Effect of Book Mutilation on Lending Services in Academic Libraries in Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined the effect of book mutilation on library services in academic libraries in Imo state. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 600 library users from 3 academic libraries of the Federal University of Technology, Imo State University Owerri, and Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education Owerri. The data collected from the completed questionnaires were analyzed and tested using the population t-test at 0.5 level of significance. The findings reveals that the calculated t-values of 4849,3872 and 2.30 as well as 3.263,2170 and 2.064 for FUTO, IMSU and AIFCEO libraries are each greater than critical t-value of 1.958. Hence, the null hypothesis are rejected. This means that book mutilation adversely affects lending and photocopying services in academic libraries in Imo State. Recommendations which could serve as preventive measures as well as education for library users on the danger posed by such act in academic libraries were suggested.