A Comparative Study on Strategies for Combating Book Theft in Public Academic Libraries
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study
The main objective is to examine a study of book theft and strategies for prevention in university libraries in Edo State. Specifically the study is designed to:
- Ascertain the extent to which book theft have affected materials in academic libraries in Edo state.
- Identify information materials that are vulnerable to book theft in Academic libraries in Edo State
- Determine factors that are responsible for book theft in Academic libraries in Edo State
- Identify the effects of book theft on library processes in Academic libraries in Edo State
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter begins with a conceptual clarification of the study under examination. However, attempts will be made to review related literature that border on comparative study of book theft prevention challenges in academic libraries. This chapter will be reviewed under the following sub-heading.
- The concept of library
- Security problems in Academic libraries
- Nature of crime and security in academic libraries
- Causes of Book Theft and Mutilation of library materials
- Collection Security Breaches in academic library
- Security Policy and Strategies in academic library
- Book theft Challenges in Academic Libraries in Nigeria
- Book theft prevention Measures
The Concept of library
Academic libraries started as store houses for books, trade document, biographies, tracts, agreements and such documents common to the ancient world. Kings and royal people as well as religious houses were the owners of the libraries of the ancient times. Although most of the ancient libraries cannot pass for what we call a library today, they however serve the common purpose of preserving knowledge and making available information of societal development (access was highly restricted to a selected few). Organization of library resources as we now have it was not common place in the ancient libraries (Aiyebelehin, 2008).
From ancient times till this present dispensation the primary purpose of the library has not changed from that of creating access to information. Although today the library creates access to varieties of information in various formats and communicated through diverse media, the primary purpose of the library, that is, the creation of access to information has not changed. This is not to mean that the library is static, far from it. The library is a strategic organ of the society that evolves with the society. Fourie and Dowell (2002) noted that “the study of the libraries begin with the history of the written record. The oral tradition, which relied on the memorization of history, legends, and folklore, was the form of preserving and transmitting data among people”. The development started with the development of written and the associated developments. Consequently as the society began to develop, the state of the library began to improve. This thought was captured in the work of Fourie and Dowell, 2002.
Ifidon and Ifidon (2008) asserted that the retention of some of the former definitions of the library, especially those that emphasize that the library is a place where records are kept and the librarian being a custodian of records, are an aberration of what the librarianship profession is the light of modern developments in information management. What this portends is that librarians must continually keep abreast of the modern technologies in order to retain their value and relevance in the realm of information management.
Bryson (2006) equally observed that “in the last two hundred years, western societies have transitioned through economies and societies first based on agriculture, then on industry and now on knowledge. The magnitude of these changes is such that they are called revolutions and each one has challenged the way people work, think, live and communicate”. The import of the statement above is that information professionals are constantly required to do things differently in order to remain in control of the information sector especially in a world there everything revolves round information.
Although libraries started as store houses of historical documents, they a have emerged over time to become a far reaching body of information resources and services that sometimes do not require a building. Therefore different authors have defined the concept of the library at different points of its existence. Akindahunsi (2003) observed that libraries have passed through a series of historical developments and during the course of these developments various definitions have being given to it. According to him, a library is an organization, preservation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information in whatever format it may appear. In this sense, the library acts as an information agency responsible for the provision of timely information for research, development and any other purpose beneficial to the information user.
Even with revolution going in the library it is common to see most societies misplacing the library’s identity. This is evidenced in the way people use the world library. To some the library is just a place where books are kept and the librarian as a custodian of books. Contrary to this view Nwalo (2003) opined that the systematic acquisition, organization and dissemination of information materials, not mere labels distinguishes a library from either a reading room or a storehouse of books. In this light he defined a library as an institution “primarily set up to acquire, organise, store and make accessible to the users information materials which they required”.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter will be discussed under the following subheadings.
Research Design
Population of Study
Sampling Technique and Sample Size
Data Collection Instruments
Validation of Instrument
Data Collection Procedures
Method of Data Analysis
Research Design
Research design refers to the pattern or style of investigation adopted by the researcher in a research study (Creswell and Clark 2011). While descriptive survey is a study designed to depict the participants in an accurate way. The researcher adopted descriptive survey research design for the study. This method was adopted because it seeks to gain insight into a phenomenon as a means of providing basic information in an area of study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter entails the result of the study and analysis of the findings using frequency count and percentage. A total of (94) ninety four questionnaire were administered by the researcher to the respondents (librarians in Ambrose Alli University and Benson Idahosa University library) of which a total of 63 of the questionnaire were dully completed and retrieved. Hence the analysis is based on the number of questionnaire retrieved.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of Findings
Based on the research conducted, below is the summary of findings
- Inbook theft in academic library have resulted in low patronage by library users and drastic reduction of library materials to a very high extent.
- Text books, reference materials, serials materials, religious materials, graphical materialsetc are vulnerable to book theft in academic library.
- Drastic reduction in book votes, selfishness on the part of users and researchers, poor security, belief that public property belongs to nobody in particularas well as Absent-mindedness on the part of staff resulting in failure to properly check out books are major factors responsible inbook theft in academic libraries.
- Inbook theft in academic library affect the quality and quantity of books in the libraries, weakens and cast aspersions on the professional integrity of library staff, results to scarcity of books and other information materials in the library affect other library users.
- Prevention of students and other users from using library resources to their satisfaction since they can neither find these stolen books on the shelf as well as talking loudly, making noise or engaging in other disruptive conduct by library staffs affect other library users.
- Provision of CCTV cameras in the library, regular stock taking so as to know what is missing the library, regular checking of book pages on returned, provision of regular lighting system, porters checking users at the exit door will help in combating inbook theft in academic libraries.
- Provision of multiple copies of book, better library services should be provided, Allowing all library materials for borrowing, allowing users to photocopy materials needed by them in the library, Regular patrol by staff of the library are measures for combating book theft in academic libraries.
- Rustication of students offenders/suspension of staff offender, facing of disciplinary action are measures for combating book theft in academic libraries.
Conclusion
The spate of library crime in Nigerian academic libraries is alarming. It is on this premise that this research explores the causes, dimensions and effect of this endemic social problem within the ambit of sociology for easy and broad level understanding of the phenomenon. From the literature so far reviewed, it is apparent that library crime manifests in various forms and has differing causative factors. The study identified paucity of relevant and expensive materials as the cause of library crime. Other factors include: poverty, insecurity and complicity of library staff. Library crime comes in different forms, such as throwing stolen books down through the window; hiding them in the clothes, particularly inside the suit and flowing garments; conniving with the library staff; and altering library slip and identification materials in order to steal books. All these crimes have deleterious effects on individual students, library staff, academic community and society in its entirety. Specifically, book theft, pilfering and mutilation have negative implications on the academic performance and capabilities of students as they cannot access these material as and when due.
Recommendation
Based on the foregoing, the following recommendations, which are by no means exhaustive, are made:
- The government alongside the school authorities should furnish libraries with sufficient volumes of expensive, knowledge-enhancing and sought-after materials for students to access at all time.
- The wearing of free-flowing garments by both male and female patrons into the library should be discouraged.
- Conscientious efforts should be made to decongest the library any time its users are of uncontrollable and unmanageable size.
- Electronic security system like Close Circuit Television (CCTV) should be installed in academic libraries. CCTV is a specially designed crime detection gadget thatmonitors the activities and movements of people within its scope. This will enable easy prediction, prevention and control of library crimes.
- Users should be thoroughly searched before entering and leaving the premises.
- Orientation of users and staff should be done regularly in the two academic libraries in order to impart user education into library users.
Suggestions for further research
From the conclusion and recommendations made, the following suggestions were made to enhance further studies.
- The researcher feels that similar studies should be undertaken in other academic libraries in Nigerian universities.
- There is need for proper studies on the way and manners library staffs and users handle library resources.
- Librarians need to equip themselves with adequate knowledge on the ways and means through which library users carry out crime in libraries.
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