APPROACHES TO THE MANAGEMENT OF SERIALS IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN LAFIA, NASARAWA STATE

Abstract

The study examined the approaches to the management of serials in academic libraries in Nasarawa State. A descriptive research survey was adopted for this study. The population of the study was fifteen (15) staff, comprising of four (4) serials librarians, five (5) staff from serials departments, and four (6) senior staff of the libraries purposively selected from the four (4) academic institutions in Lafia town namely: Federal University of Lafia (FUL) Library, Nasarawa State University Lafia Campus Library, Nasarawa State Polytechnic Lafia Library, and College of Agriculture Lafia Library. There was no sample because the entire population was small.  Questionnaire was used as instrument for gathering data for the study. Data collected were analysed using SPSS and frequency tables. The study examine the extents of the approaches of library heads to the subscriptions of serials publications in academic libraries in Lafia; determine the type of funding available for management of serials departments; determine the usefulness of serials department in academic libraries among others. The findings of the study showed that serials departments are very useful in libraries, libraries in Nasarawa State subscribe for serials publications, and fund for serials subscription is got from annual budgetary allocation, funds provided during resource verification, funds provided during accreditation programme, donations/gifts and/or endowment funds. It was also revealed that serials librarians should possess classification, cataloguing, managerial, online searching, effective communication, budgeting and subscription skills. Challenges were observed and the researchers recommended that to facilitate the use of serials in the libraries, professional personnel, essential facilities and services should be provided in the serials section.