Strategies for Improving Records Management Skills of Librarians in Archives
Chapter One
Purpose of the Study
The main objectives of this study are:-
- To assess the methods used by public libraries to acquire Record management skill.
- To find out the availability of record management skill in the public
- To identify the type of services provided in the public libraries.
- To find out how the record management skill are process and organized.
- To find out the level of satisfaction with record management skill in public
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The review of related literature in this study is arranged into the following sections:
Conceptual framework
School library resources and its roles
Services of school libraries
Utilization of school libraries by individuals
Problems of school library
Summary of literature review
Conceptual Framework
The early concept of library was that of store-house of books and librarians being custodians of them. But this concept has changed over time with changing trends in educational reform to assume its present status to match with the present realities. Correa (1997) rates the school library as an information centre where individuals and students come into contact with the world that is where they acquire knowledge, which forms the basis for all further learning. The concept is widened further when the library as information centre is closely related either in organization or also in location to the spaces allotted to the schools other resources activities – reprographic, graphic, audio visual for use in the library complex and throughout the school. In this way, the other resources or media share with books the common purpose of providing information and appealing to the imagination.
Morris (2000) views school library as having evolved into school media centre, learning laboratories and resource centre. It has become an integral part of the school, and the librarian as once a keeper of books and a warehouse supervisor has become an instructional consultant, curriculum developer and a teacher, viewed as a media centre.
With its human and physical resources that uniquely equipped to build on the interest and enthusiasm of the learner and to stimulate new interest and new enthusiasm. That we use the focus changed from teaching to learning and we see the joy that comes to students with this shift. That is undoubtedly one of the very best places if not the best for learning how to learn – with the availability of the great variety of material and the assistance of the librarian/teacher. That has available resources to truly individualize instructions.
With the rich exciting resources that have an excellent opportunity to help in young people a genuine love for learning which can and shoul become life-long. That has a perfect place for a child to read – and reading is the most important skill to be developed in secondary school.
A quality school library requires three quality library resources which include;
Personnel – adequate in numbers with essential personal and professional competencies.
Materials – rich and varied and many to meet individual needs, interests and activities.
Facilities – Which are functional, readily accessible and which are flexible and expandable to meet the increasing role of the school library.
According to Dike (2000) school library is defined as the learning laboratory for excellence where individuals find the world of knowledge interact directly with resources, acquire information, literacy and develop research skills for life-long learning. As a learning laboratory, students and individuals develop the skills required for lifelong learning. It is a workshop for carrying out projects and individual or small group assignments. It lends itself to active and participatory methods, enquiry, team work and problem solving. As a learning laboratory, the school library should be buzzing with activity, not silent as a tomb. The school library is also a place for sharing and creating a gallery for art work, an opportunity for relaxation, a comfortable pleasant environment with information, seating, quiet atmosphere for pleasurable reading but also with occasion for socialization and creative expression.
According to Ezenwa (1998), the school library is called a media centre, resources centre or instructional material centre to reflect the expanded role of the school library in education. It may be called also a learning resources centre or media centre with somebody in charge who may be called director, media specialist or librarian. The person in charge should be called a librarian because he has a connotation to books, the sound of poetry, culture and beauty, knowledge and understanding. The content of each school library determines its nature, hence the names book library, film library, picture library, artefact library, slide and film strips library, record library etc. She maintained that the person in charge, the teacher and adviser, the person who works with students and teacher still a librarian.
Alemna (1988) state that school libraries contribute to the total development of the students and individuals and enlarge their knowledge and stimulate their imaginative, critical and creative facilities. He also points out that the main purpose of the modern school library is to support the educational aims of the school, supplement students’ classroom or broaden their horizons, Okonkwo (1988) in his own view believes that:
- As a resources centre, it is expected to acquire and organize for use print and non-print materials suitable for the needs of its users.
- As a learning laboratory, it is expected to provide materials to support teaching and encourage students to find out thing for themselves.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This study examined the availability, use of record management skill and services of ten public libraries in the Ekiti state Nigeria. The purpose of this chapter is to explain the research method adopted the population and its sample, instrument for collecting data, procedure for collecting data, and the procedure used in analyzing the data.
Research method adopted
In this research, survey method was used in gathering data from the research area: Ekiti state Government owned public libraries in terms of their availability and utilization of record management skill and services. Kurliger (1970) maintained that, “The survey has the advantage of wider application as it allows data to be collected on large population. In survey, subject can also be tested with fewer expenses to obtain the relevant data needed for the study”
Population of the study
Afolabi (1999) stated that, “A population is a group of subjects possessing common characteristic that is the target of an investigation”. The population of this study therefore comprises the libraries from the Ekiti state. But as the researcher cannot obtain any response from a library he needs to ask the staff and the users of the library. Therefore, the staff of the public libraries and the officers including the admin staff who use the libraries were taken as subjects of the study. A subject possesses the same attribute as the parent population.
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
The chapter presents the analyses of the data collected from the subjects of the study. Analyses were made from the responses to questions prepared for the officers in charge (librarians) of the libraries investigated, and their users. These questions were presented in tabular form and also expressed in percentage.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
The purpose of the chapter is to provide summary of the study, summary of the findings, conclusion and recommendation.
Summary of the study
The study was conducted to investigate the availability and utilization of record management skill needed for archiving and services of the public Libraries in the Ekiti state Nigeria. Availability refers to the physical presence of record management skill needed for archiving in the libraries, while Utilization refers to the records of record management skill needed for archiving consulted by the users.
Chapter two of the study reviewed relevant literature on the conceptual and theoretical framework of the problem under study. This has been necessary in order to lay the foundation for the research.
In this study the researcher used staff of public libraries in the Ekiti state Nigeria and the users of the libraries as population sample of 10 publics, selected from the public libraries in the Ekiti state Nigeria. Users of the 10 selected public libraries were also used as sample. Questionnaires and interviews were used as instruments to collect data. Relevant statistical method was used to interpret and analyze the data collected for the study.
The study is able to make some findings, and passed judgment on the subject under investigation. In the end, it summarizes the findings of the study and offer important recommendation on the problem investigated.
Summary of findings
The study is able to make the following findings:
- It was established that public libraries depend largely on purchase as a major method of record management skill needed for archiving acquisition. Out of the 10 public libraries investigated 10 (100%) of them recorded using purchase as major method of information
- The study revealed that, Book Novels and fiqh are the major record management skill needed for archiving in the public libraries investigated. The results shows that 90 (83.3%) of the respondents indicated that Book Novels and Fiqh are available in the libraries
- It was established that 90 (83.3%) and 88 (81.5%) users of the public libraries used Book, Novels and Fiqh as their sources of The study established that reference service is the major service used by users in the publich libraries, 83 (76.9%) of the respondents utilized reference service in public libraries studied.
- It was found that users of public libraries used the Libraries for personal research. This is recorded by 70(64.8%) of the users in the libraries
- The study recorded that user of public libraries are highly Satisfied with fiqh which recorded 50 (46.5%) of the users in the public libraries
- It was established that users of public libraries are highly satisfied with reference services which recorded 63 (58.3%) of the users in the public libraries
Conclusion
From the findings of the study, the researcher concludes that public libraries in the Ekiti state Nigeria mostly use purchase as method of record management skill needed for archiving acquisition. The libraries are also stocked with books journals and magazine, and they do not have electronic record management skill needed for archiving. This means that the libraries are not moving toward the modern trend information services. Perhaps, this could affect the services rendered and utilized by the libraries. Therefore, the level of satisfaction of the users with resources and services could also be compromised. This is because the record management skill needed for archiving and services which could be accessed electronically were not available. Electronic record management skill needed for archiving offer greater advantages to the users of the library.
Public implementation in Northern Nigeria may also be compromise because the libraries in the s are not built in line with modern information services. Whereas, the library suppose to be dynamic to be able to effectively support the s in judicial activities. It supposes to be stock with the right kind of materials which could satisfy the information requirements of the admin staff. If this could be provided the effectiveness of the s would be enhanced.
Recommendations
The researcher wishes to make the following recommendations:
- Public libraries use only one method in record management skill needed for archiving acquisition where as using more methods such as gift, donations, solicitation and exchange could increase the resources in the
- The users use fiqh as source of information where as other sources such as Book Novels etc are good sources of information. Therefore, Librarians in the public libraries should encourage their users to also utilize other sources as provided in the
- The users of public libraries utilize reference services provided in the libraries. The librarians should encourage them to use other services such as reserve service, computer services, Internet services , in order to be current and up to date.
- Public libraries users use the library for personal research. It is recommended that the librarians should encourage them to use the libraries for other reasons such as passing judgment, research, as well as
- It was established that public libraries offered lending services on special It is recommended that public libraries should offer full lending services, in order to satisfy the information requirement of their patrons.
