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 resourcesand 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.
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