ABSTRACT
This research work investigated availability and use of
serial collections by students in Federal Polytechnic Auchi and Delta State
Polytechnic Otefe-Oghara. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for
the study. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 100 respondents
for the study. Questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection.
Data collected were analyzed using simple percentage. The result of the
findings revealed that the serial collections are available in the library.
Journals 67(74.4%), newsletter 73(81.1%), magazine 85(94.4%), CD-ROM 90(100%),
and yearbook directories 74(82.2%), are most use by respondents. The findings
also revealed that the purpose of respondents (students) using serial
collections is for examination 90(100%), research 75(83.3%), assignment
61(67.8%), and to get current information 83(92.2%). It was then noted that the
challenges faced by students while using serial collections are lack of
borrowing facilities in the serial section 80(88.9%), poor attitude of the
staff to students 81(90%), inadequate reading facilities in the serial section
90(100%), and power failure/interruption 83(92.2%). In the light of the
findings from this study, the researcher concluded that a large percentage of
the population were very aware of serials like newspapers, journals and
magazines available and makes use of these serials adequately. It was therefore
recommended that library management should expedite action on the online data
entry because when it is fully accomplished, it will facilitate quick and easy
information access in the serials library.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Of The Study
The basic purpose of an academic library is
to provide sufficient information for making informed decisions by users.
Academic libraries normally provide for educational needs of students, to support
the teaching staff in their teaching role and provide for research activities
of both the students and teaching staff. The academic library collections must
reflect the subject interests of the institutions. It must also be adequate in
terms of quality, quantity and variety. The library does this through useful
selection and acquisition of materials for teaching learning and research;
process and organization of the materials for easy retrieval: and dissemination
of information about the collections and encourages their active exploitation.
Library is an educational
tool, which constitutes important components in the infrastructure of knowledge
in institution research and teaching, particularly to make information
accessible to the students. Library’s operations are divided into various
sections, which include; Reference section, Technical section, and Serials
section etc. The importance of serial collections to students in institution of
higher learning such as the polytechnic cannot be overemphasized particularly
in academic and university libraries. This is so, because the library resources
provide the users with up-to-date information resources that can assist them in
their academic pursuit especially in research and learning.
Meanwhile, serials have historically and
presently focused on the provision of current or up-to-date information in
general or specific fields of study, this is one of the reasons why according
to Woodward (2009) it constitutes a major part of the collection of academic
libraries and also accounts for a large sum of the library expenditure, the
academic library inclusive. The academic library is an integral part of
tertiary institutions and accounts for majority of the information material
holdings of a tertiary institution, serving all and sundry especially staff and
students of a tertiary institution. To further underline the importance of the
academic library to a tertiary institution, Kwampong (2000) stated that the
academic library is the heart and aorta of any academic institution, he
went further to state that the health and effectiveness of any academic
institution depends on the state of health of the library in that academic
institution. The academic library therefore, cannot claim to be the determining
factor for the state of excellence of its parent body i.e. the institution
where it is situated, if it cannot provide the immediate needs of individuals in that
institution, which it can only do through the provision of information
materials.
Immediate needs as the name implies refers to current information gaps that individuals have identified during the
course of their activities on a specific field of study, therefore, the
academic library is obligated to be current in its holdings so as to fill
immediate information gaps as they are discovered. If immediate needs are
not meet, the academic library is considered to be inert and moribund which
results in an inert and moribund academic institution and
automatically low standard of excellence for patrons the academic library
serves especially undergraduates.
Apart from books, serials form a vital part
of the academic library’s collection for meeting the immediate needs of patrons
in its community especially undergraduates for the purpose of this study.
Academic libraries acquire, process and make serials available to its patrons
who are usually undergraduates through continuous subscription. Serial are
usually treated separately in libraries i.e. they are acquired, processed and
disseminated separately due to rate of subscription and peculiarity of its
nature. The unit responsible for serials management is the serials unit, which
was described by Oni (2004) as the unit responsible for serials operations.
Osborn (2000) defined serials as a printed work that appears regularly, founded
with the expectation of unlimited duration, which is not predominantly
concerned with events of the day or else it pays attention only to the latest
development in a special field. In addition to this, Harold (2007) describes
serials as any publication bearing either chronological or numerical
designations issued in successive parts, appearing at intervals and as a rule,
intended to be continued indefinitely. The definitions above not only describe
serials literature but also underlay the major importance of serials: providing
current information. This importance is very essential to the relevance
of the academic library to its immediate community and the general
population. Kinds of serials include journals, newspapers, newsletters,
proceedings, transactions of societies and other periodicals like
abstracts and indexes. These types of serials vary in content and interval
of appearance. Daily Newspapers constitute the highest rate of issues
because of its daily publications, but it doesn’t provide information
on specific fields of study, it takes a little of everything in one issue.
Unlike journals, that will not be published daily but focuses on the specifics
in a field of study. Serials are usually in print formats but with the advent
of information
technology, serials are not computerized appearing in e-formats.
A brief look at the origin
of serials show that, according to Osborn (2000), serials can be traced back to
the period when annals where written on the tombs of Egyptian kings during the
first dynasty. This is no surprise as the growth of papyrus started along the
Nile River in Egypt, papyrus being a paper-like material was a major
landmark in the history of writing and ultimately the beginning of serials. As
time evolved, other notable inventions such as the moveable types by Johannes Gutenberg,
typewriters, and of course computers have facilitated the development and use
of serials up to the 2000s when serials and the internet were compliments of
one another. Undergraduate students are an integral part of the university
community. They form the “receiving” members of the university community, while
the lecturers and other staff form the “giving” members of the university
community. This makes learning the most important issue. A brief look at the
origin of serials show that, according to Osborn (2000), serials can be traced
back to the period when annals where written on the tombs of Egyptian kings
during the first dynasty. This is no surprise as the growth of papyrus started
along the Nile River in Egypt, papyrus being a paper-like material was a
major landmark in the history of writing and ultimately the beginning of
serials. As time evolved, other notable inventions such as the moveable types
by Johannes Gutenberg, typewriters, and of course computers have facilitated
the development and use of serials up to the 2000s when serials and the
internet were compliments of one another. Undergraduate students are an
integral part of the university community. They form the “receiving” members of
the university community, while the lecturers and other staff form the “giving”
members of the university community. This makes learning the most important
issue for undergraduates. As the “receiving” group, undergraduates are expected
to use information usually based on specific courses of study for assignments,
reports, presentations, seminars, and final year projects, this is encouraged
and expected of the undergraduate for excellent performance. The academic
library located in the university should be open to undergraduates for the use
of its serials, as serials are vital information materials providing the latest
in a field of study and suiting the needs of the learning group, which
will always have immediate needs. This is supported by Fayose (2005) when he
stated that serials are very useful because they are the most up-to-date
materials in the library and that articles in serials are written by experts in
the field, making them reliable and precise. Although, even with the enormous
benefits of serials to the academic performance of undergraduates, it seems
undergraduates do not recognize this, or they ignore the benefits they can
derive from the use of serials and some cases the few undergraduates who are interested in the use
of serials are denied access, a brief look at some findings show this.
The explosion of knowledge and publications
of all kinds, conventional or non-conventional, means the universe of materials
has grown much larger. One very important set of library materials in the
library is serials. A serial is a publication in any medium issued in
successive parts and intended to be continued indefinitely. This definition
includes periodicals, newspapers, annuals (reports, yearbooks directories,
etc., journals, and memoirs proceedings, transactions of societies, monographic
series, and unnumbered series. The Anglo American Cataloguing Rules (1988)
define serial as a 'continuing resource issued in a succession of discrete
parts usually bearing numbering that has no predetermined conclusion for
example, print and electronics journal, magazines, continuing directories,
annual reports, newspapers and monographic serves'.
This is why authors such as Attama and Ezema
(2002) defined serials as publications issued in successive parts, appearing at
intervals bearing numerical or chronological designations and intended to
continued indefinitely. The term thus embraces such materials as periodicals,
magazines, annuals which include reports, yearbooks, directories, proceedings,
and transactions etc. Serials formed the backbone of research collections as a
result academic libraries cannot do without it because of the usefulness to
researchers, scholars, and investigators. They see serial collections as sine
qua non to the development of research activities in academic environment.
The
Library serial collection/material was established to serve the Polytechnic
libraries. It coordinates the collections and services of the polytechnic
Library. The administration of the Library System is centralized under the
polytechnic Librarian. The last years have been a period of rapid growth, with
the printed book collection now well stocked. The Library stocks other items as
well as current periodical titles. The virtual Library will be available to the
polytechnic students and staff online 24/7 via the Internet, regardless of the
user’s physical location.
Serials are essential tool
of teaching and research in academic endeavor and remain a potential tool for
dissemination of knowledge .It is in support of this that Attama and Ezema
(2002) stated the importance of serials in academic environment particularly
for undergraduate students, which include the followings:
·
Serial provide up –to -date
information on any issue than textbooks.
·
It supplies scientific and
discoveries and results of latest findings.
·
It makes researchers frequent
and current in the frontiers of knowledge.
·
It provides a first hand and
detailed information on a particular subject and also it provides empirical
evidence on issue being treated.
According to Okiy (2008) the serials
constitute an important part of the resources of an academic library because,
they provide the latest information on research and current affairs. For this
reason, it is necessary for the serials division to be as complete in its
holdings as possible in order to support the teaching, learning, recreations
and research programmes of the University. The serials collection is made up of
both current and backsets of periodicals for lecturers and students to access
within the library but cannot be borrowed for home reading. Ogbomo (2000)
defines serials as “a publication issued in successive parts, usually at
regular intervals and as a rule, intended to be continued indefinitely”.
Serials include journals, magazines, bulletins and newsletters, proceedings
learned societies and associations etc. they may be published daily, weekly,
monthly, quarterly, yearly etc the search for information on any subject in an
academic library must include the examination of serial publication because
they current information about new ideas or discoveries and keep researchers
abreast of growth of knowledge in their areas of investigation.
In the selection and acquisition of
materials, the serials librarian and collection development librarian work
closely with the university librarian. However, the libraries welcome
recommendations from patrons and faculty lecturers. Broadus (2001) asserts that
Selection must be given due importance because funds are always limited, the
available money should be spent wisely to meet the needs of users towards
fulfilling the objectives of supporting, teaching, learning and research needs
of the University. The serial Liberian should be able to satisfy the patrons by
selecting and acquiring their immediate and anticipated needs. Collection
management involves managing the use of library collection, its storage, its
organisation and making it accessible to users. The process of collection
management has become very challenging and complex. As observed by Friend (2000),
basic collection management activities include analysis of user needs, inter
and intra-library communication, policy development, budgeting and allocation
of resources, contract negotiations, macro-evaluations of collection,
micro-evaluation for selection, relegation, preservation or withdrawal of stock
and system evaluation. So this study intend to find out the availability
and use of serial resources by students in tertiary institutions.
Historical Background
Of Federal Polytechnic Auchi
Federal Polytechnic Library, Auchi, Edo
State is a federal polytechnic library and was established in 1973 by the
federal government of Nigeria as a result of federal government efforts to
produced technicians, craftsmen, middle and skilled manpower that will help to
bring about nation’s economy. The extent law
establishing it assigns to the institution the task of producing well trained
and highly skilled middle level manpower for the national economy in the areas
of engineering technology, science environmental studies, Management studies
and Art & Design. The permanent site of the Library is opposite the
famous Imo lecture Hall (School of Business). The current building was
completed in the year 2000 and commenced services to public in 2001. The
Federal Polytechnic Auchi Library has different sections which include: the
technical section (acquisition, classifying and cataloguing) circulation
section, Administration leaders service, serial section and the andio-visual
section. It also has the reprographic section which has different machines for
the reproduction of Library materials. The library users the library of
congress classification scheme which has mixed notation. The Polytechnic
Library stores, a collection of materials relevant to student of the institution
teaching and non-teaching staff and people living around Auchi who are carrying
out research. Presently, the Library has about 38 staffs.
Delta
State Polytechnic Oghara and Federal Polytechnic Auchi libraries are situated
at different strategies places in the institutions. Their collection cut-across
print and non-print media. They houses information materials in different
fields of study namely: engineering, agriculture, computer and information
technology, Business Administration etc. These libraries are divided into
various units namely collection development unit, technical unit, circulation
unit, reference unit, serial unit and audiovisual unit (ICT unit). These units
provides different services ranging from current awareness services, research
and bibliographic services, bindery services, registration of users, charging
and discharging services, reference services all are being set up to meet the
information needs of the users etc.
Historical Background Of Delta State Polytechnic, Oghara
Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara was established through
a bill that was signed into law by Governor James Onanefe Ibori in November
2002. This is the result of a partnership between the Delta State Ministry of
Education and Westminster University, London. The partnership gave birth to the
Delta State Higher Education Project (DSHEP). Located in the agricultural
town of Otefe in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara is a manifestation of
an excellently conceptualized and articulated vision delivered for the benefit
of humanity for entrepreneurial acquisition and advancement. The motto of
technology for entrepreneurship underscores the fact of talent and technology
skills advancement as tool for critical wealth creation. It therefore explains
the role of entrepreneurial and technological skills in creating the abilities,
courage, capabilities and managerial competences necessary for economic growth
and wealth creation within and beyond Delta State. The mandate of the
Polytechnic is to train and empower graduates who will be highly successful
professionals armed with all the sufficient skills that are critical to the
work place of the 21st century. The aim is to achieve the
·
Status of excellence in computing and
information technology (I.T)
·
Qualitative training in specific areas of
technology and entrepreneurship as a way of providing opportunity for students
to take advantage of their inherent talent and theoretical skills to generate
needed entrepreneurial ventures and wealth.
·
Acquisition of entrepreneurship training and
technology education, which forms the bedrock for industrialization, growth,
development and wealth creation. This in turn will help all Nigerians and the
global communities as students create industries and jobs associated with their
skills.
The Government
of Delta State reached an understanding with the University
of Westminster, London to assist in management and technical
support for the institutions. The institutions are centres of excellence in
Agriculture, Computing and Information Technology, Fashion Design and Arts and
Sports. Besides their primary areas of specialization, all students are trained
in Computing and Information Technology as well as business and entrepreneurship.
The
Otefe-Oghara polytechnic has school that offer National Diplomas in Business
Studies (Accountancy, Banking and Finance and Business Administration),
Computing and I.T (Computer Science and Statistics) and Engineering (Computer
Engineering, Electronic and Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering).
It also has a School of Preliminary Studies that introduces all students to
basic Business Studies and Science Technology.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Students in the polytechnic community are
mainly concerned with one major pre-occupation: learning. Learning
in tertiary institutions therefore, goes beyond class lectures or the
traditional lecturer-student interaction in class. Students are expected to conduct research for immediate needs such as continuous assignment and
assessment test, further reading apart from class notes, presentations and
ultimately final year projects which serials are capable of providing information for. However, these students have
unlimited access to serials in the academic libraries and even the internet. Researchers have shown that
high price of subscription to serials both print and
online, budget cuts by polytechnic management, lack of internet access,
inadequate basic search skills, ignorance and so on are the major challenges.
These challenges in turn bounce back on the students in Nigeria and this seems
to be affecting academic performance and overall knowledge standard, this as
well escalates to affect the educational standard of the entire nation. The role of academic libraries,
open access journals and other sources for current
serials is to provide students with immediate information needs. However, there
appears to be lack of access to these serials or
restriction to their use.
Moreso, in
developed countries, use of serial library resources is easy because of it
availability nature, but in developing countries like Nigeria, available
literature and the researcher’s personal experience have shown a low use of
serial resources in library by the students because of the observed
inadequacies and lack of knowledge of their availability by the students.
It is against this background that this study investigates the availability and
use of serials library resources by students in the two polytechnic (Delta
State Polytechnic and Federal Polytechnic Auchi, Edo State).
1.3 Objectives of the Study
Objectives
of the study are to:
1.
Identify
the types of serial collections available in polytechnic
2.
To find
out the extent at which polytechnic students make use of serial collections
3.
Examine
the purpose for the use of serial collections by polytechnic students
4.
Identify
the challenges facing the use of serial collections by polytechnic students
5.
Find
out probable solutions to the challenges facing the use of serial collections
by polytechnic students
1.4 Research Questions
1.
What
are the types of serial collections available for students in polytechnics?
2.
To what
extent do polytechnic students use serial collection?
3.
For
what purpose do polytechnic students use serial collections?
4.
What
are the challenges facing the use of serial collections by polytechnic
students?
5.
What
are the solutions to the challenges facing the use of serial collections by
polytechnic students?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The study is essential because it is
hoped to provide an insight into availability and use of serial library
resources by students in Federal Polytechnic, Auchi and Delta State
Polytechnic, Oghara. The study would reveal the effect of non-availability and
low usage of serial library resources by students. The recommendations that may
be given would be important to our government policy makers at the federal,
state and local state levels.
The study will provide lecturers, school
authorities and government the dangers and damage of non-availability of serial
library resources and it effect on the academic performance or achievement of
students. Finally, it shall
serve as a veritable source of information on issues of serials
library resources, also, school authorities would find the finding of this
study useful. They could use them to detect and prevent such symptoms that are
likely to head students’ low academic performance in the selected tertiary
institutions
1.6 Scope Of The Study
This study is restricted to the
availability and use of serial resources by students in Federal Polytechnic
Auchi and Delta State
polytechnic Oghara Libraries only.
1.7 Limitation Of The Study
The
project work of this kind cannot come up without some limitations. The major
limitations of the study is finance, limited time at researcher’s disposal, and
because of these limitations, this study was only able to select two polytechnics
in Edo State. Despite these limitations, due care was taken not to sacrifice
quality and in-depth of this study on the iota of time, data and money.
1.8 Operational
Definition of Terms
Below
is the definition of the contextual use of terms in the study:
Library: A Library is a building or room containing
collections of books, periodicals, and sometimes films and recorded music for
use or borrowing by the public or the members of an institution.
Serial: A
publication in any medium issued in successive parts bearing numerical or
chronological designation and intended to be continued indefinitely.
Serial Collections: This is the action or process of collecting a publication
that is issued in successive parts. Examples are periodicals, magazines,
journals, newspapers, annual reports, and series. Journal and periodical are
terms also used to describe such publications.
Use: An act that brings
something into services for a particular purpose.
Availability:
This is the quality of being able
to be used or obtained.
Periodicals: Periodicals are form of magazines or newspaper published at
regular intervals.
Virtual Library: A Virtual Library is a collection of resources available
on one or more computer systems, where a single interface or entry point to the
collections is provided
Internet: The internet is a global computer network providing a variety
of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected
networks using standardized communication protocols.
================================================================
Item Type: Project Material | Attribute: 49 pages | Chapters: 1-5
Format: MS Word | Price: N3,000 | Delivery: Within 30Mins.
================================================================
No comments:
Post a Comment