EFFECTS OF POOR IMPLEMENTATION OF COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES

1.1 Introduction

Collection development is the process the library adopts in assembling together different types of materials, which the users may need. It is a term that encompasses member of activities related to the development of the library collection including the determination and co-ordination selection policy. Collection development can also be defined as the process of planning a stock acquisition programme, not simply to cater for immediate needs but to build a coherent and reliable collection over a number of years to meet objective of the service.

Collection development is made up of many elements, which includes community analysis or user study, policies, selection, acquisition, weeding and evaluation. The importance of applying sound and functional policy as regards to collection development in a library cannot be over looked because the well being of the library depend solely on the nature and quality of relevant materials available.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.

---

1.2 Background of Study

The Federal Polytechnic Library Nekede, owerri started in 1978 as the Imo State Collage of Technology, Owerri. The Imo state of Nigeria Ediclet No. 16 of 1978 established the institution it took of at its temporary site of the premises of the Government Technical College (G.T.C.) Owerri in the same year by Imo state Government Edict 6 of 1987 the of the institution was changed to the polytechnic Nekede, owerri following the take over of the institution by the federal government with effect from 1 June 1993, the institution name was changed again to the federal polytechnic library Nekede, owerri.

The federal polytechnic library Nekede, is accommodated in one location, the ultramodern complex centrally located within the Campus. It is a two (2) storey building on the ground floor is the main circulation (lending) and reference section the photographic unit, bibliographic department, and the polytechnic librarian office the first floor houses books covering various programme in the two (2) schools of business and management technology and general studies.

This floor also accommodated the virtual library, the serial section, the library, conference room and the reading halls. On the second floor are books and document covering discipline in the school of engineering technology and general studies. This floor also accommodated the virtual library, the serial selection the library conference room and the reading halls. On the second floor are books and documents covering discipline in the school of engineering technology and industrial sciences on the floor too are the project report room, the lecturers research/reading room which also houses past question papers and school curriculum hand books.

Collection development refers to the process of planning a stock acquisition programme, not simply to cater for immediate needs but to build a coherent and reliable collection over a number of years to meet objective of the service. Collection development is made up of many elements, which includes community analysis or user study, policies, selection, acquisition, weeding and evaluation. Amongst all the elements that make-up collection development, the policy that guides it, is the most important because it is the blue print that guides the library in its collection development policy is caries out it’s development. It specifies the kind of materials to be selected, acquisition procedure for evaluation of library material and weeding.

Collection development could be written or unwritten, but written one is better than the unwritten, because it is rigid and states plainly what the library must follow in acquiring material. Collection development policy is made up of many components, which includes: objective of the institution, subject coverage of the materials, types and forms of materials, selection of library materials, sources of purchase, and mode of payment for materials etc. The absence of a functional collection development policy will place the library in a precarious situation, and such situation if not properly handled, will bring the library services to a near halt.

Academic libraries have a varied collection to fulfill the needs. Provision of syllabi, study and research materials add to the library collection. Collection preserves knowledge for the future. So, provision for information material for cultural and recreational reading is another important aspect. The activities of acquisitions include need assessment, collection development policies, book selection process, purchasing of books, accessioning and addition of books to the existing collection. Such activities are known as book selection. The terminology was changed and the acquisition activities were known as collection development. This term is being used in the libraries, where the existing holdings are assessed and each new title is considered to ascertain whether it is going to strengthen the existing holding or not. The collection includes books, periodicals, printed and non-printed reading material, graphic, audio-video material, archival materials, manuscripts, microfilms, microfiches, and CDROM database, and -resources including local history collection. Collection evaluation and user studies activities are the major components of this section.

Therefore, in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Effects of Poor Implementation of Collection Development Policy in Academic Libraries.

---

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that collection development and its policy is one of the major factors that enhance the development of a library and its collection, but unfortunately, it is no longer given proper attention. Some of the libraries that claim to have collection development policy do not implement it, while in some Libraries collection development policy is non-existence. This study is undertaken to identify problems hindering the implementation of collection development policy.

Also the problems of gifts and exchanged affects collections development in Nigeria public libraries, the preponderance of gift received in public libraries are not relevant to the needs of the users. Large proportions of those gifts are book, discovered from libraries in oversea countries that do not suit the local situation. When the materials exchanged are loaded in favour of one library the exchange agreement is usually terminated. The exchanged programme is supposed to be a symbiotic relationship that benefits all the libraries involved in the agreement. The above stated problems and lot more has affected the collection development in Nigeria public libraries, which has landed inadequate supply of library collection.

---

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to identify the Effects of Poor Implementation of Collection Development Policy in Academic Libraries using Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To ascertain whether the collection development policy have a legal backing that guides the actions of the librarians in the aspects of gifts and weeding;
2. To identify the policies that have helped in improving collection development;
3. To find out the state of collection development policy in academic libraries;
4. To identify solution to the problems of collection development policy; and
5. To investigate the problems of Academic Libraries collection development policy in the area under review.

---

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does the collection development cater for every aspect of the collection e.g. newspapers, new technological media or non-textual item?
• Does the library in the study area have a collection development policy?
• Is the collection development policy revised?
• Does the collection development policy have a legal backing that guides the actions of the librarians in the aspects of gifts and weeding?
• Has the policy any way helped to improve collection development?
• What are the problems encountered in implementing the policy?
• What are the possible solutions to these problems?
• Who are those responsible for drawing the library’s collection development policy?
• What are the criteria for the selection of those who implement the policy?

---

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There is no significant factor affecting Collection Development Policy in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri
• H1: There is a significant factor affecting Collection Development Policy in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri

Hypothesis Two

• H0: Collection development policy have no legal backing that guides the actions of the librarians in the aspects of gifts and weeding
• H1: Collection development policy has legal backing that guides the actions of the librarians in the aspects of gifts and weeding

---

1.7 Significance of Study

The significance of this study is to help in following ways.

1. Help in supplying adequate library materials and making them available at the right time.
2. It helps to know the needs and demands of library patrons in search of information.
3. It helps in carrying out community analysis.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

---

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of this study is focused on the Effects of Poor Implementation of Collection Development Policy in Academic Libraries using Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri as a case study.

---

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

---

1.10 Definition of Terms

Collection: It is the means by which information items or materials are finding in the libraries.

Development: It is the means of assembling of materials to insure that the collection is good enough to certify the collection by updating the library with qualitative books.