28
Research Design
…………………………………………………… ……………28
Area of the Study
………………………………………………………………..28
Population for the Study
…………………………………………………………28
Sample and Sampling Technique
………………..……………………………….29
Instrument for Data Collection
……………………………………. …………….29
Validation of the Instrument
…………………………………………………….30
Method of Data Collection
………………………………………………………30
Method of Data Analysis ……………………………………..30
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA………32
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION,
CONCLUSION, RECOMMEND-
ATIONS AND
SUMMARY……………………………………………………37
Discussion of findings ……………………………………………………………37
Conclusions ………………………………………………………………………40
Implication of findings …………………………………………………………..41
Recommendations ……………………………………………………………….42
Suggestions for further research …………………………………………………43
Limitations of the study …………………………………………………………43
Summary of findings …………………………………………………………….43
REFERENCES …………………………………………………45
APPENDICES
Appendix I Funding of university libraries in the
south-east zone of Nigeria Questionnaire ………………………………………………………51
Appendix II Oral interview guide for university librarians …………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… 57
LIST OF
TABLES
TABLES PAGE
- Sources of fund for university libraries. 32
- Mean adequacy of fund released to university libraries
2002 – 2007. 33
- Mean effects of funding on the provision of library
services. 34
- Mean factors that affect funding of university
libraries. 35
- Mean strategies for the effective funding of university
libraries. 36
ABSTRACT
The study focused on the funding
of university libraries in the south-east zone of Nigeria. To achieve the
purpose of the study, five specific objectives and five research questions were
posed to guide the study. The descriptive survey research design was used for
the study. Data were collected from 12 universities in the area made up of 4
federal universities, 5 state universities and 3 private universities. A 50 –
item questionnaire named funding of university libraries in the south-east zone
of Nigeria (FULQ), which has 6 sections and a 5- item structured interview
guide (OIGFUL) were the instruments used for data collection. The percentage
and mean statistics were used to analyse the data with a criterion mean of 2.5.
The findings show that the university libraries sourced their funds from their
proprietors, endowments, photocopying services and library fees paid by
students, among other sources. The funds that were received by the university
libraries from 2002 – 2007 were inadequate, and this negatively affected the
provision of services in the university libraries. The results also show that
several factors, such as inflation and high exchange rates affected the funding
of university libraries, while strategies such as commercialization of some
library services such as printing were accepted as strategies for improving the
funding situation in university libraries. The implications of the findings of
the study were highlighted. It was concluded that the universities depended on
the traditional ways of sourcing funds, which affected the adequacy of the
funds and the provision of services. The study among other things recommended
that the university libraries should not depend o these traditional methods of
sourcing funds, and explore other ways such as commercialising some of their
services and seeking external support in the development of specific projects.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
University education has assumed
a centre stage in the development of Nigeria. The rate at which
universities are established in Nigeria
shows that the quest for knowledge is increasing. The university trains the
country’s high level man power and is invariably a potent driver of its
economic, political and social development. In the present age, no country can
develop beyond the level of its educational institutions, especially
universities. The importance attached to university education for the
development of high level manpower has led to the proliferation of universities
in Nigeria. There were only five federal government owned universities in 1970,
but now there are well over seventy-two universities. Though the Federal
Government still maintains a lead in university ownership, state governments,
corporate bodies and private individuals are now competing with the Federal
Government.
Ifidon (1999) described the
university as an institution of higher learning where students are trained in
thinking, problem-solving processes and in vocational skills. He goes further to
list the functions of universities as teaching; research publications;
extension services; interpretation; conservation of knowledge and ideas,
pursuit, promotion and dissemination of knowledge and information; provision of
intellectual leadership; manpower development; promoting intercontinental unity
and international understanding. This means that the universities exist for the
purpose of equipping those who pass through them with high level skills to
impact the society. To achieve the above functions of the university,
information should be provided for both the teachers and the students in the
form of books, audio-visual materials, computer and internet facilities etc.
Most of these materials are located in the libraries and no university can
exist without a good library. This is because the library is the storehouse of
information and its materials are carefully chosen so that they can satisfy the
information needs of the university.
A university library is one located
in a university that provides an organized collection of printed or other
materials that promote teaching, learning and research. It is also meant to
serve the undergraduates, postgraduates, lecturers and other members of the
university community. Furthermore, a university library is regarded as the
heart of the intellectual life of the university. The quality of a university
is largely determined by the quality of its library because of its unique role
in the university system. The main purpose of the university library is to help
in fulfilling the objectives of the university, which include teaching,
learning and research. Many researchers have advocated that the library could
be useful in advancing education and research, more especially with the use of
Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
In view of the above, it is
important to note that the fundamental role of the library is educational,
hence it should not be operated as a mere storehouse of books attached to a
reading room, but as a dynamic instrument of education. In realization of this,
Line (1988) noted that the function of a university library is mainly to serve
the university community and if possible, beyond to the fullest extent
possible. The emphasis must be on communication between information and users.
Moreover, he stated that the library has to develop into an information centre
providing access to information that is available not only locally but also
nationally and internationally by developing and applying new techniques and
methods. Aina (2004) also remarked that
it is only the library that can play a distinctive and indispensable part in
the central purpose of a university, which is to encourage the students in
their personal and individual search for knowledge and understanding. In order
to achieve all these, he warned that the libraries should be able to acquire
and retain new sources of information.
The libraries in a bid to meet the
set objectives of the universities provide a wide range of resources and
services, which include monographs, textbooks, reference documents,
audio-visual resources and other equipment like computer and internet
facilities, current awareness services, abstracting and indexing services and a
comfortable reading environment. The university libraries can only achieve their
objectives if adequate funds are made available for the procurement and
processing of materials, hiring of personnel, purchase and maintenance of
equipment because finance is the bedrock of every organization including the
university libraries. Robert (2003) explains funding as the process of raising
money or capital for any kind of expenditure. University libraries in many
countries including Nigeria
are facing major funding problems due to non-growing or even decreasing
appropriations from the university administration and other funding agencies,
continuing inflationary increases for journals and library materials, need for
new or improved facilities, increased costs for new technologies and networks
and more demands for services. Library administrators are expected to improve
services and facilities, offer the latest electronic information in an
up-to-date network environment and provide the best teaching and research
support for all academic programmes. However, observations show that Nigerian
university libraries are hampered in achieving their objectives because of lack
of funds too. Anafulu (1996) and William, (2000) opined that finance is
essentially the process of providing fund for economic activities.
Ifidon
(1999) noted that in a country such as Nigeria where there is a poor
library infrastructure, there is a need for increased funding of university
libraries. He however noted that the situation in Nigerian university libraries
was far from ideal. As if that were not enough, many of the already acquired
materials in these libraries are in danger of being lost. Today libraries find
themselves in an environment of change caused by globalization, the internet
and rapid technological changes. Even the mode, scale and ways in which we
engage in learning, teaching and research are changing. With all these, the
role of university libraries in learning and research remain fundamental to
their mission because without libraries, learning and research will be very
much impaired.
Jackson
(1985) and Choy (2005) stressed that in this changing environment libraries
have to find ways of securing their future existence. It is essential for them
also to determine their place and role in the university setting and function
accordingly because of the need to reform and restructure the library. To train
and re-train practicing librarians in order to re-orientate and to prepare them
for these new changes requires enormous funding. Even to maintain new
facilities and equipment and build up the necessary collections and pay the
library workers needs improved funding. It will be necessary for libraries to
create means of attracting more funds to meet with these demands.
It
has been established that fund is an indispensable tool for the achievement of
the objectives of any organization. Without adequate financial support,
libraries cannot effectively play the roles of the organization and
administration of collections, staff maintenance, procurement of equipment
(both new and old), satisfaction of user expectations and evaluation of
services. According to Anafulu (1996), an academic institution cannot achieve
the aim for its establishment without a well equipped library. This is why the
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been insisting on improved
funding of university libraries. Following from this, the National Policy on
Education (FME, 2004) stated that the funding of the university libraries
should be a shared responsibility among the government, the institutions
themselves and students. Generally, most university libraries in Nigeria are
highly underfunded. Therefore it is important to identify the sources of
funding university libraries, especially when universities are run by different
governments, groups or individuals. In this part of the world the methods of
financing university libraries vary greatly, depending on the ownership of the
institution. The federal universities’ libraries are funded through the
National Universities Commission (NUC) by the federal government; state
universities’ libraries are funded by the state governments through the state
ministries of education while the private universities’ libraries are funded
directly by their proprietors. The implication of this is that the different
libraries are funded according to the ability of their owners. Ifidon (1985),
writing on sources of fund for university libraries, asserted that the library
funds are derived from the institution, which is funded by government grants,
contributions and gifts, endowments, student fees, investments and consultancy.
In addition, university libraries may collect direct funds through over due
book fines, photocopying proceeds, sale of duplicates and publications, and
other charges. The main sources of fund for university libraries are the
government in the case of institutions owned by governments or the proprietors
in the case of private universities. Grants from the government account for the
greater part of the total revenue of the academic institutions run by the
various governments. It is through this grant that library allocations are
made.
Ibrahim (1996) reports that funding of educational institutions and universities in particular was one of the pillars of the agreement signed between ASUU and the federal government of Nigeria. According to the agreement, library services were placed under a special head, which should account for ten per cent of the total recurrent budget. According to him, this agreement led the NUC to prepare a memorandum on budgetary allocation for the academic libraries on behalf of the university libraries to the federal government in 1993, to the effect that recurrent grant to each university should be fully committed to the operations of the university library. According to him sixty percent of this amount should be committed to the purchase of books and journals, while forty per cent should be committed to personnel emolument and purchase of other consumables required by the library. However, this is hardly the situation in our universities.
FUNDING OF UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN THE SOUTH-EAST ZONE OF NIGERIA
