Assessment of the Application of Information Resource Development Strategies for Acquisition in special Libraries.
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to assess the various strategies applied by special libraries in Plateau State in increasing their collections through acquisition.
Some known strategies for application in acquisition in special libraries include purchase, donation, endowments, bequests, resource sharing, exchange, and consortium.
Mixed research method was adopted for the research. Closed ended questionnaire with multiple choice answers and open ended interview were the instruments that were used in gathering data for the study. Heads of technical unit of the libraries and heads of the libraries were administered the instruments.
The data gathered was analyzed using tables and percentage scores and the major findings were that the special libraries house textbooks, journals, government documents, medical records, online resources and audio visual materials.
The strategies they mostly apply to acquire the resources are purchase and donation which might not be enough to provide relevant and current resources for the users as even the purchase is hampered by insufficient fund and interference by some institution management.
They indicated that they use ordering, registration for resources and arrangements as methods for achieving success in acquisition using the strategies. Although they have such strategies, they are not satisfied because they are unable to develop their resources to fully provide necessary information to their users.
Some challenges identified included inadequate funding, high cost of resources and difficult requirements by donors. Having discovered that most of the libraries do not employ sufficient strategies for increasing their resources and satisfying their users the study concluded that the strategies do not actually help in acquisition of resources unless many of them are applied.
Recommendations were proffered to help in broadening their options and they include encouraging them to employ co-operation, call on Alumni for partnership, have active databases and management giving free hand for librarians to handle development issues in the libraries.
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the Study
The Special Library has existed for ages with the emergence of specializations in different fields. With the several years of its existence, it still engages in its traditional role of providing information resources to its various special clientele.
It came into existence to fulfill a need for information in the special fields so it engages in selecting and acquiring varieties of publications in different forms to meet the needs of its users.
The primary aim of the special library is to build a useful collection to serve users, and it presupposes selection from a vast number of possibilities.
The special library develops and maintains a collection that supports and enhances the information needs of the patrons. That is the mandate given to it by the institution it belongs to.
Information resource development refers to the process of systematically building library collections to serve study, teaching, research, recreational, and other needs of library users. The process includes selection and de-selection of current and retrospective materials, the planning of strategies for continuing acquisition, and evaluation of collections to determine how well they serve user needs.
Overall, it encompasses many library operations ranging from the selection of individual titles for purchase to the withdrawal of expendable materials (Fordham, 2010). Information resource development includes every activity that goes into acquiring materials which include selection, ordering, and payment.
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