GST 121: Use of Library, Study Skills and ICT (2 Units)

COURSE OUTLINE

Week

1) Introduction of the course

2) Brief history of libraries; Development of libraries in Nigeria
3) University libraries and other types of libraries;
4) Library and education;
5) Study skills (reference services);
6) Types of library materials, using library resources including e-learning, e-materials,
etc.;
7) Revision & assessment
8) & 9 Understanding library catalogues (card, OPAC, etc.) and classification;
10 Copyright and its implications;
11 Database resources; Bibliographic citations and referencing.
12 & 13 Development of modern ICT; Hardware technology; Software technology;
Input devices; Storage devices; Output devices;
14 Communication and internet services;
15 Word processing skills (typing, etc.).

Examination
The Library

What is a library?

The American Library Association defines the library as a collection of resources in a

variety of formats being organized by the experts or information professionals
provide access, convenient to physical or digital information to
targeted services and achieve the mission of educational needs by promoting society
as a whole.

Brief history of libraries

The history of libraries began with the first efforts to organize collections of documents. The
first libraries consisted of archives of the earliest form of writing – the clay
tablets in cuneiform script discovered in temple rooms in Sumer. About an inch thick, tablets
came in various shapes and sizes.

Mud-like clay was placed in the wooden frames, and the surface was smoothed for writing
and allowed to dry until damp. After being inscribed, the clay dried in the sun or, for a harder
finish, was baked in a kiln.

For storage, tablets could be stacked on edge, side by side, the contents described by a title
written on the edge that faced out and was readily seen. The first libraries appeared five
thousand years ago in Southwest Asia's Fertile Crescent, an area that ran from Mesopotamia
to the Nile in Africa. Known as the cradle of civilization, the Fertile Crescent was the
birthplace of writing, sometime before 3000 BC.

Brief history of libraries in Nigeria

The evolution of libraries in Nigeria was traced to establishment of Lagos Book Club in
1920s. The club was formed by a group of expatriate civil servants and some Nigerians. In
1932, the Lagos Library was established and the books formerly owned by the Lagos Club
formed the nucleus of the Lagos Library which was a subscription library in which members
had to pay a fee to make use of the library facilities.

In 1948, the University College Ibadan Library was established with about 18,000 volumes of
books which were formerly owned by Henry Carr. These books were bought by Nigerian
government to formed the nucleus of the university library.

Another notable Nigerian that contributed to the development of Library in Nigeria was Tom
Jones. He was the founder of Tom Jones Library in Lagos. In 1943, the British Council
Library was opened. It was formerly an information Centre during the war period which also
provides facilities for people interested in reading. The British Council later established
libraries in Kaduna, Enugu, Ibadan and Benin City.

The establishment of the university college library was the beginning of a library that could cater
for the information needs of the nation. The publications ordinance was passed in 1950 and made
it compulsory for publisher to deposit two copies of every book published in Nigeria with Ibadan
university College Library.

TYPES OF LIBRARIES
There are different types of libraries.
1.          School library
2.          Academic library

3.           Special /Research library

4.          Public library
5.          Research library
6 Private library
7. National library

School Library

School Library: These are libraries established in nursery, primary and secondary schools to aid
and support learning and teaching. The main purpose of establishing school libraries is to meet
the information needs of the pupils, students and staff of the schools. A school library is
managed by a school librarian

Function of school libraries

1. To acquire, organize, and disseminate information resources required for the school curriculum
2. To assist in the promotion of reading skills and learning habits of students
3. To improve young peoples interest and zeal to use the library
4. To established a conducive reading environment for student in other to stimulate reading
culture
5. To encourage students to make adequate use of their time
6. To help students acquainted with books when they are young
Academic libraries

Academic libraries: Academic library is a generic term used to refer to libraries established in tertiary
institutions such as university, polytechnics, colleges of education, and other higher institutions. This
type of library performs and supports academic objectives of the parent institution which is anchored on
teaching, learning and research. The primary goal of academic library is to meet information needs of
the students, staff and host community.

Function of academic library

1) To provide information material (print and non-print) required for the academic programme of
the parent institution
2) Provision of information material in support of learning process of student course work, term
paper and projects
3) Provision of information resources that supports the information needs of faculty and
postgraduates students who are carrying out research work
4) Provision of information materials that assist the library user for recreation and self
development
5) Provision of conducive accommodation for study and research

University libraries

A university library is a kind of academic library that serves the information needs of the university
community through the provision of information resources that supports teaching, learning and
research. The primary aims of university library is to promotes and support the objectives of the
institution which is based on teaching, learning, research and services.

Note: The functions of university library are the same with academic library.

Public libraries

These are library established and owned by state or local government. They are established to meet the
information needs of the community and the general public. These types of libraries are regarded as
layman’s university. Public university provide services to all everyone in the community. It is open to all
the community regardless of their status, race, nationality, age sex, religion, and educational
background. These libraries are established and maintained with tax payers money.

Function of Public libraries

1) Education: the public library acquire, process, organized and disseminate information materials
that promotes and developed the educational standard in the people of the community
2) Promotion and preservation of culture: Public library play active role in cultural promotion and
preservation through the acquisition of varieties of information materials on the least culture
3) Provision of information: The paramount function of public library is to provides information
services to its users
 4) Creation of relaxation and recreational centres: Public library provides convention and
conducive environment for people relaxation.

Special /Research library

Special libraries are library established to meet information need of a particular organization through
the provision of specific information resources, and services to staff based on the objectives of the
parent organization. Example of special libraries is Medical library, Law libraries etc. This kind of library
can also be refers to as research library because they focus on a specialized area of research to meet the
information need of a specialized group of people.

Function of Special /Research library

1) To acquire, process and organized information resources of the parent organization

2) To provide reference and referral services
3) To provide conducive and convenient environment for research activities

Private Library:

These are library established, owned and funded by individual or families. The collection in this library
could be single or multidiscipline. Example of private library is Obafemi Awolowo Private library,
Obasanjo Private library. The major function of private library is to provide specialized information
services to the owner.

National Library

National library is the library established by nation and is regarded as the apex library that collect,
acquire, organized, stores, preserves and disseminate information resources published within the
country, about the country and by the citizenry. National library is established by the National Library of
Association act 1964. The national library of Nigeria is currently situated Abuja and it has its
representative in all the 36 states in Nigeria. The national library serves as the depository centres. The
national library is funded by federal government

Function of national library

1) To collect and provides comprehensive collections that reflects the national heritage collection
that reflects the national heritage of the nation
2) It serves as a depository centre for all publications (print and non-print) resources published
within and outside the country
3) It is responsible for assurance of International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and International
Standard Serial Number (ISSN) to publishers and authors within and outside the country
4) It compiled and publishes the National Bibliographic of Nigeria
5) It is responsible for the publication of the Union Catalogue and directories of libraries in the
country
6) It provides leadership roles through facilitating development of library activities
Library and Education

What is Education?

Education can be defined as the process of acquiring knowledge or habit through instruction or
study. Education is the process of bringing desirable change in the behaviour of human beings.
The behavioural changes must be directed towards a desirable end

Education can also be view as a congregation of processes that enhances the positive values of a
society, by imbibing knowledge, abilities and attitudes in a controlled environment like a school,
leading to individual development and social competence arising from an amassing of
experiences and observations.

The relationship between the library and education are so inseparable, while the library plays the
enviable part of the knowledge source, its dissemination, protects knowledge and its storage,
education cannot exist on its own without a library support, and a library is redundant if it cannot
pass on education (InfoScience Today, 2017)

Library and education has became symbiotically and dependent on one another. The library;
education, literacy and national development always went hand in hand; and have influenced
learner from the primary school level to the highest levels of education. Libraries have been and
will continue to be the centre of the academic excellence of all educational institutions because
they provide all the relevant information resources necessary for learning.

Library and education

The Libraries are considered as a hub of research and information and its play important part in
educating the masses. The basic relationship between library and education are:

 The library helps new students to get ready for new learning,
 provides information without the constraints about social, cultural and economic
impediment, helping students to get the desired information needs
information in least possible time,
 Providing information on equality basis without constraints geographically.
 Providing researchers a conducive learning environment
with all facilities.

In the age of Information Explosion and Information Technology

people often feel there are some other roles of libraries which being played in education and
lifelong learning process of them some are mentioned below.
1) Libraries provide leadership and expertise by using information and its affiliation
technology, which plays a role in teaching and learning process.
2) The libraries provide equal opportunity for all readers regarding information and ideas
which are affiliated with some educational institutes as well to public library unimpeded
by culture, caste, creed and social constraints.
3) Libraries are playing an important role in the achievement of students at their
academic level in the lifelong learning process of the individual
4) Libraries provide a lifelong learning process for the community members and assist
them in their difficult task/ Assignment.
5) Libraries prepare individuals in an information based economy and productive
employment.
6) Libraries prepare individually to prove himself as a responsible citizen
in contemporary society
In short Education and libraries are interdependent on each
other Education without libraries and libraries without education are paralyzed.