PROBLEMS OF BOOK ACQUISITION IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
ABSTRACT
This study was based on the Problems of Books Acquisition in Academic Library. A case study of Imo State University Owerri (IMSU).
The study was also made to find out what roles money play in the acquisition of book in the academic libraries. It also determined the level to which students and lecturers are consulted during selection of books to be acquired in their library through the findings it is observed that academic libraries acquires books through purchases gifts, exchange and inter-library cooperation, while the major sources of acquisition include direct purchase, book vendors from publishers, importation from overseas and donations.
Furthermore, inadequate financial provision to academic libraries has a negative effect on the two libraries studied.
Finally, lecturers should be consulted adequately during selection of books to be acquired by their institutions libraries which will help in the smooth running of acquisition of materials.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Academic libraries are mainly libraries within institutions of higher learning including universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. They are billed to support the teaching, research and extension services of parent institutions.
Large part of funding comes from government grant. Academic libraries start as far back as 16th and 17th century in Europe and America.
Therefore, in this study, the researcher will consider book as reference books and non-fiction book.
Reference Books: According to Harrods libraries glossary, reference books is a book such as dictionary, encyclopedia, gazettes, yearbooks, directories, atlases which are compiled to supply definite piece of information of varying extent and intended to be referred to rather than read through. Reference books are usually comprehensive within scope, condensed in treatment and systematically arranged to facilitate ease of use. They are not read chapter by chapter they are not borrowed for home use rather they are consulted by the librarian.
Non-fiction Books: This is the prose writings that deal with facts (as distinct from novels, stories, etc, which deal with unreal people and events, it includes books in various sport areas. Donna Norton is of the view that one should start from who’s who to how to. Examples of reference books encyclopedia, dictionary and text books.
The first three laws of library science by S.R. Ranaganathan emphasizes the importance of a book in the library. The first is that books are meant for use, second, to every reader his book and third to every book its reader, with this special emphasis and importance according to book, it is therefore necessary that books are acquired in any library. In academic libraries, the notion of book acquisition is of prime importance of greater importance too is the method and source through which books are acquired especially fro academic libraries. When the image are what the collection of the library is made up we will not address our minds to the fact that the bulk of this is the various volumes and title of books displayed conspicuously on the library’s shelves. In other words, the book is an essential and important constituent of the academic library to be precise. In academic libraries in Imo State, effective consideration is given to book materials. A lot of books are acquired in academic libraries through various methods and sources.
