Effect of preservation on the use of information resources in colleges of education libraries, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of preservation on the use of information resources in two Colleges of Education Libraries in Niger State, Nigeria. The libraries were Federal College of Education, Kontagora, Library and Yahaya Madaki Library; Niger State College of Education, Minna. Checklist was used to collect data for research question one while questionnaire was used to collect data for research questions two to five from seventeen (17) professional and para-professional staff of Federal College of Education, Kontagora, Library and nineteen (19) professional and para-professional staff of Yahaya Madaki Library; Niger State College of Education, Minna giving a total of thirty-six (36) professional and para-professional staff from the two colleges of education libraries. The data collected were analysed using mean scores and standard deviation. Disasters, biological and environmental factors were responsible for deterioration of information resources. Photocopying, re-binding, fumigation were techniques adopted for preservation of information resources. Challenges faced by colleges of education libraries included lack of plans for managing records and lack of preservation policy and strategy. Based on the findings, the study recommended that colleges of education libraries should be adequately funded by government and the preservation policy and strategy on information resources in the two colleges of education libraries should be in place and be reviewed from time to time.

Keywords: Colleges of education libraries, Information resources, Preservation, Use, Niger State, Nigeria