I. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The University of Jos Library has pedigreed ancestry, having metamorphosed in 1975 out of the Jos Campus Library of the University of Ibadan, the premiere university in Nigeria. That campus library began services in February 1972 on the present Township Campus, in a building which was originally a warehouse and currently houses the Medical Library and the bindery of the university library.

In 1978, a branch library, which has been extended three times was opened at the Bauchi Road Campus of the University, some five kilometers away from the township campus. It has become the main university library housing the Administrative, Support Services and Documents Sections and serving the Faculties of Arts, Education, Law, Environmental Sciences, Natural, Pharmaceutical and Social Sciences. With the movement of the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences to the Naraguta Campus, arrangements are on ground for the opening of a branch library there, to cater for the needs of these faculties.

Between them, the two libraries now occupy an area of about 3355 m², stock 160641 volumes of books and bound journals and subscribe to 174 current serial titles. There has been a drastic cut in current serial subscriptions because of the down turn in the economy and the scarcity of foreign exchange. Seating accommodation is available at the Township Campus Library, for about 150 readers and at the Bauchi Road Campus Library, for about 717 readers. A few reading stations are reserved for staff and postgraduate students.

II. THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

The library exists primarily to provide a variety of resources, book and non-book as well as ancillary services which support and extend the university’s programmes of instruction, learning and research. To the extent that such service is not inconsistent with this mission the library also serves the research needs of the scholarly community in its environs.

III. THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY TODAY

The physical facilities of the University Library are still very inadequate. The new library building planned to address this inadequacy is now shared between the Library and the Arts and Social Sciences Faculties and as such, the Bauchi Road Campus Library must continue to cater for the other five faculties after the Arts and Social Sciences Collections are transferred. The major problem remains space - for offices, reserved collections and serials backsets. Inadequate staffing especially among junior cadres has curtailed the service in serials and documents sections on evening shift for sometime, and caused the opening hours on Sunday evenings to be stopped. Comparative information on federal university libraries of the same generation show that Jos receives the highest allocation from the National Universities Commission.

Since 1993 the University Library has received an annual recurrent budget which is 10% of the university’s recurrent budget and in addition it should get 10% of the Teaching and Research Equipment Grant. The use of these funds, referred to as Library Development Funds, is supposed to be maintained in the Bursary, in an account separate from the university’s main accounts to be monitored through the quarterly submission of retirement of the funds signed by the Bursar, the University Librarian and the Vice-Chancellor. A major stipulation is that 60% of the funds must be expended on books and journals and the release of the next quarterly subvention is dependent on compliance. Although this percentage yields double the previous average yearly funding of the library, the increased funding still cannot match the inflation and increased cost of materials, especially overseas journals. There is also the need for prepayment for journals, requiring more than the quarterly subvention, and sufficient funds have to be mustered to make advance payment for one year’s subscription for books and journals. In addition, the Bursary Department is yet to maintain the library development funds in an account separate from the university’s main accounts in order to ensure that the university’s balances at the end of each quarter do not include library balances (as is the case with Teaching and Research Grant balances) and do not give a false impression of funds available for the university’s general use.

To manage the library’s growing clientele, stock, physical plants and services, there is a great need for at least two Deputy University Librarians in post as already provided for in the library budget. Inadequate staffing, especially among the junior cadres has curtailed the services the library can provide. Establishing more campus libraries implies more library staff, especially at the junior level, to operate the routines at loans desks as well as the entrance and exit security checks.

To ensure that staff have necessary skills for interacting with resources and users vis-a-vis information technology, there is need for planned staff training involving formal courses and in-house training. Staff too, should be concerned and have a genuine interest in keeping themselves informed about their work through personal consultation of relevant literature as well as being involved in more in-depth research. This is turn will enhance their skills not only in the university, but also as they participate in professional activities with colleagues in other libraries and in the professional associations for the development of library and information science in the country. The University of Jos Library since 1980 has implemented its teaching library philosophy by having subject librarians among whose duties is a basic liaison with faculties, including attendance at faculty boards to obtain firsthand information about faculty needs.

The NUC/World Bank project injected new blood into the university libraries. Between 1992 and 1996 the University of Jos Library received 11875 volumes of books and regular journal issues for about 150 foreign titles through the project.

The National Documentation and Information Centre for Science and Technology (NADICEST) designated eight Nodal Centres to which special subject areas were allocated for development. The University Library is one of the Centres and has as its special areas, Earth and Environmental Sciences consistent with the mining history of Plateau State. Other areas of specialisation under consideration include Central Nigerian Studies and French.

Bold moves towards computerisation have been initiated. By 1993 a Computer Room was created within the library. A generator has been acquired and a Computer Programmer deployed from the University Computer Centre. The programmer had orientation in library terminology and processes before embarking on the computerisation of some library processes. Since 1994/95 a Senior Librarian was relocated to supervise the library’s computer room to which five typists have been deployed. During the 1998/99 academic year, the library hopes to create a System Unit as a second section with the University Librarian’s office, within the Library Administration. There has been computer training for subject librarians to facilitate their use of CD-ROMS for literature searches. for cataloguing, orders, serials and circulation, so that they become familiar with the various modules of the TINLIB software for library processes. TINLIB was chosen in 1992, by Federal University Libraries participating in the NUC/World Bank Project as it is a comprehensive library application software and will allow for compatibility, consultation, joint workshops and easy exchange of library information among the libraries. Recently, a library computer laboratory was set up and linked to the library computer room where library processes are carried out for users to access library bibliographic information. The library is part of the Bauchi Road Campus, Local Area Network (LAN) through which , all staff and users of the library can access computers in the University Computer Centre, the MIS, the Administration and the Faculties of Education and Natural Sciences via fibre optic cables. Free E-mail is thus available to all staff from the library and other units on the LAN.

The University of Jos Library has been producing the Nigerian Periodicals Index since 1985 for the Committee of University Libraries in Nigerian Universities

.

IV. THE VISION OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

The vision of the University of Jos Library is to develop its resources and services to the level that it can provide excellent and effective library and other information services to the community in particular and the country in general. It aims at being the leading light among libraries of the second generation universities in the Nigerian University System.

V. GOALS AND STRATEGIES:

LS = Library Strategy

Goal 1: Comprehensive strength in undergraduate programmes

LS 1.1 Maximise the utilisation of all library resources through aggressive user education programmes.

LS 1.2 Establish and maintain a proactive public relations programme to increase awareness of the library’s resources and services and its contributions to the success of the academic enterprise.

LS 1.3 Support the improvement of library facilities to meet accreditation criteria for all programmes offered.

LS 1.4 Provide bound past examination questions and foster the production and publication of model answers by departments and the university press.

Goal 2: First class postgraduate and professional programmes in a significant number of areas:

LS 2.1 Assess and enhance existing collections and build new ones as needed, in response to changing university priorities.

LS 2.2 Establish first class collections of books and journals in all areas of strength to support emerging centres of excellence.

LS 3.1 Operate as a single library from all three campuses such that users have access to the entire library collection through the University Wide Area Network (WAN).

LS 3.2 Develop a formal programme to train staff to assist and educate users to increase their expertise in information technology.

LS 3.3 Evaluate periodically and where appropriate, improve cooperative programmes with local libraries, state and regional library systems, research consortia and bibliographic networks.

LS 3.4 Move the Arts and Social Sciences Collections to the Naraguta Campus.

LS 3.5 Promote harmony among all categories of staff in order to attain efficiency and effectiveness.

LS 3.6 Ensure periodic maintenance of all library buildings to safeguard books, computers and other equipments.

Goal 4: Academic and Administrative Staff of National and International Distinction:

LS 4.1 Increase the diversity of the library staff through training in information technology and increase in specialised subject librarians.

LS 4.2 Foster the administration of a performance audit and the installation of audit awards to staff and departments.

LS 4.3 Allow one Senior Librarian position to be free to regularly accommodate on sabbatical leave an experienced Librarian from other University Libraries.

Goal 5: Effective and efficient utilisation of limited resources.

LS 5.1 Carry out extensive study of user needs and introduce or develop a new range of services to meet these needs.

LS 5.2 Intensify cooperative activities with other university and research libraries locally and abroad.

LS 5.3 Maintain special collections for the law and other professional programmes in the appropriate campus library.

LS 5.4 Seek concessional subscriptions for journals and other resource materials as available for developing countries.

Goal 6: Increased provision and use of information technology

LS 6.1 Develop electronic information centres in key library locations with computer workstations and trained staff to provide assistance in navigating among and effectively using electronic information resources.

LS 6.2 Assist and educate users to acquire more expertise in the use of information technology.

LS 6.3 Use information technology to effectively and efficiently acquire, preserve, and provide access to materials in all formats.

LS 6.4 Develop plans to respond to increasing numbers of available electronic resources within a limited materials budget.

LS 6.5 Install and develop computer laboratories in each campus library.

LS 6.6 Foster the acquisition of expertise in all areas of computer technology including digitilisation of data..

Goal 7: Decentralisation and Transparency in Administration

LS 7.1 Foster the installation of a collegiate system and support the colleges through the campus libraries.

LS 7.2 Maintain the library development funds in an account separate from the university’s main account.

Goal 8: Increased Participation of a diverse range of stakeholders

LS 8.1 Raise additional funds to enhance acquisitions, preservation of materials and research activities.

LS 8.2 Ensure the presence and participation of all Principal Officers including the University Librarian in the University Governing Council

LS 8.3 Support income generating activities through the following:

* Commercial binding, photocopy and lamination services for non-university clients.

* Supply of duplicating paper and notepads.

* Print-out of literature searches for university users.

* Literature searches and printout for non-university users.

* Computer produced student projects and seminar papers.

* Desktop publishing.

* Production of CD-ROMS of bibliographic information

* Production of audio/video tapes of important functions in the university. (The camera and video recorder for this are already available in the library).

* Hiring out of audio visual equipment e.g. overhead projector, TV camera.

* Mounting of part-time Diploma/Degree programmes in Library and Information Science.

* Sale of "Know Your Library" - Readers’ Guide to the Library.

* Vehicle courier for lecturers and postgraduate students fortnightly to ABU, Zaria and weekly to ATBU, Bauchi.

* Bussing of library staff children after University Primary School closes.

VI. ACTION PLAN

1998 to 1999:

Address library deficiencies identified during the accreditation exercises.

Move the Arts and Social Sciences Collections to the Naraguta Campus

Ensure the presence and participation of all Principal Officers including the University Librarian in the University Governing Council.

Move the library development funds to an account separate from the university’s main account.

.

1999 to 2000:

Establish computer laboratories in all campus libraries and provide Internet connectivity through the campus WAN.

Develop electronic information centres in all key library locations with computer workstations and trained staff to provide assistance in navigating among and effectively using electronic information resources.

2000 to 2001:

Increase revenue generating activities to cover all identified areas.

Use information technology to effectively and efficiently acquire, preserve, and provide access to materials in all formats.

2001 to 2002:

Provide personal computers for all Senior Librarians and Deputy University Librarians.

2002 to 2003:

Seek concessional subscriptions for journals and other resource materials as available for developing countries.

Back to Contents - Click Here