COURSE CODE : PDE 5107

COURSE TITLE: Language and Communication

Skills and the Use of Library

 Course Outline for PDE 5107:

Language and Communication Skills and the

Use of Library
 CONCEPT OF A LIBRARY, BENEFITS OR IMPORTANCE AND WHY STUDY THE USE OF LIBRARY?

 OBJECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE LIBRARY

 TYPES OF LIBRARY AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

 TYPES OF LIBRARY MATERIALS

 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE LIBRARY

 LIBRARY CLASSIFICATION, BIBLIOGRAPHY, CATALOGUES

 USE AND CARE OF THE LIBRARY

 BASIC LIBRARY AUTOMATION

 VIRTUAL AND E-LIBRARY

 Concept of a Library
The word library is derived from a Latin word “Liber” meaning books which signifies a collection of books and non-

books in any library either public or private library.

A library is has been considered as the gateway of knowledge or social institution for the community. It is also seen as a

collection of knowledge in different formats be it books and non-books formats to meet the needs of individuals or

users. It could also be defined as books and non-books materials acquired, organized, preserved and interpreted to

meet the broad and varying needs of users for information, knowledge, recreation and aesthetic enjoyment. These

library materials include: textbooks, journals, newspapers, encyclopedias, dictionaries and other forms such as CD

ROMS, photographs, maps, films, projectors, computers etc. The national policy on education (1981) recognizing the

importance of libraries stated that they are one of most important educational services because they provide various

services in meeting the information and different needs of their users. The main objective of any library is to provide

excellent information products and services to users with the shortest possible time.
 BENEFITS OR IMPORTANCE OF A LIBRARY
Benefits to the study of Use of Library and Study Skills
The study of use of library will avail the students the opportunity to
know, among others:
1. various information resources for research, term paper, assignment,
project, etc.,
2. how to use library information resources in any type of library,
3. various sections of the library,
4. how to locate information materials/resources without the help of a
librarian or a library staff,
5. be familiar with various information retrieval tools,
6. have the technique/skills to information retrieval,
7. how to apply variety of search techniques,
8. know the rules and regulations governing the library,
9. organization/arrangement of information sources for easy
access and retrieval,
10. parts of a book and their importance to academic
achievement,
11. stand the opportunity to do work study in the library’ etc.
THE CRITICAL QUSTION
IS WHY DOES A
STUDENT REQUIRE A
COURSE IN THE USE OF
LIBRARY?
 WHY STUDY THE USE OF LIBRARY
The question, why study the use of library is like asking, why does the library
exist? A new student in an academic environment is certainly in a new terrain.
He/she may have used the library in his secondary educational institution, but
the school library (where it exists) is different from the academic library. It is
different in resource content, organizational context, operational characteristics,
infrastructural or structural complexities. The same way library exists to support
the parent organization (the college, polytechnic, or university) in achieving its
objectives, is the same way the study of the use of the library will help students,
researchers, and other library users to overcome the barrier and
discouragement to information access and use to achieve their academic pursuit
or meets their information needs. Hence, the quality of education depends on
the use of the library and its resources. Students are faced with challenges of
information needs in diverse ways for a couple of reasons
First, mass production of information also known as information
explosion; second, students are faced with challenges of information
need(s) in diverse ways: assignments, research, recreation, projects, and
term papers, among others. Third, the library is the largest and
complicated piece of educational equipment that students and non-
students encounter and many are discouraged in its complexity and in
most cases they are frustrated. Therefore, it is pertinent to know the
routines and practices involved in library services to avoid frustration and
discouragement. And if students are not taught how to make use of the
library resources, the acquisition and organization of these resources
become of no value.
• Thus, this course is taught to expose students to the various
library information resources and how to access and use them at
any point in time with the information retrieval tools (e.g., the
card catalogue, Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), Indexes,
bibliographies, etc.). The library information sources are available
and not hidden because they are in the open shelves and among
other information sources that may or may not be relevant to you.
To overcome the problem of frustration or of finding sources that
relate to your information need(s); it is necessary to acquire the
relevant skills needed to explore and exploit the library and its
information sources.
You need to learn how to use the library’s retrieval tools - the catalogue, indexes, reference works, and other
skills/techniques required to use the library. Without learning the necessary library use skills and techniques,
library users will always meet frustration and dissatisfaction in information search. The user may be fully aware
that the library houses such information materials or sources, but may be unable to lay hands or have access to
the needed information material which is in the library because of ignorance.

Furthermore, without libraries, students will pass through institution without the institution passing through
them. Thus, this course will avail the students the opportunity of being information literate. That is to say, being
able to identify your information needs, where to get the information, how to access it, retrieve it and apply the
information to solve their need. Any student that knows how to make effective and efficient use of the library
and its resources has solved half of his/her academic problem.

Who should study the use of library?

There is no limit to learning, in as much as one is breathing, learning continues. This implies that anybody is
entitled to study the use of library. There is no age barrier or limit. It is a requirement for all new intakes starting
from 100 level to direct entry students to postgraduate students’ new intake.
 WEEK TWO

OBJECTIVE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE LIBRARY

 OBJECTIVES OF THE LIBRARY

The main objective of any library is to meet varying needs of all its
clientele and to ensure that these needs are met within the shortest
possible time. These needs include providing information that will help
to widen the horizon of knowledge of any individual, information for
trade or commerce and so on. Yet, others need the library for
recreational purposes. Some even come to do research in the library
because they are pursuing one kind of programme or the other.
• THE BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE LIBRARY ARE:
• ACQUISITION: To select, evaluate and acquire library materials in varied formats to
meet the information needs of its clientele.
• ORGANISATION: To systematically arrange information materials for easy storage
accessibility.
• PRESERVATION: To maintain and preserve books, materials and resources with
historical, cultural, social, economic and archival value, and other related materials in an
organized collection to provide members of the community these materials and enriched
their personal and professional lives.
• RETRIEVAL: To provide retrieval tools to save time and energy of the users and ensure
effective use of information materials.
• DISSEMINATE: To promote literacy and disseminate useful daily information to the
people and encourage lifelong learning through its reading materials and resources.
 Overall Functions of the Library
1. Promotion of Culture: Libraries are known as organ of cultural promotion because they are known to
promote participation and appreciation of various local crafts and arts. They help in cultural upliftment via
organization of extension services like lectures, seminars, book exhibition and so on
2. Education: Libraries provides relevant educational materials both in print and non print. They acquires,
organizes, stores, preserves and makes available for users in the library. They organize, supports and
reinforces program of adult literacy classes and fundamental education to improve on the educational
need of people. Libraries also educates the citizens on their rights and responsibilities and their personal
development generally through their readers’’ services.

3. Information generation and Preservation: They provides relevant information on any subject or topical
issues and on virtually all matters. Libraries provides information on government activities either on
commerce, tourism, health, agriculture, housing, etc. This information can be handy via their materials
and through their reference services because they houses different materials in various formats and
media. In addition, with general encyclopedias, dictionaries, trade guides, news papers, journals (serials or
periodicals), government publications, biographies, materials in the vernacular of the locality to
accommodate both literates and illiterates. They also preserve knowledge by maintaining archives of old
and infrequent or rare documents for posterity because these documents are literary heritage that needs
to be preserved for research purposes.
 Overall Functions Contd.

4. Research work Aids: Libraries assist in gathering vital information with high quality content vital for
research via library resources such as textbooks, journals, encyclopedias etc. and online/electronic
resources with physical space for researchers to work. They also provide information and advice
regarding publishing, copyright, open access and citation as regards referencing.
5. Dissemination of information: Libraries as information carriers provides vital, accurate and current
information to end users or library clienteles inline with their subject areas and disseminate
information as regards social or academic events, public utility services or social responsibilities
services, employment, etc.
6. Recreation: Mental recreation is necessary for all relaxation of nerves from numerous worries of
daily life, therefore library generally provides materials such as novels, posters, newspapers,
magazines, films, radio cassettes, videos and other audio visuals with a quite and conducive
atmosphere for recreation and relaxation while they read materials they want or watch the films
provided for them.
 Importance of Library

Libraries play a very crucial and significant role in the world’s system of
education and information storage and retrieval.
Therefore libraries are important and useful in the following ways:
1. For information communication and transformation.
2. To inculcate reading culture or habit for upward progression of people’ life.
3. To equip one with literacy knowledge and skills acquisition in ones field of
knowledge.
4. To reduce of ignorance
5. To Inform community, society and the world at large
 ASSIGNMENT/REVIEW
QUESTIONS
This assignment and review questions covers the first three topics of this course.
• To an ordinary man in the street a library is a room or a place containing
collections of books that can be looked at and borrowed.
Distinguish this definition with the modern notion of what a library is?
 Explain why you need to study the use of library as a student

• Differentiate between basic functions of library and the over all functions of
the library
• Highlight the over all function of a library and discuss three (3).

• Highlight and elaborate more on the importance and uses of a library

 WEEK THREE

TYPES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE LIBRARY

 Types of library and their functions

Libraries are generally grouped according to their categories of users,

purpose, collection and accessibility. Consequently, the different types
of libraries that exist are:
1. National library
2. Academic library
3. School library
4. Public library
5. Special/ Research library
6. Private library
7. Virtual library/E-library/Digital library
 NATIONAL LINBRARY

1. National library: National library is known as apex of all the library systems and services. Just as the Central

Bank is the apex of all other financial banks in the nation National library is a library which services a particular

country’ citizen. In other words, it is a library owned by a sovereign nation. It is established and funded by the

government of a country. National library has the obligation or responsibility to acquire or collects and

preserves the nation’s literature or all publications published in a country and about the country. It maintains a

reference collection of all the publications through purchase, gift, exchange and mainly by legal depository

law. This law can be found in section 4 of the National Library of Nigeria decree of 1970 and it stipulates that

10 copies of every book published by publishers in and about the country be deposited in the National Library

of Nigeria. This empowerment gives it legal backing with which culprits could be prosecuted. Examples of

National Libraries are National Library of Nigeria, United States of America Library of Congress, National

Library of Scotland, Bibliotheque National France, etc.

 Functions of National library

1. It publishes a comprehensive national bibliography and facilitates the reprinting of out of prints materials.
2. Provides reference services to the nation.
3. It organizes and stores information materials that are important for the country's development.

4. It ensures the availability of a comprehensive collection and access to it. With this National Library acquires
all publications made in the country by citizens and foreigners and all the publications made about the
country overseas, no matter the subject.
5. It provide support for intellectual efforts in all activities of the people.
6. It collects and preserves the nation's heritage
7. It serves the last resort to the nation.
8. It serves as a bibliographic center of the nation.
9. It generates free flow of information between nations (a function in consultant with NATIS policy).
10. It also serves as a publishing house that facilitates the reprinting of out of prints materials
11. Is the only legal body that issues out International Standard Book Number (ISBN) for books and
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)for journals.
12. 1. Its promotes and standardizes library services throughout the country
 ACADEMIC LIBRARY

Academic library: This a library that is found in institutions of higher learning or tertiary institutions such
as Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, Colleges of Agriculture, Colleges of Arts, Science and
Technology, etc. They are seen as the backbone or nerve the institutions. It assist in the achievement of the goal
of these institutions because all activities within these institutions revolve round it. Academic libraries are
primarily established to provide literature support to the programmes or academic activities of their parent
institutions. For example, if a tertiary institution is offering degree, diploma and certificate courses, its library is
expected to provide educational research and information materials in the relevant subjects to suit each level of
the institution’s academic programmes. This implies that it provides reading reference and research needs to
people in the academic community or environment such as undergraduates, lecturer or faculty and other people
in their immediate community. Its materials are acquired through purchases, gifts, donations and exchange. It is
funded through institution but in recent time its being assisted by philanthropist commissioned agent such as
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TET fund, Book Aid International, Petroleum Tax Fund or through appeal fund
raising strategy).
 Functions of Academic Library
1. It provides attractive and comfortable reading facilities that encourages students and staff to spend the right
proportion of their free time study,

2. It provides educational materials for student's course work and background reading.

3. It serves as a repository of knowledge emanating from within and outside the institution,

4. It encourages students to maintain or develop habits of good reading already acquired through the school
library and exposes them to intensive research activities.

5. It disseminates new and existing knowledge to the community, a times through exhibition, but most cases
through library publications such as accession list, bulletin, newsletters, etc.

6. It provides services, few materials and resources for all other people within the environment,
 School library

School library: This is a library set up in nursery, primary and secondary schools to cater for
teaching and learning interest of the pupils, students and their teachers. The modern trend of

school library is to establish school media resource centres which integrates both print and non-

print materials to facilitate individual as well as group learning by the school pupils. With this it is

expected that school library furniture and materials are specially designed to suit different

categories of its users and its environment must be attractive. The collection found in school

library is not limited to only the school subject textbooks, novels and magazines but rather, other

educative materials are included. School libraries are mostly funded by ministry of education(if it is

public/government school) and complimented by gifts and PTA supports. For effective and efficient

library service delivery to users it is advisable that a professional or trained library officer assisted

by library assistants should head a school library

 Functions of School Library
1. It provides background material which would supplement class teaching by acquiring, organizing and
preserving relevant reading materials that are inline with school the curriculum. School library inculcates and
stimulates Pupils and students with lifelong reading habits in the early stage of the child’s development by
exposing them to books and attractive reading environment for individualized learning . It also provides
recreational reading materials of interest and challenging. The school library, therefore, has lending and
reference functions.

2. It provides students with the materials that will help them to broaden their ideas that stimulates their appetite
for knowledge. It also introduces pupils and students on how to effectively use the reference materials available
in the library such as encyclopedia, dictionaries, pamphlets, etc.

3. It prepare pupils and students to read and work independently. The provision of study carrels and other
suitable library furniture and resources, including audio-visuals that can permit independent study by school
library will help them to carry on with their education without depending solely on teachers after leaving
primary and secondary school.

4. It familiarizes pupils and students with materials on local culture and tradition such as Egungun, Ogun, yam
festivals, Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa traditions and so no . This maybe in pictures, videos and story telling.
 Functions of School Library
Contd……..

5. It also provides direct counselling and guidance services on co curriculum

matters via the teacher librarians. It also provides materials to schoolteachers in
the preparation of their lesson notes and that will assist in teaching.

6. It provides vocational information materials for the choice of careers.

 Public library

Public library: This is a type of library that its services and materials are open to all. It is owned by state or local
government to cater for the information, education and recreational needs of the inhabitants. The public library is
often sited in a central place, within the community. The public library users or patrons include, the literates, neo-
literates, illiterates who are however literate in the local language and users from all works of life regardless their
age, gender, color, discipline, religion etc. is allowed to make use of the public library resources subject to local
regulations. Public libraries also provide services to nursery and primary schools etc. and its enviros. Its collections
relate to local interests
The main purpose of any public library is to promote reading habit among grown up adolescents and children. It also
promote government policies, cultural awareness and educational development through literature. Their collections
are built through purchase and gifts. The head of a public library is usually called chief librarian.

FUNCTIONS OF PUBLIC LIBRARY

There is no doubt that functions of public libraries are centered on culture, information generation and preservation,
education, information dissemination, recreation and research work aids because of its important roles in
educational, economic, political, social and cultural development of the community and the country as a whole. It
primary purpose is to provide resources and services in different media to meet the needs of individuals and groups
for education, information and personal development including recreation and leisure.
However, public library perform other functions such as:
 FUNCTIONS OF PUBLIC LIBRARY Contd……………
1. Public library being a part of a center of education and information serves as a center to promote culture as it acquires
and preserves materials relevant to the culture of the community it serves. Such materials incudes religion, culture, history
on festivals, local crafts, recorded tapes on local dances, idioms, folktales, traditional marriages etc. These are preserved or
kept for generations yet unborn.

2. Public libraries as local gateway to knowledge provides relevant information sources and services which can support
economic and social development and encourages social inclusion and equity

3. The public library serves as a conduit to access information and to learn and also provides relevant information and
make them accessible to the right person at the right time

4. It creates bridge to resources and community involvement and promotes economic vitality within the community.

5. Helps to run programs that promote lifelong learning, education and literacy in the community

6. It contributes to any subject or topical issues and all other matters such as social capital, government activities either
on commerce, tourism, health, agriculture, housing, etc. through its materials and its reference services. It provides
access to information in locality to accommodate both literates and illiterates in order to build connection between
 SPECIAL/RESEARCH
LIBRARY
Special library: Special library is a unique library that serve and support the activities of its parent
organization be it institution or company. This implies that special library serves a group of people
whose activities are directed to a common purpose.
A special library selects, acquires, organizes, preserves and provides information materials that covers
particular kind of information and endeavor and files such information in advance. This is in respect of
specific request. Special library vary from one library to the other due to the content of research of
the parent organization or institution each special library serves because its collections are limited to
one subject or group of subjects.
It primarily engaged in creating or maintaining a selective collection and applying it to the specialize
needs of its users who are usually in a specific area of human endeavor. Special libraries are
established, maintained and funded by various ministries, research establishments, media houses,
industrial films, government agencies/organizations, professional bodies, etc.
Examples of special libraries are cocoa research institute of Nigeria (CRIN) Library, Ibadan, Central
Bank of Nigeria Library, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigerian Institute of Social
and Economic Research (NISER) Library, etc. they are also known as research libraries.
 FUNCTIONS OF SPECIAL LIBRARY

Specific functions of special library includes:

1. Current Awareness Services (CAS) especially, Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI)

2. It provides up-to-date materials on a specialized areas

3. Acquisition, processing and organization of materials of parent organisation or institution.

4. It provides reference service to it users with conducive atmosphere.

5. It provides specialized services like abstracting, indexing and compilation of bibliographic

services.

6. It assist in literature search on behalf of the management or research teams

 PRIVATE LIBRARY

Private library: Private library is a library owned by individuals or can be found in companies or homes and this varied in terms of
interest of the individuals. It covers specific subject areas of such individuals or person’s perspective in the world and gather current
and in-depth knowledge in the form of periodicals, abstract and reports in thier specific field of interest.

Most often, ownership may not be known until the death of such individual. However, private libraries are not well documented
because they lack professional library arrangement. It is hosed in a room that are not accessible to all. Examples of private libraries
are Obafemi Awolowo(Shopolu library), Gani Fawehinmi Law Chamber Library, Lagos etc. Private libraries have much common with
special libraries because the collection in private libraries reflects the interest of its owner or proprietor.
FUNCTIONS OF PRIVATE LIBRARY
1. It provides a list of all materials within the library, thereby making retrieval easier and faster.
2. It provides a conducive reading space for the family, workers in case of company.
3. Preserves cultural heritage
4. Helps to inculcate reading habit and encourages reading culture among members of the family or work place.

It must be added at this juncture that some private libraries also wear the feature of special libraries as the case with those
aforementioned in that their collections are mainly on law.
 ASSIGNMENT/REVIEW QUESTIONS
This assignment and review questions covers the fourth topic of this course.
1. Highlight the importance of library to the society.
2. Differentiate between National library and Public library.
3. A special library is a unique library that serve and support the activities
of its parent organization be it institution or company. Discuss?
4. Highlight the functions of academic library and a school library?

References
5. Razaq,F.Q. (2021). Libraries and Library Routines: An Introductory Text. Ekiti: Mcpat
Academic Publishers.
6. Olanlokun, S. O. & Salisu, T. M.(1993). Understanding the library: A Hand Book onLibrary
Use. Nigeria: University Press.
 WEEK FOUR

• TYPES OF LIBRARY MATERIALS

 TYPES OF LIBRARY MATERIALS
Library Materials constitute of varying ranges of information
materials that can be kept in the library for the purpose of
meeting the overall objectives of the library.
Library materials are made up of the following:
• Print materials,
• Non – print materials,
• and digital/electronic materials
The print materials in the library collections are usually
printed texts. They include
• Textbooks/Monograph
• Reference materials,
• Serials/Periodicals
• and Government documents/Special collection.
• Books/Monographs: According to Aina (2004), a book is any
document that has a collection of 49 pages or more that are bound
together with a distinctive title. It is a set of printed sheets of paper
bound together along one edge. It is separately published and has an
independent physical existence, although, sometimes, it may appear
as part of a set of volumes in which the pagination may be
continuous with other volumes. In such case, each individual book in
the set is called a monograph. Printed books are made up of sheets
of paper on which page numbers are printed on both sides. The
sheets, which are assembled together, are then arranged in a correct
order and sewn together along the edge, which is protected with a
cover.
• Reference Materials: According to Nwegbu & Ezema (2009), these
are book materials found in the library that contain facts of
information and are not written of one’s opinion. They can only be
consulted by users but cannot be borrowed. They are designed in
such a way that one cannot read them from cover to cover but can
be consulted for specific information. Reference Materials are
basically of two types; the one which informs the user where he
can find the needed information like Bibliographies and Indexes,
and the reference materials that contain actual information
needed by the user, for example: Encyclopaedias, dictionaries,
directories etc.
• Serials/Periodicals: Serials are materials that are published in
successive parts with numerical or chronological designation
and are intended to be continued indefinitely. Each issue is
published independently. It could be weekly, monthly,
quarterly, bi-annually, or annually. Serials publications include
periodicals, journals, newsletters, newspapers, magazines,
proceedings of conferences etc. The term serials and
periodicals are often used interchangeably, although serial is a
more embracing term that covers periodicals, journals and
magazines, pamphlets etc. The physical format of a serial is
not different from that of a book.
• Government Documents/Special Collections: These are
publications specially issued by various levels of government and
their agencies. They range from world bodies like UN, WHO,
UNICEF,UNDP, etc to the federal government constitutions, edicts,
Acts, decrees, gazettes, white paper reports, ministries reports,
houses of assemblies reports and other government agencies,
plus institutions inaugural lectures, and matriculation reports etc.
Though some special collections come in form of artefacts and
realias, others come in digital/electronic forms but most of them
that come in prints are classified under government documents
or special collections as the case may be.
 NON - PRINT MATERIALS
These are materials that are found in the library that are not in form of
printed books, reference materials, periodicals and government
documents. As the name implies, they are not in printed form. The
invention of technologies has made it possible for other formats to be
used in recording human knowledge other than books. Examples of these
non-print materials include –
cartographic materials (maps, atlases, a plan, globes etc)
graphic materials (filmstrips, pictures, charts, slides, transparencies,
regalia etc) and
Audios, visuals and Audio-visuals materials (radios, televisions,
telephones, camcorders, projectors, etc)
 DIGITAL/ ELECTRONIC MATERIALS (E-BOOKS, INTERNETS ETC)

According to Iman, Adeyoyin, Jegede, and Adesanya, (2008), digital materials are
all information resources in machine readable format such as Compact Discs Read
Only Memories (CD-ROMs), diskettes, flash drives, films, microfiche and allied
accessories such as computer software and hardware. In agreement, the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO draft charter
(2003), defined digital materials as, resources of human knowledge or expression,
whether cultural, educational, scientific and administrative, or embracing
technical, legal, medical and other kinds of information, that are increasingly
created digitally, or converted into digital form from existing analogue resources.
These digital materials include texts, databases, still and moving images, audio,
graphics, software, and web pages, among a wide and growing range of formats.
 WEEK FIVE

• ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE LIBRARY

 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE LIBRARY

At the end of this topic :you should be able to:

•i. Know the arrangement of the library
•ii. Identify divisions of the library
•iii. State various sections/units of the library and list at least four
functions of each
•iv. Differentiate between each of the various units/sections
The administration and management of a library could only be achieved with proper structuring and
segmentation patterned considering its functions and services as Kuinar (1987) argured that the
administration and management of a library could only be achieved with proper structuring and
segmentation patterned after the various functions it is to perform. Thus in most libraries, these
under listed broad divisions exist or feature the general administration, readers, and technical
services.
The last two can further be broken down thus:
a. Readers service: This comprises of the Circulation, Reserve, Reference, Serials, and Special
Collection sections.
b. Technical Services: Attached to this sub-division are Collection Development (Acquisition),
Cataloguing and Classification, Binding/reprography and Audiovisual.
c. However, An organizational structure of a library could be departmental or unit or sectional in
nature and this could be either Bifurcated structure or sectional structure.
Administrative/head, readers, and technical services departments of any library could take
bifurcated structure or sectional structure depending on the structure of the library building.
 ORGANISATIONAL CHART

HEAADMINISTRATIVE/HEAD D

Technical Readers
Services Services

Reference Special
Circulation Serials
Acquisition Cat & Class Systems Reprography Reserved Coll
Binding

Audio-
visual

Bifurcated structure
 ORGANISATIONAL CHART

HEAADMINISTRATIVE/HEAD D

Reference Circulation Serials Audio

Acquisition Cat & Class Systems Reprography
Visual

Sectional Structure
From the above Organisational Structures, Administrative/Head
department exits in both structures of the library to support and co-
ordinate the day to day activities or events of the library which includes
final decision policy concerning any aspect of the library. This department
is occupied by librarian who could be college, university or polytechnic
librarians they handles issues involving the policies to be adopted for
operation, description and perception of duties and staff welfare.
Administrative department of the library helps to prepare library budget
and reports to its parent institution at the instance or with the approval of
library committee, but sometimes however avoided where matters
involved demands of crucial treatment or where committee is inactive.
Readers’ Services department: The readers' services are the focal point
for most library users especially in an academic library. It consists of
about five units/sections, though not rigid as in-house policy varies in
physical or structural arrangement of the library. However, for most
academic libraries, the following units predominate.
i. Circulation section
ii. Reference section
iii. Reserve section
iv. Special collection section
v. Serials section
Technical Services department
It is important that all books within the library are organized for easy retrieval. For this
reason, a section is used within the library to make materials readily accessible to users. This
section is known as the cataloguing and classification. Both the cataloguing and classification
are twin activities taking place in this unit.
Cataloguing, on one hand, is the process of recording the particulars of a book such as the
title, author, place and date of publication, edition, number of pages, series, and copies etc
on a five (5) by three (3) inches card.
On the other hand, classification means putting things that are similar together according to
their relationship. Accordingly, before a book is taken to the shelf, an identification
number/code is also given to the book. This number is known as classification number. It is
with the number that the document is referred to on the shelf. Both cataloguing and
classification activities are very technical because the librarian need to read" sufficiently every
part of the book to be able to determine the actual Subject area.
 Functions of Technical Services Department
• This unit is also responsible for binding old newspapers and
magazines where resources permit. It is a viable revenue-generating
unit of the library if well equipped.
• Shelving of typed catalogue cards, lettering, and insertion of book
cards among others.
• This unit is in charge of repair and binding of damage/worn out books
and journals found to be still useful and relevant to the curriculum of
an institution/establishment.
Bifurcated Organisational Structure takes a shape of divided structures which consist of Readers’
Services and Technical Services departments. Technical Services department with divisions or
units This department consist of divisions or units which is made up of the circulation, reference,
serials, systems, reprography and special collection sections. While, Technical Services consist of
acquisition, cataloguing and classification, binding/reprography and audio-visual units. These two
divisions are headed by librarians known as Readers’ Services Librarian and Technical Services
Librarian. In Bifurcated Organisational Structure Both Readers’ Services Librarian and Technical
Services Librarian librarians over see the library operations and activities of the sections or units
under them and report directly to the administrative head which is the college librarian but the
heads of units or sections reports their activities directly to the Technical Services and Readers’
Services librarians. Sectional Organisational Structure takes a straight shapes of departments
without division or units. This departments includes acquisition, cataloguing and classification,
systems, reference circulation, serials, audio-visual and reprography departments.
In Sectional Organisational Structure the librarians that heads each
departments over see the library operations and activities of the
departments and report directly to the administrative head which is the
college librarian. Note that libraries can operate any of the organisational
structures depending on how big the library building is. For example Corona
College Library Ilupeju operates under Sectional Organisational Structure
while Gani Belo Library of the Federal College of Education Abeokuta operate
Bifurcated Organisational Structure.
Sections/Units and Their Services Rendered in the Library

Circulation section/unit: This is a first point of call of any library where users make
enquiry as to how to make use of the library and where to access its resources.
Circulation section sees to charging and discharging of books. In other words, all
track of the books and movement are handled by this section. Library as the image-
maker of education system, the totality of the library's overall efficiency and
effectiveness is measured by its output.
By its special nature, circulation unit operates on the basis of open access principle,
which falls in line with the Reganathan law of librarianship, "books are for
use"(Dilli,1997). Hence it performs the following roles.
a. This section sees to student library registration. Students must register at the
circulation section before they can make use or borrow library books.
b. Loan/ lending services: In circulation unit library materials are loan out to student with library pass and
receives them back on return and this is also known as chagrining and discharging of library materials. Library
materials can be loaned out for a period of one or two or six weeks depending on the library. And also
collects fines from library defaulters who keeps books beyond the date due. However, this fine varies in
different libraries.
c. Keeping records or statistics of users, books borrowed and consulted in the library. This is very useful
because it will help the library management in decision making as regards library book collections and how to
improve on how to attract students to use the library.
d. Shelving and shelf reading: This unit ensures that all books are properly shelved which is shelving of
library books and the unproperly shelved ones are withdrawn and placed them on the right shelf while shelf
reading for easy retrieval.
e. Sending out overdue notice to students on book loan: The unit makes sure that notices are sent out to
students to make sure that borrowed books are retuned as at when due and over due notices are sent to
defaulters whose books are beyond the date due date i.e. when the books are expected to be returned.
f. This unit sees to the withdrawing of thorn books from the shelves
 Reference section
Reference section/unit: This is where library materials such as Dictionary, Encyclopaedia,
Handbooks, Bibliographies, Biographies, Gazettes, maps, Almanac, Gazetteers and-the likes.
its accessibility to materials is restrictive because it cannot be read from cover to cover, they
cannot be not loaned out due to their nature, they rare materials and are very expensive to
acquire either because of their cost or by being out of print. Library cannot afford to lose
such materials for reasons of anti-library behaviour. This is why a well-trained and
experienced librarian is usually put in charge in order to ensure adequate security of these
inestimable collections.
This section keeps statistics records of enquiries, carries out Current Awareness Services
(CAS), exhibits and displays new arrivals (books), advertises various services rendered and
resources available for users in meeting their needs.
The reference unit assists users in search of information or sources of information. Many at
times the library users find it difficult to get what they want in the library, either because it is
not available, lack of procedure for information searching or users' inexperience.
The responsibility becomes to be borne by the reference librarian and staff under
this situation. Among activities carried out in this section are:
i. Provision of ready-made answers to simple enquiries/ questions
ii. Compilation of bibliographies on demand or in anticipation.
iii. Indexing and abstracting.
iv. All functions as enumerated in numbers ii-iv under circulation above."
v. Orientation on how to make use of the reference materials,
vi. Provision of Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI).
This last service is an integral aspect of Current Awareness Services (CAS) usually
rendered subject specialists or needy individuals.
 Reserve Section/Unit
Reserve Section/Unit: This unit closely exit with reference unit: This
unit houses books that are in high demand but limited in copies are put
on reserve. Also, due to shortage of copies of a particular title, the
volume could be withdrawn and kept on the reserve shelf. A record is
kept of materials in the reserve section of the library. Often, the books
are not usually loaned out but when loaned out it is usually on an
overnight basis. The Librarian and the lecturer usually make
recommendation of books for reserve section due to reason mentioned
above. It must be stated however that materials kept here are subject
to periodic review leading to withdrawal and addition of titles and
volumes.
Special Collection Section Where an academic library is large enough,
and adequately staffed a separate unit for keeping materials written by
nationals or about a country by foreigner is usually set aside to house
such materials. Such a special collection unit has been given different
names depending on the nature, composition and purpose design to
serve. But the ultimate is research-making. Hence one finds such
names as Africana, Arabic collection (Keneth Dike Library, University of
Ibadan), Nigeriana (Kashim Ibrahim Library, Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria) and so on.
 Serial Section/Unit

serial section: This where publication issued in successive parts usually at regular or irregular
intervals and as a rule, intended to continue indefinitely are kept for use. The term serials
cover. Journals, Magazines, Bulletins, Periodicals, Newspapers, etc. Serials are important
because they contain up-to-date information, information on any subject. They are also very
useful in supplying contemporary opinion about a subject or personalities. Serials also supply
current bibliography on subjects. Users of library utilize more of serials materials especially
for research purposes because of their conciseness and up datedness. Serial materials enable
students, faculties, researchers, etc. to carry out their findings across to a wider population
and at a faster rate. Serial section is for recreational purpose too where users can read
newspapers for relaxation. Serials publication becomes a veritable source of entertaining
people because they contain all kinds of amusement stories This is especially true of
magazines, and newspapers. After the days or weeks of work students and workers do go in
search of various form of relaxation. Serials are recorded in the Kardex as they arrive
 COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT SECTION

This is the section responsible for building up the library collection. This unit is the main
determinant of a library's worth. It is no gainsaying that it is a measure of the worth of certificates
being awarded in institution of higher learning. This is while the accreditation panel attaches much
importance to an institution's collections. In collection development section, acquisition appears to
be its centered activity. Most writers describe it as an intellectual process of choosing from among
items based on the need of the user. But it also sees to the reading of obsolete materials while
damaged volumes are repaired either through minor mending or binding. This occupied position
places an acquisition librarian as an arbiter or intermediary between the world of information and
readers. Indeed, it is an indispensable task for the librarian.
A library can develop its own collection either through purchases, gifts donations or exchanges. For
purchase, a careful selection is required with respect to available literature, the library budget and
what you already have in stock. It is not proper to reject a gift. Hence, we first receive with thanks
and thereafter, send them to where we think they will be mostly useful within or outside through
exchange programme of the library system
 Acquisition unit
Acquisition unit (Collection development): This unit ensures that book and non book
materials to be acquired into the library must be in line with the subject offered by
the parent institutions.
This unit work together with heads of departments in ensuring that relevant
materials are available in the library but where some materials are not available the
acquisition unit sends such materials to order section where for such materials to be
process for purchase. Aside libraries getting their books via purchase they also get
their books via gifts, donations, exchange, endowment, etc. However, this unit work
hand in hand with collection department to alert the library for the need to acquire
books when there are lot of obsolete books on the shelves to be weeded and
ensures that new collections are acquired and added to the library collections. This is
no doubt that collection development section guides in the selection and acquisition
of library materials with the use of library collection development policy.
 Cataloguing and Classification unit
Both the cataloguing and classification are twin activities that takes place in this unit.
Cataloguing this is the process of writing out bibliographic details such as author, tittle, place of publication,
publisher, year of publication, etc. of a book on a catalogue card while Classification is the process of
assigning number to library materials. This helps to technically bring information materials of the same
subject together and separate reading and information materials that is of different subject. Cataloguing and
classification unit involves the documentation of every aspect of a material in a way that can easily be
identified and or located in the system.
Cataloguing is the ability to describe every item of a collection and assigning it a subject heading and
subsequently, with a classification number as appropriate. And this involves two activities, namely: (i)
descriptive cataloguing and (ii) subject cataloguing. The latter takes a great deal of intellectual vibrancy to
achieve. Details often included to make a complete description are author, title, statement of responsibility,
imprint, collation, notes, international standard number, tracings (added entries including the subject) and
location. Examples of Library classification schemes Nigeria include the Library of Congress, Classification
Schedules (LCCS). Dewey decimal classification n (DDC), Universal Decimal, Classification (UDC), Colon
Classification. That is why the activities here are known as twin activities.
Classification can also be seen as is the sorting of things according to
their likeness or dislikeness. In library circle, it is the grouping of
materials according to their subject relationship. There are both
inter-and intra-subject classification, patterned after genus-species
(tree-like order) e.g. Geography (general) (G) Cartography (GA) /
Geornorphology (GB) / Oceanography (GC). Within the ambit of
geomorphology, there are sub-fields.
The tools for these twin activities include cataloguing rules, library Classification Scheme, list of
Subject Headings, Dictionaries, Thesaurus, Catalogue cards, computer, writing materials and
Typewriter. These are the basic things that facilitate the work of cataloguer
Binding/reprography and audio-visual Unit
Binding/reprography and audio-visual Unit: Photocopying, mending and rebuilding of mutilated library
books are essential services that a takes place in the library. Audiovisual materials such as tapes,
records, radio and visual resources such as pictures, charts, slides and films, audio-visual such as
television, film projector, computer etc. are also kept in this unit. Visual resources can also be divided
into those that require equipment like tapes slides, films and those which do not like pictures, charts
and models. These materials play important roles in teaching and learning. For instance, they help to
remember what they have been learning thus making learning more concrete.
 WEEK SIX

BIBLIOGRAPHY, CATALOGUING AND

CLASSIFICATION
 Bibliography
Bibliography is a list of books or other reading materials, which deal
with common topic or subject. The materials listed in the bibliography
are arranged in alphabetical order of surnames before other names,
the title, place of; publication, publisher date of publication and page.
Bibliographies are important for research. They help to indicate what
have earlier been published in the field so that you can identify and
make a choice of material. However, compilation of an article, thesis or
dissertation if more than 50 printed pages, can be referred to as a
book. It then becomes bibliography of bibliographies.
 TYPES OF BIBLIOGRAPHIES

There are both general and subject bibliographies just like the encyclopedias
Subject Bibliographies
This bibliography is restricted to a particular subject. Examples are the:
1. Bibliographic guide to law 1975 Library of congress, Boston: O.K.;
Hall 1976Annual.
2. Jegede Oluremi. Nigerian Legal Bibliography: a classified list of materials related to
Nigeria. Nigeria: Oceana publication, 1983.
General Bibliographies
This Bibliographies represent a variety of interest and disciplines. They list books, articles,
thesis, dissertation, government publication etc. available especially in larger libraries, nation,
state or local government. Few examples are the Nigerian National Bibliography and the
British National Bibliography. Some bibliographies serve as good sources for selection of
library reading materials.
3. Bibliography of Bibliographies
The bibliography of bibliographies is a list of bibliographies on a subject or
general subject. It is this bibliography that are sought for by the researchers. It
lists about 63,760 published bibliographies of books and other similar materials.

A researcher should first consult a bibliography as a first step to finding the

literature on his desired topic.
It is not advisable to take a topic where materials are lacking. The general
problem of a bibliography is that before a particular edition is published, listed
books and articles, which were in the press at that time of their preparation,
would have been in the market.
 Cataloguing and Classification
This is the physical description of reading and information materials
technically. It involves the documentation of every aspect of a material
in a way that can easily be identified and or located in the system. In
the words of Uwechie (1989), cataloguing is the ability to describe
every item of a collection and assigning it a subject heading and
subsequently, with a classification number as appropriate. And this
involves two activities, namely: (i) descriptive cataloguing and (ii)
subject cataloguing. The latter takes a great deal of intellectual vibrancy
to achieve. Details often included to make a complete description are
author, title, statement of responsibility, imprint, collation, notes,
international standard number, tracings (added entries including the
subject) and location.
 CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFICATION TOOLS

The tools for these twin activities include:

• Cataloguing rules
• Library Classification Scheme
• List of Subject Headings
• Dictionaries
• Thesaurus
• Catalogue cards
• Computer
• Writing materials and
• Typewriter.
These are the basic things that facilitate the work of cataloguers.
• Cataloguing Rules: The most current in use among them is the Anglo-American
Cataloguing Rule (ACCR2). It
provides guidelines on how each library resources or information material should be
catalogued. And this helps to maintain consistency in cataloguing both in space and time.

• Library Classification Scheme Classification schemes are of different kinds, and the choice
or adoption of one to
the other depend on the type of a library, nature and size of collection, and maturity of
users. Nevertheless, few of them in use in Nigeria include the Library of Congress
Classification Schedules (LCCS). Dewey decimal classification (DDC), Universal Decimal
Classification (UDC), Colon Classification, etc.
• List of subject Headings - Classification scheme is never used alone. Rather, it makes use of
list of subject headings, which is its compass. For example, when a subject heading is
construed or formulated, this control vocabulary is used to validate its standardization as
being an appropriate heading. The outcome of this step leads the cataloguer to assigning
of appropriate subject heading, and which will guide in selecting appropriate class number.
Among the list of subject headings disposed to in Nigeria are Sears List of Subject Heading
which works very well with the Dewey Decimal classification Scheme and the Library of
Congress List of Subject headings which is ' used in conjunction with the Library of
Congress classification Schedules stands prominent.

• Dictionaries: This also poses as an essential tool in Cataloguing and classification in that it
helps in the areas of semantics. Even when one is not of a particular subject background,
the moment one can lay hands on dictionaries be it subject or general, such a problem is
overcome.
• List of subject Headings - Classification scheme is never used alone. Rather, it makes use of
list of subject headings, which is its compass. For example, when a subject heading is
construed or formulated, this control vocabulary is used to validate its standardization as
being an appropriate heading. The outcome of this step leads the cataloguer to assigning
of appropriate subject heading, and which will guide in selecting appropriate class number.
Among the list of subject headings disposed to in Nigeria are Sears List of Subject Heading
which works very well with the Dewey Decimal classification Scheme and the Library of
Congress List of Subject headings which is ' used in conjunction with the Library of
Congress classification Schedules stands prominent.

• Dictionaries: This also poses as an essential tool in Cataloguing and classification in that it
helps in the areas of semantics. Even when one is not of a particular subject background,
the moment one can lay hands on dictionaries be it subject or general, such a problem is
overcome.
 CATALOGUE AND ITS FUNCTIONS

Access to Library Reading and Information Materials

Both the library catalogue and index are good approaches to gaining access
to the library reading / information materials, although the former seems to
be prominent. Nevertheless, their features are almost identical and what
they all aim to achieve, the same.

Library Catalogue
It is a record of materials held by the library. It records, describes and locates
the position of a specific material. It is an access or index to library materials.
The library catalogue is therefore the key to the location of materials in the
library.
 FUNCTIONS
a. The catalogue allows access to the collection and provides services to
its users.
b. It enables a reader to find a book or other library reading materials of
which he knows the-author's name, title, subject or series of the work.
c. It enables a researcher or library user to know all the works of a given
author held in the library.
d. It records all the library holdings no matter the format.
 Types of Catalogue
1.Card Catalogue: The card catalogue is a 3" by 5" card with a punched
hole at the bottom, mid-way, it is a collection of several of these cards that
is kept in the cabinet drawers that house catalogue cards. Average at a
time conveniently. Each card contains information on each library reading
material being stocked e.g. books periodical or audio-visual materials.
All you need in order to locate a book in the catalogue is to know „ the
Title, Author, or Subject of the book you need. One merit of card catalogue
is that it allows for free insertion and removal of card as the case may be.
2.Book Catalogue In this form of catalogue, a book is made to contain all
stocked books and other information materials ‘entries (author, title,
imprint collation, added entry etc) in a single volume.
 Types of Catalogue
contd……
3. Computerized Catalogue: This simply means that all catalogue
information are fed into the computer and are accessed through the
computer. This catalogue is facilitated by the advent of information and
communication technology. It is the best record holder of any library at the
moment where automation is given a pride of place. Currently, the most
popular software in use is TINLIB and this seems to have been subscribed to in
Nigeria. But more libraries are now showing disposition to X-Lib.
4. Sheaf: Sheaf is another type of catalogue. But it is not common and limited
to use in special libraries only. Its structure is like a receipt booklet in that it
has the original and duplicate. While original is filed in the individual
borrowers’ ticket, the duplicate is kept and maintained in the circulation for
control purpose.
 Arrangement of Card Catalogue

This aspect is what is referred to as the Inner form of Catalogue, because it shows the arrangement
adopted by a particular library to encourage accessibility. There are three prominent types, viz:
1. Dictionary Catalogue: This is the catalogue in which all the entries (main and added) made
for a library collection, are filled by their headings, word by word in one alphabetical sequence like
the entries in a dictionary e.g. Abacus, Adex, Estein, Goods etc. This type of catalogue is
recommended for school libraries.
2. Divided Catalogue: A library may choose to use the divided catalogue with the first catalogue
cabinet having author and title cards arranged in one alphabetical order, while the other cabinet
house the subject cards. This arrangement is what is referred to as divided catalogue.
3. The Classified Catalogue: The classified catalogue contains cards arranged according to the
class marks. For example, all book under Education (i.e. 370 of DDC) are arranged together under
this number according to their specialties or in-depth. This arrangement enables students to choose
related books whether the books are recommended or not. The fact that books that treat the
same/related subject in context or issues are assembled together encourages users to take such
hasty decisions.
 How to use the Catalogue

For any library to be able to locate materials in the library, a proper

understanding of the catalogue is important. The catalogue is the key to
the library collection. It provides different approaches to the location of
materials in the library. For instance, user may only remember the
author's name or Title of a book, or has a lazy idea about the subject
itself. Whichever is his level of understanding, the procedure is as
contained in the explanation that follows:
1. The Author Catalogue: The cards in this catalogue are arranged
alphabetically by the surname of the Authors, editor coauthor,
compilers, translators including corporate bodies.
2. The Title Catalogue: It is possible that a user might not have any other
information about a book or other library materials, except the title. His desire
to find that book in the library provided it is stocked on preserved is facilitated
by the title approach to the catalogue.
The title catalogue contain cards entered under the title of books and are
arranged alphabetically by the first important word of the title of the book.
When titles of books begin with articles 'A'. AN, or THE. these words are
ignored and the card is filed under the next word of the title e.g. A History of
Nigeria Educational system. The word to consider for filing here is "History",
while article 'A' is ignored. Similarly, the book whose title is given below "A Man
of the people", would be found under the word ‘MAN’ as filed rather than
under "A". Reason being that articles are not recognized for filing purposes.
2. The Title Catalogue: It is possible that a user might not have any other
information about a book or other library materials, except the title. His desire
to find that book in the library provided it is stocked on preserved is facilitated
by the title approach to the catalogue.
The title catalogue contain cards entered under the title of books and are
arranged alphabetically by the first important word of the title of the book.
When titles of books begin with articles 'A'. AN, or THE. these words are
ignored and the card is filed under the next word of the title e.g. A History of
Nigeria Educational system. The word to consider for filing here is "History",
while article 'A' is ignored. Similarly, the book whose title is given below "A Man
of the people", would be found under the word ‘MAN’ as filed rather than
under "A". Reason being that articles are not recognized for filing purposes.
 CLASSIFICATION OF INFORMATION MATERIALS

Putting things that are similar together in whatever forms is a system of

classification.

It is a system of arrangement adopted by a library to enable patrons to

find materials quickly and easily. This involves the use of mathematical
code for easy arrangement in order of magnitude. To do this effectively a
code featuring number and or letter is assigned each document as they
relates to one another. This .is called notation. Notation may be pure or
mixed. Hence, we have pure Notation when it is made up of either letter
or Arabic numerals only. But when notation combines both, it is called
mixed notation.
 Types of Classification Scheme

There are several classification schemes in use worldwide. The ones peculiar to and
popular in the English-speaking climates are:
• BLISS Bibliographic Classification (BC)
• Bernard Classification Scheme for medical books (BCS)
• Colon Classification (CC)
• Moy’s Classification Scheme for Law Books (MC)
• Universal Decimal Classification (UDC)
• Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)
• Library of Congress Classification (LC)
However, the ones readily available and commonly used in Nigeria are Dewey
Decimal Classification (DDC) and Library of Congress Classification (LC) .
 DEWEY DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION (DDC)

DDC is structured hierarchically from general to specific; it arranges knowledge

into 10 broad classes (000 – 900) with each main class divided into 10 divisions,
and each division is further divided into 10 sub-divisions until all the subject
terms have been specified. Arrangement of classes in DDC is based on
disciplines rather than subjects.
Outline of D.D.C. Scheme
000 Generalities
100 Philosophy and Related disciplines
300 Social Sciences
370 Education
And etc.
 Library of Congress Classification (LC)

The scheme divided the entire field of knowledge into 21 classes and a class for general works,
making 22. It starts from general knowledge to specific and theoretical aspect to practical
aspects of subjects.
Outline of the L.C Scheme
• A - General Works
• B - Philosophy and Religion
• C - Auxiliary, Science of History
• D - History, General
• E - F - History, America
• G - Geography, Anthropology, Folklore
• H - Social Sciences
• J - Political Sciences
• K - Law
• L – Education
• M - Music
• N - Fine Arts, Architecture
• P - Language and Literature
• Q - Science
• R - Medicine
• S - Agriculture (plant and animal industry)
• T - Technology
• U - Military Sciences
• V - Naval Sciences
• Z - Bibliography and Library Science
 TECHNICAL PROCESSING

Technical processing is an intellectual act of selection, ordering, and dissemination of

library materials for the maximum utilization of library users.
Technical processing include the following:
1.Selection
2.Ordering
3.Purchase
4.Checking against order/invoice
5. Collation: sorting by subjects
6. Stamping of books with ownership stamp
7. Accessioning 8, Cataloguing
9. Classification
10. Fixing of book pockets and writing of book cards
11. Movement of books to the Circulation section for shelving
All the duties performed here are carried out behind the scene, that is, behind the view
of library users
 WEEK SEVEN

• USE AND CARE OF THE LIBRARY

 USE AND CARE OF THE LIBRARY

1. Membership Registration
All newly admitted students or appointed staffs are eligible for
registration once the criteria spelt out above are met. In some
situation, consideration may be given to some members of the
community whose integrity can be vouched. This last group of course,
may include the bonafide staff members' biological families or
prominent members of the community. This gesture is made in
furtherance of one of the objectives establishing most academic
institutions i.e. community services.
2. Borrowing Procedure
All borrowing and returning activities are carried out at the loaning/lending
desk. The processes is simply referred to as charging and discharging. Books to
be borrowed are presented to the officer in charge at the loan desk which can
be sited in circulation unit. A ticket is used to borrow a book at a time. Upon
presentation of a number of tickets that qualifies one to borrow certain
number of books (together with the identity card the transaction begins.
Firstly, the library staff removes the book cards (usually two in number from
the book pocket and put the date due stamp beside the borrower's name /
signature. The first card is in the author / title issue tray to control the
circulation of the book while the second card is kept in the borrower's ticket
(also kept in another tray).
3. Some Rules and Regulations Governing the use of a Library
In order to bring about sanity and judicious use of library and the
materials therein, each library has fashioned out some set of rules and
regulations in accordance with its peculiarity.
This has to do with the prevention of anti-library behaviours among
users. For example at the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo,
which is located in a less urban environment and also takes care of the
disabled people in its community, the following rules and regulations
are handed down.
 User's Obligations

• Library has some expectations from users in return for their information transaction. For
instance, books must be returned immediately on demand from the library whatever the
circumstances.

• Books should not be taken away from the locality e.g. Oyo without the prior permission of
the librarian.

• All books borrowed from the library should be returned before a reader goes on leave /
holiday.
• Readers' tickets are not transferable and all borrowings and renewals must be made in
persons.
PHYSICAL PARTS OF A BOOK
There are four (4) major parts of a book namely:
1.The binding
2. The preliminaries
3. The text
4. The auxiliaries or reference materials Books are either hardbound or softbound depending
on the cover. A paper dust jacket is often added to protect the cover.
1.The Binding comprises the dust jacket, spine and papers: It holds the leaves of the book
together, protects them and makes them easy to handle. The spine is the binding edge of the
book and carries the book title; author's name, publisher and the call number if it is a library
book. The end papers are pasted to the cover to make them stronger. The may carry useful
information such as tables, maps, graphs, etc.
2. The Preliminaries: The preliminary pages precede the body of the book and include: the fly
leaves which are blank pages that are next to the end papers. They are the first and the last
leaves in a book. Half-Title page serves as a protection for the title page. It gives the brief title
of the book and the series (if applicable). Frontispiece is an illustration relating to the subject
matter.
The title page carries the full title of the book and the author's name, and
could contain all or some of the following information: authors
academic/professional qualification, editor, illustrator, translator, edition, the
imprint which is the place of publication, publisher and date of publication.
Copyright page is the verso of the title page and gives the date of the
copyright, copyright owners and Cataloguing-In-Publication (CIP) data.
Dedication pane bears the’name(s) of person(s) to whom the author
dedicates the book.
Table of contents is a list of the topics covered by the book with specific page
numbers. Preface introduces the author to the reader and gives reason for
the book and the audience covered by the book. It explains arrangement and
special features of the book. List of illustration/table include diagrams, maps
or tables. Acknowledgement expresses appreciation for moral, academics
professional contributions toward the production of a book Introduction if
not part of the preface or chapter one of the text describes the general
subject matter of a book.
3. The Text: The text is the main body of the book and is usually divided into separate
parts called chapters.
4. The Auxiliaries or back matters/Reference materials include the following: Appendix -
contains materials used in the production of the book or merely referred to but not
explained in the text.  Bibliography - This is a systematic list of books, articles, journals
and other documents consulted by an author in the production of a work and could be
recommended for further reading.
Bibliography - This is also part of a book it is a systematic list of books, articles, journals
and other documents consulted by an author in the production of a work and could be
recommended for further reading.
• Glossary - list technical terms and a foreign works used in a text in alphabetical order
and defines each one of them.
• Index - is a list of topics, terms, words discussed or used in the text arranged
alphabetically with specific references.
• Footnotes- explain terms or phrases used in the text. They are usually found at the
bottom of each page or listed at the end of individual chapters of the book or at the end
of the last chapter.
 CARE OF BOOKS/LIBRARY MATERIALS
All books should be handled carefully. Dropping a book or folding the covers
back against each other can break the spine and loosen the pages. This attitude
should be discouraged. Protect books against exposure to heat, excessive light
and moisture.
Avoid bringing water in contact with books, as this will stain and warp a book.
Water may also dissolve the glue that attaches the pages to the spine.
Use a bookmark such as a thin slip of paper to keep your place in a book.
Putting a pencil or other thick object in the book can damage the binding.
Folding the corner of a page or dog-earning can cause the paper to tear. Do not
underline or write in a library book as the marks may disrupt other readers and
ruin portions of the text.
Be very careful not to press the whole book flat against the copy plate to avoid
breaking the book's spine.
It must be noted that complete silence is required in and around the
library to eliminate all sorts of distractions. Eating and drinking of water
and soft drinks are not allowed inside the reading rooms as droppings
from foods and snacks usually attract rodents which destroy paper related
materials in the library.
When taking a book from the shelf, never pull it by the top of the spine
and returning a book to the shelf, do not force it in; but make a space for
it.
 WEEK EIGHT

• LIBRARY AUTOMATION
 BASIC LIBRARY AUTOMATION

For many years back, the operation of libraries has remained traditional. This
method made the use or patronage of libraries to be unattractive. Earlier
attempts to change this stigma came in form of adoption and introduction of
audiovisual into the library system. Yet this is not sufficient enough to meet the
challenges of the day until the advent of computer.
What is Library Automation?
Library Automation is the use of mechanical and electronic devices to carry out
operations hitherto performed manually. According to Ayodele (2001),
Information and Communication Technology ICT is the convergence of
Information Technology and Telecommunication for improved service in
industries, administration, management, education and other services (library
inclusive). The library has come to exploit this situation to advantage.
Thus with the advent of this device, library can now perform such works as
selection, acquisitions, cataloguing and classification, indexing, abstracting,
filing, bibliographic compilation as well as library budget preparation with
speed and accuracy.
The application of information and communication technology in running the
operations in the library is known as library automation. This implies that all the
services and operations in the library are computerized (i.e. run by means of
computer) through Local Area Network (LAN). This is network of computer's
that perform similar functions on different operation. Library automation could
be executed in at least four (4) different stages of library operations. These
include:
1. Library cataloguing system.
2. 2. House keeping operations and networking, such as reference services,
circulation, acquisitions and serial management.
3. 3. Development of CD-ROM library.
4. 4. E-mail system and internet.
 Information and Communication Technology, and Library Operations

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are composite tools in

the arena of information management. Salient among these tools are
computer and its accessories, scanner, printer, keyboard, and telephone,
electronic mail (e-mail), internet, etc.

Operations in the library have been compartmentalized such that they

can easily be manned and, accountability rendered accordingly. For
example, activities such as acquisition, packaging, cataloguing and
classification, filing, indexing (organization) circulation (charging and
discharging), Current Awareness Service (CAS) as well as reference
services feature. In other words, the acts "of collection, storage,
processing and information packaging as well as providing accessibility to
knowledge are conveniently handled.
 BENEFITS OF ICT IN LIBRARIES

There are a lot of benefits that are derived from application of modern
ICTs in libraries, and these include:
• Increased efficiency: With ICT, there is ease of access to information
than manual operations, library is therefore said to move from “holding”
to “access” through appropriate electronic delivery system.
• Increased productivity: The productivity of librarians/library users
increases with application of ICT in the processing and dissemination of
information.
• Increased level of inter-library cooperation: There is a high level of
cooperation among different libraries in Nigeria through application of
ICT.
• Resource sharing: The single- most important benefit associated with
access to ICT in libraries is the increase in the supply of information in
terms of resources sharing. Information that is not available in a given
library could be accessed from other libraries through ICT. Thus, cost
for subscription is saved and duplication is also avoided through
appropriate inter-library cooperation.
• New services: ICT has brought about new services in libraries that
were not possible with traditional library practices, e.g. the use of
online catalogues (OPAC) provide access to information in the library
for wide range of library users beyond the immediate library
environment.
 REQUIREMENTS FOR LIBRARY AUTOMATION

For the full implementation of library automation, both the following physical,
material and human resources are prerequisite:
• A System Administrator (SA) or somebody knowledgeable in computer
and its operations "is desirable. Possession of some other staff with similar
experience could be an added advantage.
• Computer and accessories: This comprises of the Central
Processing Unit (CPU), the monitor, (screen), keyboard, printer, scanner, and
Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS). This is a complete set; the number of set to
have depend on the size, nature, units of beneficiary and financial position of
establishment. But at least a minimum of six (6) including the server is desirable for
a small / medium size academic library. The location of these computers maybe in
this order, acquisition, cataloguing / classification, serials, circulation, reference and
the administration.
• Telecommunication Facilities: this aspect helps to compliment the efficiency
and effectiveness of computer. Here consideration is given to the possession of E-mail,
Telephone, Internet and similar facilities including Teleconferencing. This facilities
helps a great deal in the ongoing campaign for Virtual Library to achieving the
objectives of the National Open University system in Nigeria and similar programmes
elsewhere.

• Networking: this project is concerned with the use of cables to computers in a

building, small or large environment. Two types of networking is possible viz: local
Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN). The later however make use of
telephone lines and satellite (NEE, 1999). Again the choice is a function of financial
capabilities, objectives of Institutions concerned and nature of Curriculum. They
operates – whichever, is favoured, networking has the advantage of adequate
monitoring by the controller who could be a supervisor or Head of Department. It
does help to check waste of resources as may be condoned by staffers (Users).
 WEEK NINE

• VIRTUAL LIBRARY
 Electronic Library
Electronic library is the library that uses digital information and '
communication technology to collect, store, search for and disseminate
information whether in text format, visual images or some to which
unlimited number of people gain access to remotely irrespective of time and
place. It consists of electronic materials and services and uses such
technologies as: Computers, CD-ROMS, Network of computers, E-mail
services, and electronic services. The first stage in building electronic library
is the development of On-Line Public Access Catalogues (OPAC) and the
subsequent retrieval process which is to provide the primary information
through electronic systems. The terms Electronic Library, digital library and
virtual library are used synonymously or interchangeably. However virtual
libraries consist of both digital and electronic libraries which exist virtually
Digital, but Electronic libraries can exist without a virtual library but virtual
libraries cannot exist without digital and electronic library.
 VIRTUAL LIBRARY

This is a library in which the information collections are in an electronic accessible format. It
is a library that exists without any form of physical space or location. It is a technological way
to bring together the information resources of different libraries in the Web so that users can
access their information needs at their own comfort and convenience. Reitz (2004) asserts that
virtual library is a “library without walls” in which the collections do not exist on paper,
microform, or other tangible form at a physical location but are electronically accessible in
digital format via computer networks.
The term virtual library came about as a result of the exponential growth of information
resources on the Web. However, as information resources increased on a daily basis, users are
faced with the problems of how to find information on the Internet; and how to be sure that
the information accessed are of good quality (e.g. authoritative source). It is pertinent to note
that virtual libraries exist in cyberspace only, they have no buildings, the information
resources are in digital format and are accessible via the Internet.
Advantages of Virtual Libraries
Riccio (2001) outlined the advantages and disadvantages of virtual libraries. The following are the
advantages of virtual libraries.
1) It saves and/or reduces the physical space taken up by library materials.
2) It often adds enhanced searching capabilities in a digital format.
3) The library materials are available at the user's desktop, regardless of where the user is physically
located.
4) It allows for the inclusion of materials only available on the Internet or in digital format.
5) It provides the user with the capability to download and manipulate text.
6) It often allows for multiple, concurrent users.
7) It eliminates the problem of a book being missing or off the shelf.
8) It is less labour intensive.
Advantages of Virtual Libraries
Riccio (2001) outlined the advantages and disadvantages of virtual libraries. The following are
the advantages of virtual libraries.
1) It saves and/or reduces the physical space taken up by library materials.
2) It often adds enhanced searching capabilities in a digital format.
3) The library materials are available at the user's desktop, regardless of where the user is
physically located.
4) It allows for the inclusion of materials only available on the Internet or in digital format.
5) It provides the user with the capability to download and manipulate text.
6) It often allows for multiple, concurrent users.
7) It eliminates the problem of a book being missing or off the shelf.
8) It is less labour intensive.
Reference
• Baird, Nieola (1994). Setting up and running a school Library. Oxford: Heinemann.
Gate, Jean Key (1994).Guide to the use of Libraries and Information Sources. New
York: McGraw-Hill.
• Bennett, F. (1972) Cataloguing in Practice: the organization of book acquisition in
Libraries. London: Clive Bingley
• Okeh, Emeka G. (2008) Understanding the use of the library and information
services. Ibadan: Euniprints International Media
• Oyewole, G.O. (2002) Review of classification schemes. In Oyesiku, A (ed)
Fundamentals of Library Practise in Nigeria. Ikeja: HEBP, p.84-92
 SUMMARY AND ASSIGNMENT/REVIEW QUESTIONS
We have discussed about Organizational Structure of the Library where Sections of
the library and Services Rendered in the Library were highlighted, Library
Cataloguing and Classification Systems, bibliography, catalogues where reference
materials were emphasized and Computerized Library facilities also known as
library automation.

ASSIGNMENT/REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Library are arrange into divisions and further broken down into sections.
Highlight the divisions of organizational structure of the library with their sections.
2. Library is made up of three main division – General administration, Reader’s and
Technical Services. Discuss.
3. Highlights the functions of circulation unit of the library.
4. Cataloguing and classification are twin activities that takes place in the technical
services division. Discuss.
5. What are reference materials?
b. Give 5 examples of reference materials and discuss 3.
6. Library computerization is also known as library automation, Discuss.
b. Highlight the four(4) different stages in library automation