ETHICS OF LIBRARY USE (LIBRARY RULES)

These are rules and regulations which guide the day-to-day operations in a library. These
normally include rules governing conduct in the library and conditions for using the library.
The rules are as follows:

1. The need to comply with registration procedure with the library to become a bonafide
user.

2. The Reader’s Ticket is the passport to the library, it must be produced on entering the
library, or demand by any member of the library staff.

3. Reader’s ticket is not transferable. Readers are liable for all transactions made on their
tickets.

4. Library users are expected to leave all consulted books, periodicals and journal on the
table.

5. Library users are liable to checking at the security checkpoint both on entering and
leaving the library.

6. All readers must enter and leave the library through the main door.

7. No reader should enter any part of the library marked for “Staff Only” except by
permission.

8. Silence must be observed in and around the library premises.

9. Smoking, eating and drinking are forbidden in the library.

10. Use of mobile phones within the library is strictly prohibited. It should be put to silent
mode while in the library.

11. The use of any form of naked light in the library is prohibited.

12. The reservation of library seats are not allowed.

13. Orderly conduct must be observed at all times in the library.

14. Library books are available for borrowing provided they have undergone due
processing for their discharge at the circulation desk.

15. All borrowed books are expected to be returned within or at the expiration of the
stipulated lending period. Defaulters are liable to a fixed fine per each additional day, as a
penalty. The worth of the fine is subject to periodical review and varies from one library
to another.

16. Bags, briefcases, raincoats, umbrella, etc are to be dropped inside a cupboard cloak at
the library entrance, for safekeeping and under the surveillance of the library
porters/security.

17. Serial publications, reference works and reserved books are not loan able. Hence, they
are only meant for consultation within the library.

18. Group discussions within the library are strictly prohibited during operating hours.

19. Materials left behind at closing time will be removed by library staff and these could
be claimed at the Circulation Desk or at the Security Check point.

20. Stealing of library materials is a serious offence which, if proven, attracts severe
punishment or total dismissal from the University.

21. The mutilation, marking, defacement, or willful damage of library materials in any form
whatsoever is a serious offence punishable by withdrawal of all library privileges and other
stern disciplinary measures, as necessary.

22. The University Librarian reserves the right to suspend from the use of the library, any
reader who infringes on any of these regulations and may refer cases of infringement to
the appropriate authorities for further disciplinary action.

23. The library will only be opened at the stipulated hours of operation.
 ORGANISATION OF LIBRARY
DEPARTMENTS/DIVISIONS OF THE LIBRARY
Libraries comprise of the following departments and sections

1. Administration Department

2. Technical Services Department

a. Acquisition Section

b. Cataloguing/Classification Section

c. Bindery/Reprographic Section

d. Audio Visual Section

3. Readers’ Services Department

a. Circulation Section

b. Reference Section

c. Reserved Books Section

d. Serials Section

4. Research and Bibliographic Department

5. Information and Communication Technology/Electronic Library

Administrative Department

This unit is the seat of the heads of all libraries. The library is usually headed by an
experienced librarian. He/she as a top manager is responsible for the administrative and
professional duties of the library. Also, he/she coordinate the activities of the departmental
heads and further control other members of staff through effective communication system.
In addition, there are support staff in the administrative department. The support staff
includes secretary, typist(s), clerk(s), messenger(s), driver(s) etc. Functions of this
department are development of the library policies, planning the library budget,
supervising and organizing the library, coordinating all the library systems, recruitment and
training library staff, library publicity, rules and regulations etc. Basically, the department
is concerned with the administrative functions of the library. It is being headed by the
University Librarian.

2. Technical Services Department

This department can be referred to as the “brainbox” of the library. It represents the
processing section of the library. This department is in charge of collection development,
book processing, book finishing etc. The activities in this department are done behind the
scene. That is, all services performed in this department are out of sight of users. The
following are some of the major sections in the department:

(a) Acquisition Section: It is in this section of the library that information resources and
other materials are acquired. This section has the responsibility of acquiring information
materials for users from all sources and from the most advantageous vendors all materials
needed for information services. Most libraries obtain materials through the following
ways:

i. Purchase: This is the method of buying books from bookshops, book dealers or
vendors.

ii. Donation/Gift: This may come from an individual donor or institution that wishes
to give books to the library.

iii. Exchange: Even though not too common but some libraries use exchange as
method of acquisition. In an exchange arrangement, a library sends publications to
another library in exchange for publications that are relevant to their services.
Government publications are best acquired on exchange basis because of the
problem of foreign exchange.

iv. Legal Deposit: This is a method whereby National Library is empowered by law
to receive certain copies of every book or other publication printed or published in
a country. The deposit made by the publisher is called legal deposit. Although, some
documents are not part of the programme because they have been restricted.
 v. Bequeath: This is strictly leaving by will to another person or institution personal
property, to pass on to posterity. Library collections of Late Obafemi Awolowo
Library at Ikenne was bequeathed to Olabisi Onabanjo University Library, Ago
Iwoye in Ogun state.

(b) Cataloguing and Classification Section: It is in this section that information resources
acquired are catalogued and classified. Cataloguing is a process of recording materials held
in the library using the bibliographic features (author, title, year of publication etc) of the
materials. The catalogue is therefore, a record of materials held by the library ranging from
books, magazines, journals, to non-book materials. After the materials are catalogued, they
will be classified. Classification: Classification is a process which brings books of the same
subject together for ease of use and acessibility. In other words, it is the process of bringing
together like information materials and separating the unlike things. It also includes
assigning a unique number to a work to show its subject area and indicate the location of
the collection. Classification Scheme is used to classify library materials to achieve this
objective.

(c). Reprography and Bindery Section: The reprography section handles photocopying of
materials in the library so that needed pages of books; journals etc are photocopied for
users at moderate prices. The restriction of reference/ reserve materials necessitated the
need for photocopying services. Also, the bindery section binds torn or worn out books
and bind complete volumes of journals, magazines, newspapers etc. Students' project and
term papers are bound in the unit at a reduced cost. Bindery works of the institution are
also carried out in the section.

(d) Audio Visual Section: The section consists of audio visual materials like slides,
transparencies, pictures, maps, photographs and other softwares with their hardwares
(projectors, television, video recorders etc.). It selects, organizes, stores and makes the
information required by users available to them.

3. Readers’ Services Department It is the division of the library that is of major concerns to
users. It is where users interact directly with the library staff and the information materials.
This division has the responsibility for given user targeted services, to ensure the full
exploitation of the resources in the library in meeting their information needs. Duties
rendered under Readers’ services include lending service, reference service, compilation of
bibliographies, compilation of reading lists, users’ education, guidance on research,
indexing and abstracting. The department consists of:

a. Circulation Section: This is one of the vital sections in the library. Also, it is been referred
to as the image-maker of the library because it is one of the unit that have direct dealings
with users. The processed information materials acquired by a library are usually sent to
the circulation section for easy accessibility, consultation and utilization by the library users.
The major services perform in this section are:

• Registration of the new library users, issues borrowers cards and renews membership
cards etc.;
• Shelving and shelf-reading of the library materials;
• Charging and discharging of library materials, (Checks incoming and outgoing
materials thoroughly);
• Library education;
• Helps the library users in finding the required material and guides them in the use
of library catalogue
• Collects delay fines for overdue books;
• Sends reminders for overdue books and
• Keeps statistics of daily transactions
• Library clearance, Issues the Library Clearance Certificate.

b. Reference Section: This is the section of the library where reference materials are
carefully selected and organised for consultation only and not to be borrowed. Reference
section provides reference and readers' advisory services to different clientele of the library.
Examples of reference materials include dictionary, atlas, encyclopedia, who is who etc.

c. Reserved Section: Materials that are in constant and extensive demand but are in short
supply in the library are kept in the reserved section. They are made available to users on
request but they are not to be loaned out. Such materials include book placed on reserve
by the course lecture, or personal text book or manuscript that an author or a lecturer
wants certain group of people to read in the library. To distinguish information resources
in the reserve section from those in circulation and reference section, they are marked
‘Reserved’

d. Serials Section: Serials section is where periodicals and any other related publications are
selected, acquired, ordered, received, processed, preserved and shelved for users to have
access and utilize them. Serial publications are journals, magazines, reports, newspapers,
conference proceedings etc.

4. Research and Bibliographic Services Department: This department is normally found in

academic and research libraries. It is made up of documents, private collections, maps and
manuscripts. The document section deals with very important government (Federal, State,
etc.) publications like decree, edicts, act of parliament gazettes and they are organised and
made available to needed users. Private collections section houses documents of renowned
scholars and eminent nationalists of that country. The documents are always donated to
the library under certain conditions(s). Map and manuscript that are very important to the
needs of researchers and other users are kept in the library. They are selected, acquired,
organize, stored and made available to the users. The bibliographic department keeps
record of all the stocks available in the library.

5. Information and Communication Technology/Electronic Library: This is the department

in the library in which all electronic learning resources, Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) facilities and electronic devices in the library are organised. This
department/section of the library handles library automation and ICT related activities of
the library. The system librarian is the head of this department and he/she is directly
responsible to College/Polytechnic or University librarian. The sections under this
department include:

• Virtual library; and

• Information Technology section

Virtual Library: This is the section of the library where users have remote access to on-site
collection of electronic resources. Here, users have access to organized set of links to
information resources on the Internet.

Information Technology Section: This is the section where IT resources are systematically
organized for easy accessibility. Examples of such resources include: computers, Compact
Disc Read Only Memory (CDROM), CDs, video tape, audio tape, etc.