Topic 1& 2: Definition of Library/ Forms of Recorded

Information
URSE OUTLINE
Lesson 1: Introduction to Libraries
1. Definition of library
2. Types of library – Private/Public/National/School/
Academic (university, college and polytechnic libraries)/
Digital, electronic, virtual libraries/Archives
3. Functions/Services of University Library to users
4. Introduction to FUTA Library
Lesson 2: Forms by which is recorded
1. Primary, Secondary and tertiary sources
2. Print forms
3. Non-print forms/ audiovisual resources
4. The Book: definition, Physical and Bibliographic parts
Purpose of the course
• To create awareness about information resources in thelibrary
• To create awareness about the different methods ofaccessing information resources
in the library
• To expose students to information resources outside thelearning environment
• To develop users’ study and research skills
• To develop the information literacy skills of the students.
Information literacy is an important objective of the course.
The American Library Association’s (ALA) states, “To be information literate, a
person must be able to recognize when information is needed and has the ability to
locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.”
Lesson 1: Introduction to Libraries
Definition of library
A library is an institution responsible for the acquisition, organisation and storage of
recorded knowledge in various media for study, research and consultation. Libraries
have come a long way. From the early days when writing was done on cuneiform,
papyrus and parchment to when scribes and monks used to manage libraries consisting
of handwritten manuscripts to when Johannes Gutenberg introduced printing leading
to the evolution modern libraries. Libraries have served humanity over the years.
Today a library contains print, non-print and electronic resources. Types of library
i. Academic libraries: Attached to post secondary or tertiaryinstitutions. The sub
types are University libraries, College libraries and Polytechnic libraries. The perform
functions directly related to the mission and goals of their parent institutions.
The university library is unique in a number of ways. A university is established for
research, teaching and community development, and the university library supports
these goals. The users of a university library include undergraduate and graduate
students, lecturers or academic staff and researchers. Academic libraries operate long
opening hours. Some of the important activities of academic libraries are inter library
corporation, teaching of library skills, lending and borrowing and collection of locally
published (university-wide) materials /depository.
ii. Public libraries: The use of libraries is unrestricted; itserves the needs of all
categories of users. State libraries and community information centres are examples of
this type of libraries. They are usually established by government act. The government
established boards or NGOs may manage them. They support the information,
educational and recreation needs of the members of the community. Public libraries
serve as a cultural centre as they are usually venues for public events. They champion
adult literacy programmes and continuing education activities. They are however
grossly underfunded.
iii. National libraries: Each country owns a national librarythat handles national
bibliographic issues. It is also called the apex library. For example, there is the
National Library of Nigeria, The British Library and the Library of Congress of the
United States. The roles of the National library include:
Protecting copyright interests of authors or publishers
Issuing ISBN and ISSN
Accepting legal deposit -which are free copies of publishedmaterials required by law
to be sent to the national library by publishers or authors
Publication of the national bibliography: a list of all thebooks published in the
country within a particular year Providing CIP service: Cataloguing in publication
service Advising the government on bibliographic issues among
other services
iv. School libraries: These libraries are attached to pre-primary, primary and
secondary schools to serve the needs of children and young adults. They support
teaching of school children and are heavily dependent on audiovisual resources like
pictures, audio recordings etc. They are also called media resource centres.
v. Special libraries or research libraries and documentationcentres: They are
owned or affiliated to professional associations, government departments, companies
and research institutes. They provide specialized data and technical information to
enable the personnel of the institutions carry out their duties. National Root Crop
Research Institute Library, IITA Library are examples. vi. Archives and record
management centres: These institutions that collect and preserve public and historical
records for posterity. E.g. National Archives at Ibadan vii. Electronic libraries: (i)
Virtual libraries: These libraries exist in space (on the internet) and not physically. (2)
Digital libraries are computer-based but may not be on the internet or online.
Information may exist on CD-ROM databases and other digital databases.
viii. Private Libraries: Private individuals who develop the collection in line with their
interests own these. Dr Azikiwe and Chief Awolowo owned personal libraries, which
they bequeathed to institutions.
Functions/Services of University Library to users
Lending services
Inter library loans
 Reserved services
Sitting and studying space
Reference services
Referral services
Current Awareness Services
Selective Dissemination of Information
Exhibition and displays
Library publication
User education
Literature search
Video recording and photography
Translation services
Rental of facilities and space
Extension services
Introduction to FUTA Library
Established in 1982 and opened in 1983 to assist inresearch, learning, teaching and
community service missions of the university.
Moved to the a three-floor complex in the main campus in
2006
3 floors: reading rooms, administrative offices, workrooms
Units / departments: Circulation, Cataloguing and
Classification, E-resources, Reference, Serials, bindery, security, Multimedia (Audio
visual), Acquisition, Special Collections (BRD).
Membership to the library is free and open to all academicand senior staff and
students of the university. Only bona fide students of the university who have
registered in the university library are allowed into the library. They must possess a
student’s ID card for identification and renew their membership at the beginning of
every session. Hours of service
Monday through Friday -8.00am to 9.00pm
Saturday – 9.00am to 6.00pm
Sunday – 4.00pm to 9.00pm
Public Holidays- Closed
During Vacation: Monday through Friday 8.00-4.00 pm , closed during the weekends
Lesson 2: Forms in which Knowledge is recorded Whether they are:
Primary resources: original resources not yet interpreted orcondensed e.g. Research
reports, journal articles, newspaper articles, thesis
Secondary resources: Condensed , interpreted or analyzedinformation like
dictionaries, textbooks, handbooks or Tertiary resources: used to locate other
sources of information e.g. bibliographies, indexes etc, : Library resources can exist
as print, non-print or electronic forms
Print forms: Print forms include
References sources – resources that are for consultation and not continuous reading
e.g. dictionaries
Government publications – issued by government agencies e g. Hansard
Periodicals/serials – issued periodically at regular intervals
e.g. journals
Monographs – a publication that addresses a single topic
Pamphlets – printed material below 50 pages The Book:
A book is a document of above 49 pages, bound together at one edge and possessing a
distinctive title.
Physical parts of a book:
Binding or cover,
Spine
Contents
Bibliographic parts of a book consists of the preliminarypages and the main text
(a) Preliminary pages
• Fly leaves, which are blank
• Half title page contains the (abbreviated) title
• Title page contains full title and author/s name/s, maycontain other bibliographic
Information
• Copyright page: (Verso page) Contains the copyrightinformation (copyright owner,
ISBN, publishing history, date of publication, place of publication, publisher)
• Dedication page
• Preface: provides the reason for writing the book
• Table of Contents: an outline of the contents of the book
• Acknowledgment – to acknowledge those who have
assisted with the work
(b) Main text
• Text
• References and bibliography: a list of the sourcesconsulted in the preparation of the
book.
• Appendix: contains supplementary information added tothe book
• Glossary: a list and definitions of difficult terms used in abook, found at the end of
the text
• Index: Alphabetical list of the terms used in a book withtheir page number to
indicate where they are located Non-print forms / non-book materials or Audio-
Visual resources: Do not exist as print, and include broadly:
Cartographic materials – maps
 Graphic materials_ pictures, drawings, real objects, charts,transparencies
Manuscripts – handwritten documents
Audio recordings – audiotapes, records
Motion pictures and video recordings – filmstrips
Microforms – microfilms, microfiches, micro cards. Microrecord of print information
miniaturized by photographic processes
Electronic materials which may be found as: Digital materials like- CDs, DVDs or
online/virtual
Non-book materials are valuable sources of information and contain huge amounts of
data while occupying little space. They serve well for conservation of information. For
example, valuable records can be microfilmed; a strip of microfilm can contain several
pages of information. They aid retention because non –print resources appeal to
learners’ senses of sight and sound , they create vivid impressions on their minds that
cannot easily be forgotten. However, most non- print medium require machines or
hardware for their use e.g. a projector or micro-reader and because the hardware are
bulky, they cannot be carried about with ease. They also require special preservation
methods if they are to last (Special temperature and humidity levels). Power supply is
also required to make most of the hardware work.

Reference Sources
Lesson 3: Reference Tools and Services
1. Basic/background information sources- encyclopedia,dictionaries
2. Fact/ready reference sources – directories, handbooks, yearbooks
3. Literature search tool- abstracts, indexes, bibliographies
4. Geographical sources – atlases, gazetteers, travel guides
5. Biographical sources – “who‘s who”, biographies
6. Electronic sources: online reference sources, databases
Lesson 4: Serials
1. Periodicals
2. Newspapers and magazines
3. Annuals
4. Journals
Lesson 3: Reference Sources and Services References sources are library resources
intended for consultation only and not continuous reading. They are not shelved with
the regular collection and supply particular pieces of information. Reference staff use
them to answer directional, ready reference, search and research queries.
They may also exist as digital (CD-ROM) or online forms.
Other characteristics of reference resources:
Alphabetical or chronological arrangement of informationfor easy retrieval
They do not circulate (cannot be borrowed)
May exist as multiple volumes
 May be general or specialized
They are marked with “REF” to indicate their location. This is inscribed right under
the call number and helps to differentiate it from other materials.
For convenience, we can classify these resources into the following groups.
Basic/background information sources: contain basic information on subjects
1. Encyclopedia: An encyclopedia (also spelledencyclopaedia or encyclopædia)
gives a broad overview on either all branches of knowledge (a general encyclopedia) or
a particular branch of knowledge i e. (subject encyclopedia. They are regarded as the
backbone of reference service. Encyclopedia entries are arranged alphabetically by
article name. Encyclopedia entries are longer and more detailed than those in most
dictionaries, unless for encyclopaedic dictionaries. Unlike dictionary entries, which
focus on linguistic information about words, encyclopedia articles focus on information
to cover the subject/s. It is a good starting point for research. An example of a general
encyclopedia is the Encyclopedia Britannica which consists of 32 volumes including 13
volumes of Micropeadia or ready reference, 16 volumes for Macropedia , 1 volume of
Propedia (Outline of Knowledge) and 2 volumes of index.
An e.g. of a subject encyclopedia is the McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science &
Technology. Encarta and Wikipedia are examples of online encyclopedia. Encyclopedia
are revised or updated as supplements or yearbooks.
2. Dictionaries: A dictionary is an alphabetical listing ofwords with their
definitions and other features such as usages, etymologies (history of the word),
derivation, syllabification, phonetics, pronunciations, and other information.
Dictionaries are classified as general-purpose dictionary, subject dictionary and special
purpose dictionary.
General purpose dictionary: Oxford English dictionary
Subject dictionary – Dictionary of Engineering, Dictionary of genetic Engineering
Special purpose dictionary – Dictionaries of slang, etymology ( history of words),
thesaurus, bilingual or dual purpose dictionaries, Oxford dictionary of quotations,
Webster’s Thesaurus, Dictionary of slang Dictionaries may be abridged (pocket
dictionaries), encyclopaedic (having a wide scope) or desk dictionary depending
on its scope or size. Other variations of dictionaries are:
Lexicon : an alphabetical list of the words giving thevocabulary of a particular
subject area
Glossary- usually attached to the end of a book, a list ofdifficult terms in the book
and their definitions in that context.
Fact/ready reference sources
These are required for the commonest queries raised by the user e.g. “Who is the president
of Norway?” or “What is the capital of Finland” ?
3. Directories: This is an alphabetical list of residents, organizations, businesses or
professionals in a geographical area and their contact information. They are used to
locate or verify (the names) and addresses of individuals , organizations and
institutions. It also includes their addresses, affiliations, telephone numbers and other
contact information. Some examples of directories are:
Directory of directories
Yellow pages: trade directories like a directory ofpublishers or automobile engineers
Business directory
Educational directory: World of learning, World List of
Universities
Telephone directories
4. Handbooks, Manuals/ How to books and guides: Providesinformation on all aspects
of a given subject in a concise manner. It is usually written for practitioners, they
serve as a handy guide to a particular subject. Large amounts of information or
knowledge on subjects are compressed into a smaller volume/ volumes. They are
usually heavily illustrated. Manuals are especially useful in explaining how to
operate machines E.g. The Smartcard Handbook, Macmillan Guide to Trees etc.
5. Yearbooks and almanacs: A yearbook is an annual recordthat highlights, and
commemorates the past year of a school or institution. The term may also refer to a
book of statistics or facts published annually. An almanac is an annual publication
and includes a comprehensive presentation of statistical and descriptive data
covering the entire world or some geographical area, discussions of topical
developments and a summary of recent historical events. E.g. Whitaker’s Almanack,
TIME Almanac with Information Please, World
Almanac and Book of Facts, Guinness Book of Records,
Statesman’s Yearbook. Other major topics covered by almanacs are geography,
government, demographics, agriculture, economics and business, health and medicine,
religion, mass media, transportation, science and technology, sport, and awards/prizes.
Literature search tools are bibliographic retrieval tool used to identify relevant
information sources. They can be used to build up a collection and verify incomplete or
inaccurate data.
6. Indexes: An index is a guide to all documents relevant to
a particular subject irrespective of the format. The bibliographical information is
arranged alphabetically, giving full bibliographic information. Types of indexes
include:
Book indexes- found at the end of books
Periodical indexes – for periodicals like magazines
Newspapers indexes – created for newspapers Citation indexes- that appear at the
end of journal articles 7. Abstracts: An abstract can be referred as a true surrogate
of a document. An abstract is different from an index in that it offers a summary
alongside bibliographical information. It is often used to help the reader quickly
ascertain the paper’s purpose and relevance. Abstracts may be merely descriptive or
evaluative. E.g. Dissertation Abstract International,
Chemical Abstracts
8. Bibliographies: A bibliography means ( Informationabout books- derived from
the Greek words ”biblio” and “graphien”. It may mean cited sources at the end of a
book but as separate works, they may be in bound volumes. They list in systematic
order (alphabetically, chronologically or by format) materials relevant to a particular
subject. They supply bibliographical data –author, title ,date of publication, etc. of
these materials Bibliographic works differ in the amount of detail provided depending
on their purpose, and can be generally divided into two categories: enumerative
bibliography, which results in an overview of publications in a particular category, and
analytical or critical bibliography. Other types of bibliography are: national
bibliography, trade bibliography or publisher’s catalogue, bibliography of
bibliographies and subject bibliographies. Bibliographies may also be current or
retrospective depending on the time span it covers Geographical sources give
information about places and physical locations like tows, cities, geographical features
e.g. ‘Where are Haiti’? ‘What is the height of the Kilimanjaro”
9. Atlases: An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically amap of Earth or a region
of Earth, but there are atlases of the other planets (and their satellites) in the solar
system. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases
are in multimedia formats. In addition to presenting geographic features and political
boundaries, many atlases often feature geopolitical, social, religious and economic
statistics and current affairs. .Eg. Times Atlas of the World, Atlas of Nigeria
10. Gazetteers: A gazetteer is a geographical dictionary usedin conjunction with a
map or a full atlas. It typically contains information concerning the geographical
makeup of a country, region, or continent as well as the social statistics and physical
features, such as mountains, waterways, or roads. Examples of information provided
by gazetteers include the location of places, dimensions of physical features,
population, GDP, literacy rate, etc. Arrangement is alphabetical. Example: Columbia
Gazetteer of the World, Merriam-Webster’s Geographical Dictionary.
12. Travel guides or Traveller’s guidebook is a book for tourists or travellers that
provide details about a geographic location, tourist destination, or itinerary. It is the
written equivalent of a tour guide. Many travel guides now take the form of travel
websites rather than printed books. It will usually include details such as phone
numbers, addresses, prices and reviews of hotels and other lodgings, restaurants,
places of interest and activities. Maps of varying detail are often included. Sometimes
historical and cultural information is also incuded. E.g. Nigerian Hotel and Travel
guide.
Biographical sources give information about people living or dead
13. Who’s Who or Who is Who are biographical dictionaries or directories. They
contain concise biographical information on a particular group of people e.g. medical
doctors. They respond to queries such as “Who is Lord Lugard?” “How many books
has Chinua Achebe written?”. It may be current or retrospective. A retrospective
version is about dead or deceased people and is called “Who was Who” .
14. Biographies: A biography is a detailed description oraccount of someone’s life
and the times. A biography is includes details like education, work, relationships, a
biography presents a subject’s story, highlighting various aspects of his or her life,
including intimate details of experiences, and may include an analysis of the subject’s
personality. An autobiography is written by the subject himself.
Lesson 4: Serials /Periodicals
Serial material as sources of information are unique because of the following
characteristics:
Issued periodically at regular intervals it could be daily,weekly, monthly annually etc.
They are up-to-date and current
Supplements to book materials
Issued as volumes and numbers
Content are referred to as articles, not chapter ISSN (International Standard Serial
number) is the standardized reference number used for serial materials of all types
Index to periodicals are used to search for information inperiodicals
Catalogue cabinet used for serial material is called kardex.Some notable search tools
for periodicals Ulrich International Periodical Directory, Nigerian periodicals index,
newspaper indexes e.g. Times index and citation indexes for journals. Newspapers
and magazines contain information for a more general public, while journals are for
a more specialized audience (professionals) are good sources for research.

Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Library (Library

Automation)
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has transformed library services
globally. Most current information are recorded in electronic format, ICT has also
contributed immensely to the performance of librarians in the discharge of their duties
such as in cataloguing, reference services, circulation management, serials control etc.
ICT has contributed to the library in the following specific ways.
Library management softwares
Libraries utilize softwares designed to manage different library routines and processes.
Most of these softwares are integrated and have modules for the different activities or
tasks carried out in the library like cataloguing, statistics , acquisition processes, serials
control etc. Some examples of such softwares are CDS/ISIS, GLAS, ALICE for
Windows, X-Lib and SLAM. SLAM is used in the University Library FUTA and
stands for (Strategic Library Automation Management).
OPAC: This means Online Public Access Catalogue and is the computerized version of
the library catalogue or a database of the library holdings. The advantage of the OPAC
over manual methods is ease of use and the fact that it saves space. It provides access to
the catalogues of a library on the local intranet, extranet or even the internet. Office
Operations: Word processing, accounting,, database management and communication
through e-mail are all enabled in the library through ICT.
Networking: Library users can access information of various types such as online
databases, e-journals, e- books, government publications digitally through networked
systems. Access may be allowed online remotely through the internet or intranets.
Electronic Document Delivery: Libraries may not rely anymore on postal services to
send documents to users or carry out interlibrary lending. Libraries send documents
through electronic networks that can deliver documents in various formats e.g PDF
straight to users’ desktops. Online user education or tutorials: Libraries can use the
internet or CD –ROMS to educate their users or carry out information literacy
programmes. Virtual tours can be offered online making user education more
convenient for all.
E-reference services: Some services such as SDI (Selective dissemination of
information) or Current Awareness Services (CAS) and virtual reference desks,
announcements of new acquisitions and other reader advisory services can be made
easier through the internet. Users can have online interaction with the reference staff.
Library cooperation and resource sharing: A central union catalogue can be better
managed through ICT, thus libraries can create and share bibliographic records and
other information resources in digital format. Institutional Repositories: Institutional
repositories are publications that originate locally from within the university
community such as theses, dissertations, reports, conference papers and seminar
papers. ICT has made it possible not only to provide better access to these resources
but also to ensure the preservation of the resources. E- libraries: Digital libraries
depend on information recorded on digital formats like CD-ROMS. Virtual libraries
are libraries that do not exist in physical space or structure but can be accessed via
networks. E.g. The Nigerian Virtual Library.
Social Media Networks: Social media networks like twitter, facebbok and linkedIn, are
some interactive internet services that are presently serving as communication forum
for librarians and their uses. These networks can be deployed for educational uses.
Discussion groups, listserves and communities also assist library services E- mails: This
is a means of communication between the library and the users.
Library websites: A medium of communication for
libraries to their users. It is also used to promote the library and publicise it.
Online searching: searching of of online databases like AGORA, ERIC. Browsing and
surfing the internet through search engines, metasearch engines and subject directories
to supplement library sources
Advantages of Using ICT in the library
• ICT makes library work easier, faster, cheaper and moreeffective.
• Helps to manage information overload as informationretrieval is made easier in
computerized systems. • Remote access is enabled through networked systems
• Computerization saves space and reduces paper.
Challenges of using ICT in libraries
• Poor funding of ICT infrastructures
• Constant change of software and hardware
• Erratic power supply
• Insufficient bandwidth
• Lack of technical IT knowledge by library staff
• Copyright and intellectual property rights management

ORGANIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE
Lesson 5: Organization of Knowledge
• Classification schemes: The purpose of classification /
Different schemes
i. Library of Congress Classification Scheme ii. Dewey Decimal
Classification scheme iii. Universal Decimal classification scheme
• Forms of Catalogue
i. Book catalogue ii. Card catalogue iii. OPAC
iv. Machine Readable Catalogues (MARC)
• Types of catalogue
i. Dictionary ii. Divided iii. Classified catalogue iv.
Union Catalogue
• Typical catalogue card
Organization and retrieval of knowledge in the library –
Classification Schemes
The principle of organisation is to arrange library resources in a manner that will
facilitate easy access and retrieval when users need these resources. Classification
implies that knowledge is organised in a systematic order of subjects. Classification
ensures that library materials with similar subjects are kept together.
Library Classification Schemes
1. Library of Congress Classification Scheme: Knowledge is broken into 21 classes
under this scheme from A-Z. It is an alphanumeric scheme – a mixed notation
consisting of alphabet(s) and numbers. Each class is also subdivided to capture all
aspects of the subject in question.
Relevant Classes
A-General works
G – Geography
H – Social science (and Management)
N- Fine Arts
Q- Science
QA- mathematics
QB – Astronomy
QC – Physics
QD – Chemistry
QE – Geology
QH – Natural History and Biology
QK – Botany
QL – Zoology
QM – Human anatomy
QP – Physiology
QR- Microbiology
S- Agriculture
T- Technology
TA – Engineering general/ Civil engineering
TC- Hydraulics engineering, harbours, rivers, canal
TG – Bridge and roof engineering
TH – Building, fire prevention and extinction
TN- mining engineering
TK – Electrical engineering and industries
R- Medicine
Z- Library Science/ Bibliography Division and sub-division:
T- Engineering
TN- Mining engineering
263 mineral deposits or 270 prospecting
Class mark for a book on mineral deposits will be TN 263 Dewey Decimal
Classification Scheme (DDC) use number notations and the decimal number system.
DDC is used in small libraries and divides knowledge into 10 broad classes ranging
from 000-999. DDC was introduced by American librarian and library educator Melvil
Dewey in 1873 while he was a student at Amherst College in Massachusetts. DDC is
expansive (can accommodate many subject classes and sub-classes) and also
hierarchical in the relationship of these classes and subclasses The ten primary classes
are as follows:
000 Generalities
100 Philosophy and psychology
200 Religion
300 Social sciences
400 Language
500 Natural sciences and mathematics
600 Technology (applied sciences)
700 The arts; fine and decorative arts
800 Literature and rhetoric
900 Geography and history
The Dewey Decimal Classification is based on multiples of ten. Thus, each of the ten
main classes has the potential to be broken down into smaller multiples of ten. For
example, class 500 (natural sciences and mathematics) has the following subclasses:
500 Natural sciences
510 Mathematics
520 Astronomy and allied sciences
530 Physics
540 Chemistry and allied sciences
…
Each of these classes may then be further divided. For example, the subclasses of
540 are as follows: 540 Chemistry and applied sciences
541 Physical and theoretical chemistry
542 Techniques, equipment, and materials
543 Analytical chemistry
544 Qualitative analysis
…
548 Crystallography
549 Mineralogy
Each of these classes may be divided ten additional times and those ten more times, and
so forth. At each step of the hierarchy, one additional number from 1 to 9 is added to
the length of the notation. Thus, class 500 (natural sciences and mathematics) has
subclass 540 (chemistry and applied sciences); a subclass of 540 is 541 (physical and
theoretical chemistry), a subclass of 541 is 541.3 (physical chemistry), and so on.
Universal Decimal Classification
Another major classification system is the Universal
Decimal Classification (UDC) and based on the Dewey Decimal Classification, the
Universal Decimal Classification combines notation to express multiple concepts. For
example, 940(=395) indicates a work on the history of
Vikings in Europe—940 is the top-level notation designating a work on the history of
Europe, and 395 is the bottom-level notation denoting a study of Vikings.The major
purpose of the Universal Decimal Classification is to identify the content of
documents.
The Catalogue
Library resources or information carriers such as books, files, periodicals and even
audiovisual resources need to be made available or accessible to users and this is done
through retrieval tools like the catalogue.
The catalogue is a list of the library holdings. The catalogue serves the following
functions:
It provides a complete bibliographic list of every item inthe library
To identify and locate a particular document or item in acollection
To bring together all related material in a collection
To enable the user to evaluate and select relevant titlesamong many entries
It describes the collection
It provides author, edition and publication (bibliographicdetail) information
It provides subject information
Types of catalogue
This refers to the ways in which a catalogue may be arranged:
i. Dictionary Catalogue: the catalogue records here arearranged in one long
alphabetical (A-Z) order that includes author, title and subject.
ii. Divided Catalogue: This type catalogue divides thecatalogue records into two. 1.
Author and title and 2. Subject. They are also arranged alphabetically in each of the
cabinets. It is flexible and easy to manage and use. iii. Classified catalogue: This
catalogue is arranged according to the class mark. The Shelf list is a classified
catalogue
iv. Union Catalogue: This type of catalogue is a shared between more than one library
separated geographically. Each of the co-operating libraries has access to the catalogue
and the contents of their various libraries.
The cataloguing process involves:
Descriptive cataloguing: bibliographic data of the materiallike the author,
publisher, place of publication, number of pages etc are indicated on the 5” by 3” card
or other form of catalogue
Subject cataloguing: Subjects that describe the content ofthe book are also
indicated on the card. These subjects are derived from the subject heading
Classification: Class marks from the schedules are used toidentify the material.
The class mark corresponds with the subject content.
Assigning author mark or cutter number using the cutterauthor table.
The call number is a combination of the class mark and an alphanumeric (consisting of
both letters and numbers) notation (the author mark)that usually represents the
surname of the author and a unique number assigned to that name or the initial letter
of the first word of the title. The cataloguing and classification process is carried out in
FUTA library using these tools: The Library of Congress Subject Heading (LCSH),
Library of Congress Schedule and the Cutter table.
Forms of Catalogue
i. Book catalogue: Old, inflexible and outdated but cheap and portable. May still be
used for a small collection ii. Card catalogue: Commonest catalogue form. The card is a
3” by 5” card, which is used to describe library materials in a collection, they (cards) are
then arranged alphabetically to make retrieval easy. They are housed on trays and fixed
in a cabinet systematically. Each book or library material may have several cards
representing it because the catalogue card takes care of various access points: namely
the author or authors, the title, the subjects, the class mark and the series if any. This is
because the user who is not on the shelves yet may decide to check up a book from any
of the access points. It is easy to maintain and flexible. iii. OPAC: Online Public Access
Catalogue is a computerized catalogue system. A number of computer programmes e.g.
SLAM, GLAS, X-LIB, ALICE for Windows, CDIS/ISIS are used to manage the
database. In FUTA Library SLAM, which means Strategic Library Automation
Management is used to manage the OPAC. OPAC is modern, user friendly and efficient
but may be expensive. It can be accessed remotely because it is a networked system, so it
is highly accessible.
iv. Machine Readable Catalogues (MARC): This catalogue may be stored on micro
format or CD ROM.
Types of catalogue
Typical catalogue card and its elements main entry catalogue card
A main entry card and added entry cards are made for each book to cover all the
access points – author(s), series, title, subjects and class mark.
Search Strategy and Report Writing
A search strategy is a systematic plan for conducting a search. In fact, a little time
spent in formulating a search strategy will both save the researcher/writer time and
produce better results.
Steps in a search strategy
1. Define the problem by identifying the important concepts of the search (task
definition). There may be need to consult subject dictionaries and encyclopedias and
discuss the project with the supervisor to understand the problem better. 2. Choose key
words that describe the concepts , they may
be synonyms, related terms or other variations of the keywords
3. Using information retrieval tools (literature search tools) like abstracts , indexes,
the catalogue or search engines, try to locate suitable materials on the assignment.
The search should cover a variety of information sources – textbooks, websites,
journals, newspapers, reference materials etc. 4. Evaluate your search results for
authoritativeness, currency and accuracy etc 5. Prepare the references.
The above steps also embody the information literacy skills required to solve
information problems.
Report writing
Students may be required to produce written reports as part of their course.A report is
an example of an information problem. A report aims to inform and has the following
characteristics:
• formal style
• introduction, body and conclusion
• analytical thinking
• careful proof-reading and neat presentation
A report has the following sections
• Title page
• Table of contents
• Executive summary/abstract
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• References
Referencing
One of the most important aspects of academic writing is making use of the ideas of
other people thus at the end of a report a writer must include a reference list. A
reference list is an alphabetical list of all the sources actually quoted or cited in the
document. Citations are used to refer the reader to another work mentioned or quoted
inside the text of the report or dissertation to illustrate a point or confirm an idea. A
bibliography on the other hand is an alphabetical list of sources or references on a
particular topic. Bibliographies indicate further reading or additional information
sources on the topic of the report and is included at the end of the text after the list of
references.
There are a number of standard styles used to acknowledge research sources such as
MLA, Chicago Manual of Style and American Psychological Association (APA) style
which is the familiar method in the university.
Within the text, a book or article is cited by the author’s surname and year of
publication. It is very important when quoting any idea/writing to use the writers own
words, unless you are quoting. It must be clear when the words or ideas being used are
the writers and when they are taken from another writer.
Use of another person’s words or ideas as if they were one’s own is called plagiarism and
is regarded as a very serious offence. In report writing the writer is expected to put forth
his/ her own ideas, however sometimes it is necessary to cite others researchers or writers
to show one’s level of familiarity with the subject. it also guards against plagiarism.
Referencing helps the reader follow up any work mentioned in the text if the reader is
interested. The reader can trace the work using the bibliographic data supplied in the
reference. It guarantees the authoritativeness of the work to some extent.
This is done by reporting the works of others in one’s own words in the following ways:
Paraphrasing : this involves restating in writer’s words what is written in the source.
Summarising: this involves condensing the essential or important ideas in the source in
a few short statements.
Direct quotation: some parts of a writing may be quoted directly, but they must either
be enclosed in quotation marks if they are short or indented if longer.
Don’t load the paper with quotations, if more than a quarter of your essay or paper
consists of quotations, the assessor might get the impression that the writer has no ideas of
his own.
In all cases you need to acknowledge other people’s work.
APA Referencing
Books
1. Weedon , C. ( 1999) Feminism, Theory and Politics ofDifference, Oxford,
Blackwell.
2. Ajala V. (2001). Public Relations: in Search ofProfessional Excellence 2nd edn.
Ibadan, Maybest Publications.
Journals
1. Bassey B.A. (2006). User Satisfaction with Services in three Academic
Libraries in Cross Rivers State: a Comparative Study. Gateway Library
Journal 9
(2):21-29 Websites
1. Kinley, W. (2011). Public Relations Practices in
American Libraries. http://www.ter.org.uk
/fs10/further.htm. Accessed 15 December, 2011
E-journals
Miller,K. (2010). Environmental literacy and green volunteer
opportunities for your community. Public libraries online 32 (3) . http://
http://www.publiclibrariesonline.org.
Accessed 13
October , 2010.