THE ACQUISITION, ORGANIZATION, PRESERVATION AND INDEXING OF NEWSPAPERS IN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN NORTHERN STATES OF NIGERIA
THE ACQUISITION, ORGANIZATION, PRESERVATION AND INDEXING OF NEWSPAPERS IN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN NORTHERN STATES OF NIGERIA
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1988-09
Authors
GAJI, RUFUS YANSHEN
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This is a study of the acquisition, organization,
preservation and indexing of newspapers in seven selected
University Libraries in the eleven Northern States of Nigeria.
The purpose of the study was to find out if the poor state
of newspapers in University Libraries is related to the
acquisition practice, the way in which staff organize,
supervise, maintain, preserve and index them, or due to
hardened minds of readers, with a view to suggesting
alternative approaches to the methods of acquisition
organizing, supervising, maintaining, preserving, and indexing,
newspapers. The significance of the study is that University
Libraries are looked upon as the last hope when other types
of libraries fail to cope up with information needs of
readers. Related literature was reviewed, Data were
collected through questionnaire, interviews and physical
examination of acquired newspapers, and analysed.
In the main, the study found out that most libraries do
not acquire newspapers published in the indigenous languages,
and most libraries make little effort to fill gabs created
as result of theft or mutilation. Going through current
issues of newspapers by heads of sections before passing them
to readers is more of current awareness purpose than checking
for possible imperfection. Many libraries leave current issues
of newspapers on tables for readers to consult at will, a
practice that encourages theft and multilation. In most
libraries, staff of other sections have direct access to back
sets. However, some staff abuse this privilege by removing
vi
or mutilating newspapers. Newspaper indexing in University
Libraries is generally lacking, and none of the two libraries
indexing has produced a thesaurus for the purpose. There is
a general lack of adequate space for newspapers use and
storage. Libraries are yet to start preserving newspapers
in microforms. Despite accumulated experiences of staff of
old University Libraries, they have not performed any better
than staff of young University Libraries in terms of
acquisition, organization, supervision, maintenance,
preservation and indexing of newspapers. There is no
significant difference in their performance. The poor state
of newspapers in most libraries is due to poor acquisition
practice, organization, ineffective supervision, and lack of
adequate space for proper storage.
In the light of these findings, several suggestions were
made in the form of recommendations for the improvement of
newspapers acquisition, organization, preservation and indexing
in University Libraries in Nigeria.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF LIBRARY SCIENCE (MIS)
SEPTEMBER, 1988
Keywords
ACQUISITION,,, ORGANIZATION,, PRESERVATION,, INDEXING,, NEWSPAPERS,, UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES,, NORTHERN STATES OF NIGERIA