INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT OF SPECIAL LIBRARIES IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA FOR EFFECTIVE RESEARCH SUPPORT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

            The role of information resources management in the libraries cannot be overemphasized. It is difficult to attain any form of development without information resources. People need Information for making vital and relevant decisions; it is needed for research to attain a certain level of development. Information resources include any Information in electronic, audio-visual or physical form, non-print and print format, organized and made available for use. (The library is generally the institution whose primary mandatory is to acquire process, organize, conserve, disseminate and preserve printed and non-printed Information resources for use by their clientele).

Information resources can also include people, this is because most people get information from other people, other Information resources include Documents, directories, Serial Publications, textbooks, Information Technology, Structured Databases, Multimedia and general print information.

Library Information resources are stored information, regardless of media or characteristics, made or received by an organization that is evidence of its operations and have value requiring its retention for specific period of time-Ibenne (2010).

The modern library is seen and defined as enhancing unrestricted access to information material resources, in addition to providing resources; it also provides the services of Academic Special Librarians who are experts in finding and organizing, planning, information and interpreting and disseminating information needs. The primary objectives of the Academic Special Library are to meet the information needs of its clientele, support research and advancement of knowledge, provide facilities and services among others.

The Special Libraries Interest Working Group (SIWG) states that “special libraries contribute to specific professional or academic groups whose information needs are defined by particular subject or activities”. The fundamental role of each Academic special library is to support the information needs of its users/clients so that they can achieve the mission and goals of its mother university. These Academic Special Libraries provide a variety of Information resources to meet the needs of a specialized population, providing staff and researchers with the necessary information they need to carry out their tasks.

The main characteristics of Academic special libraries are in their structural organization, purpose of setting them up, functions, being supported by the university and generally in their exclusively small sizes. These Academic special libraries sited within the universities are single subject libraries that cater to just a particular and select group of clients on that area of specialization. These Academic Special libraries could include Law libraries, medical libraries, education libraries and so forth.

Information resources management of Academic special libraries cannot be complete if the concept of management is not discussed here. Management is a process by which limited resources are assembled and used to achieve identified/predetermined goals. It also refers to the people that carry out these activities of reaching the set goals.

According to Misshauk (1979) management consists of the rational assessment of a situation and the systematic selection of goals and purpose, the systematic development of strategies to achieve those goals, the marshalling of the required resources, the rational design, organizational, direction and control of the activities required to attain the selected purposes and the motivating and rewarding of people to do the work. A manager of Information resources in an academic special library is a person who works through other people (subordinates), and “brings together” their efforts to accomplish the goals of the university to support research. There are different levels of managers, the high level, middle cadre and low cadre managers, they spend their time planning for the organization (Library) and team strategy and performing other functions of management.

Management consists of the interlocking functions of creating corporate policy and organizing, planning, controlling and directing an organization’s resources in order to achieve the objectives of that policy. It is the act of looking after and making decisions about something which could also include library Information resources.

Management is also considered as a process because it involves a series of interrelated functions. It consists of getting the objectives of an organization in this case that of the special library and taking steps to achieve these objectives. The management process includes planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling functions.       

Management is indispensable for the successful functioning of every organization including the Academic special library, it is very important in any organization as it needs the stimulus to move it forward. According to Peter Drucker, “management is a dynamic element is an organization, without it the resources of production remain mere resources and never become production”, that is the stated objectives cannot be achieved, reached or used.

Academic Special Library Information resources are categorized into three main sources which are the primary, secondary and tertiary types. The primary resources allow researchers to get as close as possible to original ideas, events, and empirical research as possible. Such sources include creative works, first hand or contemporary accounts of events and publication of the results of empirical observation or research.

Secondary sources analyze views, review or summarize information in primary resources or other secondary resources.

The tertiary sources provide overviews of topics by synthesizing information gathered from other sources. Tertiary resources often provide data in a convenient form or provide information with content by which to interpret it. All these resources are wrapped up in one or the other of these sources, Diaries, interviews, letters, biographies, dissertations, monographs, dictionaries, encyclopedias and so forth.

Academic Special Libraries in most universities in tropical Africa rarely provide relevant materials and hence they are ineffective. They are stocked mainly with literature that is both out of date and irrelevant to the information needs and interests of the people expected to make use of them. However, it is necessary to take a more closer look at the true position of Academic Special Libraries in the North Central of Nigeria so as to examine how resourceful they are in providing the research support needed to engineer the wheels of national development.

The primary purpose of Academic Special Libraries is to support teaching, learning and research which is why the library is considered a very important resource of any academic institution. They are however having a critical challenge in meeting new demands of the 21^st century, with it ever increasing population growth, inadequate management of information resources at the appropriate level that it is supposed to be offered.

The Academic Special Libraries plays a great role in supporting research of its clientele. This is necessary as the growth of research is becoming increasingly detailed and sophisticated, the users have observed that the library has great roles to play in the provision of information necessary for their day to day research. More, it acts as a medium of getting the latest scientific, technological and up to date information either in print or electronic form. Academic Special Libraries collect a variety of materials for its clientele, these resources are not only print in paper like books, journals, newspapers and so forth, but also audiovisual materials, electronic equipments like the computer that comprises of CD-Roms, computer software, online database, internet facilities, electronic books and e-journals and other media. In addition to maintaining collections within the library buildings, Academic Special Libraries often telecommunication links that provide their users with access information of remote sites (Halsey, 2006). These library information resources collectively or individually enhance effective research in the libraries, but they cannot be appreciated if they are not adequately managed and made accessible to its clientele.

Information resources in Academic Special Libraries in developed countries support research and scholarship of both students and staff, but this is not the situation in most developing countries including Nigeria and particularly in its North central, this is because the libraries are struggling to survive due to poor management which encompasses both of its resources, human and material.                      

Academic Special Librarian in the quest for commitment to effective research support which is one of the cardinal points of setting up of the library needs to make a paradigm shift of just providing services but be more proactive partner in the research and teaching and learning processes by providing up to date information resources needed by his clientele.

Failure to manage information resources has consequences like duplication of research work, frustration at the inability to access needed material for a particular research work, low morale and low productivity among the librarians managing the information resources and generally low productivity in research, learning and teaching. This turn has resulted to clientele seeking information in cybercafés and other mobile devices which they feel offers similar information access to the resources they seek. In addition, (Oyewusi & Oyeboade, 2009) submits that the inability of Academic libraries to meet the information requirements of some library users might have forced them to use personal collections including internet resources when conducting research. This implies that if Academic Special Libraries neglect to match library resources to users needs, then they run the risk of being marginalized and therefore users will seek alternative competitive offerings in order to satisfy their many academic and research needs. The success of any organization depends on the ability to respond to the needs of customers more effectively, and an organization must avoid complacency at all cost, this also applies to the Academic Special Libraries in North Central Nigeria. In order for Academic Special Libraries to fulfill their objectives, there is need to improve an information resources management and accessibility of the sources (Broadly, Preton & Barnes, 2002).

Statement of the Problem

The issue of management of information resources of Academic Special Libraries is very important. This is because of the role the resources play in the achievement of the objectives of the institution and its contribution to National development as a whole. For these to be accomplished these resources must be readily available, managed properly by the Academic Special Libraries and easily made accessible to the clientele who are in need of the information for their research.

In recent years vast changes have occurred in the ways in which information is made available. Rapid developments in information generation, access and dissemination can only be achieved through improved and modern information resources. The satisfaction the library users derive is a determining factor for the effectiveness and quality of information resources available for its use.

Academic Special Libraries have in stock varieties of resources of its disposal ranging from the primary, secondary, tertiary sources, library, catalogues, its own special collections, online resources, etc. The use of these information resources does not seem to satisfy the users as they leave the library premises dissatisfied and looking dejected, these is as a result of the library housing old and outdated resources, break down of the online facilities and other inadequate information that is not available.

However, the study have identified various problems to the information resources management of Academic Special Libraries to include, lack of modern and up to date resources, improper management of the few information resources available, poor staff development, lack of funds both to procure the resources and also a remuneration and the quality of working environment, these have affected the growth of the institutions where these libraries are located.

The need of this study is to find out how information resources management affects research in the Academic Special Libraries in North Central Nigeria and suggest ways of improving these libraries so as to achieve the objectives of the universities which are learning, teaching and research.

The Academic Special Libraries have seen changes in its traditional role of storage of books and providing information as and at when due to a modern day institution where the information communication technology is taking over, even the clientele and special librarians are also moving with the times.

This study is therefore a response to the challenge by striving to examine information resources management of Academic Special Libraries in North Central Nigeria for effective research support.   

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study is to examine the management of information resources of special libraries in North Central Nigeria Universities for effective research support. Specific objectives of the study include to: