THE IMPACT OF LIBRARY CATALOG IN ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY IN THE LIBRARY
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Academic libraries collect material to support the teaching and research objectives of their parent bodies. The library serves both the teaching and non teaching staff of the polytechnic, researchers from other academic institutions, and students. Experience has shown that the majority of users of academic libraries are students.
The library collection is organized to give easy access to material. According to Maloney (2004) the role of the library is to organize information resources and services in a way that supports user needs. Cataloguing and classification are basic processes in organizing information.
Cataloguing is the process of describing material so it can be identified, while classification is the assignment of a call number that places material in order by subject. According to Opaleke, Olayemi, and Aina (2006) classification is a necessary device in organization. It directs the users to a specific subject, and groups books on the same or related subjects.
The library catalogue is an essential tool. It is an index or a key to the collection, containing an entry representing each item (Clark, 2000). The catalogue also tells where in the library a book is located (Apotiade, 2002).
A catalogue is a list of things exhibited, articles for sale, school courses offered, etc., usually with descriptive comments and often illustration. A library catalogue serves the same purpose. It is a file of records for a library’s collection (List 1998, cited by Ojedokun 2007). It is important to both library users and library staff. Its functions include giving a comprehensive record of materials owned by the library, listing what the library possesses by a certain author, on a given subject, and with a certain title, and enabling library materials to be located easily (Clark, 2000). The catalogue provides multiple access points to the library’s collection (Osiode, 1987).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In spite of the effectiveness of library catalogue in enhancing accessibility of library resources, the use of the catalogue is very poor in most Nigerian academic libraries. Ezomo (1988), cited by Okorafor (2006) reveals a poor use of the catalogue in Latunde Odeku Medical Library, attributed to lack of user education programmes.
Fister (1992) states that undergraduates find the Polytechnic library threatening and doing research intimidating because they do not have library skills. This reduces the utilization of library resources in the library. Hence this study is set to examine the impacts of catalogue in the accessibility of library resources using the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic as a case study.
