In search of relevance in library education in Nigeria

The future of Nigerian university libraries is threatened by gross underfunding, inadequate collections and facilities. These worrysome problems which have bedevilled the libraries since the 1980s persist due to the continued low level of book production, scarcity of foreign currency to import books and journals, and the continued proliferation of universities despite the economic recession in the country. The Nigerian federal and state governments, which are the sole financiers of the 38 universities in the country, lack the financial resources to fund them adequately. To prevent the collapse of the universities and their libraries, organizations such as the World Bank, oil companies, and banks, are being brought in to assist the governments. The federal government and its central co-ordinating body for the universities, the National Universities Commission (NUC), are encouraging the universities to seek and achieve sustainability by prudent spending and vigorous diversification of their revenue bases and investments in order to survive. This article examines the issues involved.     

Special curricular themes for library education in Nigeria

The Nigerian society has cultural and social differences from those of people in developed countries from which educational programmes and practices have been borrowed. The differences are reflected in the peculiarities in the majority of Nigerian citizens’ need for educational and informational services in libraries. In responding to these peculiar needs of a people whose majority has had no tradition of using books, the librarian who administers their needs may require education and training which must differ in content from the conventional library programmes as currently borrowed from developed countries.

Core courses for the training of librarians who are expected to provide information which may not be recorded in print form, have been suggested for preparing these librarians for the kind of service that would sustain the interest and appreciation of their clientele in the use of libraries. The selected courses, based on the culture and structure of the people, will involve the production of literacy resources, information gathering and dissemination for non-literates, book publishing to conform with local demands and public relations activities which would ensure the social relevance of the library school programmes to the needs of the society.     

Special curricular themes for library education in Nigeria

The Nigerian society has cultural and social differences from those of people in developed countries from which educational programmes and practices have been borrowed. The differences are reflected in the peculiarities in the majority of Nigerian citizens' need for educational and informational services in libraries. In responding to these peculiar needs of a people whose majority has had no tradition of using books, the librarian who administers their needs may require education and training which must differ in content from the conventional library programmes as currently borrowed from developed countries.Core courses for the training of librarians who are expected to provide information which may not be recorded in print form, have been suggested for preparing these librarians for the kind of service that would sustain the interest and appreciation of their clientele in the use of libraries. The selected courses, based on the culture and structure of the people, will involve the production of literacy resources, information gathering and dissemination for non-literates, book publishing to conform with local demands and public relations activities which would ensure the social relevance of the library school programmes to the needs of the society.     

试论档案的保存价值及其鉴定标准和方法

试论档案的保存价值及其鉴定标准和方法□曹忠档案保存价值的鉴定问题,在档案的理论与实践特别是档案的收集和管理中是个非常重要的问题。这是因为根据我国档案法的规定,档案必须是“对国家和社会有保存价值”的文件材料,因此鉴定文件材料有无保存价值,是档案收集整理...     

谈高校档案编研的选题

选题,是档案编纂学中最为基础、最富灵性、最能体现编研工作者主体创造精神的一项工作,是对高校档案信息资源开发利用的一种整体设计和精心策划,是对利用者情趣的逻辑归纳和准确把握.因此,本文着重就档案编研的选题问题作分析与讨论.     

从引文分析看档案学与图书馆学、情报学的学科融合

从引文分析的角度,利用档案期刊论文的参考文献来研究档案学借鉴图书情报领域相关知识情况及其随时间变化的发展趋势,同时,对学科交叉部分进行词频分析,把握图情档三学科关注的共同问题。从而体现出信息化战略背景下,档案学的研究对象和研究内容的拓展和延伸。     

Medical library development at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria

While libraries of all kinds in Nigeria have many problems, some medical libraries are well established and are giving the services expected of such libraries anywhere. In current conditions of restricted finance and distance from metropolitan countries, consultation and cooperation in serials acquisitions together with union catalogs of serials would be of great value. Modern copying methods make this practical. Union catalogs of monographs would also be valuable. Two new major medical libraries are projected-one half-built, the other still at the planning stage. Each must be planned to give area services rather than purely local and internal services.     

口述科技史料与图书馆特藏建设

口述史料资源建设作为图书馆建设特色资源的有效途径,近年来已得到国内图书馆的重视。目前,图书馆普遍关注结合地方文献工作开展口述史料的收藏,口述科技史料的收藏尚未引起足够的重视。图书馆开展口述科技史料的收藏,可以有效保存科技史料并用以指导当前的科技工作,同时有利于建设具有学科特色的馆藏资源。     

The effect of government policies on the acquisition of library resources in Nigeria

The acquisition of library resources in Nigeria at one time was mainly import oriented. This made the acquisition process very involved in foreign trade and foreign exchange transfer, with most items purchased from overseas book dealers. In the 1970s and 1980s Nigeria was affected by the prevailing world economic condition, and the nation experienced a decline in foreign exchange earnings. In order to improve the nation's economy, the government introduced certain structural policies. This paper highlights the effect of these government policies on the acquisition of library resources generally and the book trade in particular in the country, and the survival measures adopted by the Nigerian libraries.     

Braille preservation: recognising and respecting archival materials produced by and for the blind

There is a noticeable gap in the archival literature concerning the preservation of braille and other tactile print formats that, since the eighteenth century, have been produced by and for blind and visually impaired persons. Based on the insights gained from interviews with information professionals and additional research conducted by the author into the historical usage and production of braille, this paper aims to highlight factors that may affect the preservation and accessibility of braille in archives. While this article will not generate specific preservation guidelines, policies and procedures for braille – measures to be created in a future study – the purpose of this article is to draw an initial awareness to the issues that influence the preservation of and access to these archival records.     

International developments: Educational and informational needs of public library users in Nigeria

The purpose of this paper is to examine the educational and informational needs of public library users in Nigeria. The data was obtained from the answers to an inquiry form handed to persons entering the library during a typical six days of operation in seven public libraries in Nigeria. It was discovered that a large number of users used the library as “study hall” (69.1 percent) and seek library materials for their school work (72.3 percent). It is recommended that public libraries should gear their collections to the needs of the people. Focused collection rather than balanced collection is recommended. Normal library functions should be expanded to include education, literacy, and health care.     

高校图书馆对科研资料的管理与开发

科研资料保留了专家们在学科前沿进行创造性研究时的宝贵信息,对于高校的教学科研及其管理工作都有重要的参考价值.文章从科研资料的收集、分类、存贮和开发等方面阐述了高校图书馆对科研资料进行有效管理的方法.     

此文献非彼文献——档案学与图书馆学关于文献的术语定义与应用比较

"文献"是一个集合概念,是档案文献、图书馆文献的属概念.档案文献和图书馆文献是"文献"的子集.实践中,两种类型的文献存在定义上不精准,使用上"同语异意,异语同意""用而不定"现象.从种属关系入手,准确定义两种类型的文献术语,是档案学和图书馆学共同的使命与任务.