UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

The University Library is headed by the University Librarian who is responsible to the Vice Chancellor for the administration of the University Library and coordination of all Library services in the University. He is an academic staff who is in charge of all the academic, research and administrative activities within the University Library system.
The Library has the responsibility for selecting, acquiring and organizing books, periodicals, documents, newspapers, maps, digital databases, audio-visual materials and other materials that will effectively assist learning, teaching, research and recreational activities of the University. A University is as good as its Library; no wonder, then that the Library is always referred to as the “nerve centre”, the “pivot”, the “heart”, or the “core” of the academic life of a university. All academic/non-academic activities revolve around the resources that are stocked and exploited by the University community for all academic and administrative endeavours within the academia.




The Lagos State University Library was established under the Lagos State University Law. The Library thereafter became operational at the assumption of the University Librarian on 7th May, 1984.

The University Library was one of the foundation departments, which took off on the facilities of the Government College, Ojo, and the then newly completed site of the Methodist Boys’ High School. The temporary site has gradually metamorphosed into a developed permanent site with a tastefully designed new master plan that will change the University main campus to a beautiful architectural layout befitting of a University campus in the 21st century and beyond.

The foundation provisional Governing Council embarked on the allocation of the available buildings on the sites to serve specific functions of the new University. In December 1983, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the then governor of Lagos State and Visitor to the Lagos State University turned the sod of what was to be the Library building. The dining hall of the Government College, with its adjacent kitchen, stores and facilities were expected to serve as the temporary facilities for the Library for two years pending the construction of the new Library building.

The arduous task of renovating, conversion and refurbishing began in earnest. Spaces required for staff, readers and materials were created. A total area of 507sq.m was created. Acquisitions, cataloguing and serials departments were carved out of this space. Another area for circulation and reserve books was also mapped out. Large reading areas with an adjacent shelving area were created. The former stores were converted to office spaces, conference room and audio-visual room. Existing toilets were rehabilitated and additional ones created for the large student population envisaged. By 1985/86 academic year it became expedient to have an extension as the previous space had become grossly inadequate. By this extension an additional space of 343sq.m. was created, bringing the total floor space to 850sq.m. Accommodation increased from 200 to 350 seats and shelving space from 30,000 volumes to 50,000 volumes. The demand for increased space for shelving, readers and staff continued unabated till this day.

The Library with its initial 2,281 volumes of books in 1984 now has about 60,000 volumes in the year 2006. Similarly, the academic journal subscription rose from 741 to 3,000 in 2006. The previous 87 local journal titles of 1986 have risen to over 200 local journal and newspapers in year 2006.

The University Library has collections in various fields such as Accounting, Agriculture, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Industrial and Labour Relations, Business Administration, Public Administration, Chemistry, Economics, Management Technology, Psychology, Geography, Insurance, English, Music Education, Engineering (Electronics, Computer, Mechanical and Chemical), Finance, Geography, Health Sciences, History, Law, Nigerian Languages, Mathematics, Foreign Languages, Performing Arts, Physics, Political Science, Religion and Sociology. Library services to the staff, students and the community include photocopying, inter-Library loans, microfilm reading, CD-Rom search, Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), EBSCO Host Online Journal Search (NULIB). Detailed instruction and teaching in Library use is provided to undergraduates as part of the General Studies programme. With its automation project, the University Library has moved into the 21st century. The Library software currently in use is Alice for Windows. This software comes in 3 modules (circulation, acquisition and management). Retrospective conversion of manual Library records is presently going on, and will be completed soon. The Library is on its way to having a virtual/e-Library compliment which will link the Library with the world via Internet.

The University Library now comprises the Fatiu Ademola Akesode Library (main Library), the Taslim Olawale Elias Law Library, the Medical Library in LASUCOM Ikeja, the School of Communication Library in Surulere and the Engineering Library in Epe.

No person may make use of the University Library until he has been duly registered with an undertaking to observe all Library rules and regulations. Registration is now done online and a print copy submitted at the circulation desk. Data on this slip are now uploaded into the Library circulation database which runs on Alice for Windows computer software. A single identity card now admits students all over the campus. The identity card must be shown to any official of the Library on demand and such official may prohibit entry to any reader who is unable to produce the identity card.

The following are eligible to register as readers in the Library with the privileges of borrowing books and making use of reference materials:

(a) Members of the University Governing Council.
(b) Members of the College of Medicine.
(c) Members of the academic staff of the University, as well as eligible senior members of the administrative and technical staff.
(d) Postgraduate and research students of the University.
(e) Full-time students of Lagos State University.

The following may use the Library for reference only:

(a) Graduates of the Lagos State University.
(b) Visitors attending conferences, seminars or part-time courses in the University.
(c) Such other persons as may be permitted by the University Librarian on a temporary basis.

Borrowing of Library books is limited to academic staff only for now. The Library uses the Modified Browne Charging System to charge out its books to borrowers. By this, an academic staff will be issued four (4) borrower’s tickets at the point of registration to enable him borrow a maximum of four books at a time, for a maximum period of four weeks.

To borrow a book in the Library, a prospective borrower is expected to obtain some bibliographic data (i.e. the author, title, place and date of publication, publisher, ISBN, accession number, class mark and the subject tracings) of the book from the appropriate (online or manual) catalogue, identify and retrieve the book from the open shelves. He will take it to the circulation desk where he will be given some slips to complete. Each set of slips comes in quadruple copies. He will fill the slips and return the book and the slips to the assistant at the desk to complete the borrowing procedure. The date due will be stamped on both the slips and the book, the green slip will be handed over to the borrower along with the borrowed book. He will show both to the Porter on duty who will remove the slip and allow him to go with the borrowed book only.

This collection is placed behind the circulation desk. It houses core titles that are in short supply but on high and constant demand by users. This is to ensure that all readers have equal chance of reading them. Some expensive or rare books are also withdrawn from the open shelves and placed on reserve. Books are sometimes placed on reserve at the request of lecturers for consultation by their students or at the discretion of the University Librarian. Books here can be requested by filling the author and title of books plus the borrower’s name, signature, time out and time returned. Reserved books can be consulted for only two (2) hours after which they should be returned to the circulation desk.

Also, a book on loan or on order may be reserved by any reader when he completes a reservation slip. As soon as the book is available, the reader is duly informed and given three (3) working days within which to collect such a book, after which the book will be returned to the shelves through the circulation desk.

The following rules and regulations that are applicable to all categories of users must be observed at all Lagos State University Libraries:

a. All readers must enter and leave the Library through the main doors earmarked for these purposes. All other exits are illegal and will remain locked except during emergencies.

b. Readers must produce their current identity cards at the entry point for verification by the porters before they can enter and use the Library.

c. Silence must be maintained at all times, in and around the Library. Therefore, GSM handsets must be switched off before entering the Library.

d. Personal belongings such as bags, brief cases, folders, umbrellas, cameras etc. must be deposited at the porter’s lodge (cloak room) at owner’s risk.

e. Readers must submit themselves to search at the exit point. A proposed Electronic Theft Detector as well as installation of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras will enhance future security measures in the Library.

f. No Library material (book, pamphlet, journal or newspaper) should be marked (with biro, pencil), folded, defaced, torn or damaged in anyway. Readers are held responsible for damages to books in their care and may be required to replace or pay for damaged materials.

g. Loss of a Library material in a reader’s care must be reported to the Library. The reader may be required to replace or pay for such lost material.

h. Actions that can result in damage to Library buildings, equipment, furniture or materials are forbidden.

i. Smoking, eating, drinking and use of naked light including candles are strictly forbidden in the Library.

j. Sleeping or reservation of seats is not allowed in the Library.

k. Stealing Library materials is absolutely prohibited. Apprehended culprits will be expelled from the University.

l. All borrowed Library materials should be returned as and when due.

m. Fighting with or use of offensive language to other users or Library officers is forbidden.

n. Staff and students who are leaving the University finally are required to clear themselves in the Library.

o. The University Librarian is empowered to suspend or withdraw Library privileges from users who contravene these rules and regulations, and may report offences to the appropriate authority for appropriate sanction.

Readers are penalized for borrowed books not returned at the expiratory date. Overdue notices are sent twice to the reader who, after the second notice, is liable to an overdue fine of N20.00 per day for any book not returned for the first 15 days. Fines are increased to N50.00 after this time. In addition to the fines, such defaulters may be disallowed from borrowing any more books. These fines are subject to review from time to time.

Some borrowers have been known to hold on to Library books under the guise that they have not finished using them. This is wrong as it deprives others of the use of such books. It is advisable to return all borrowed books to the Library for renewal if nobody else requests for them.
Also members of staff proceeding on annual leave, study leave, sabbatical or retirement must return all borrowed books to the Library before doing so. In addition, all books on loan must be returned to the Library for checking at the end of each session.

University regulations stipulate that all staff and students leaving the institution finally must be cleared in the Library, amongst other places, before leaving. However, if any Library material is damaged or lost, the following penalties are applied:

a) Damaged Materials

The estimated cost of repair (if possible) but not exceeding the current cost and administrative handing of the material will be charged. At times, the defaulter is allowed to buy the exact replacement if he can.

b) Lost Material

For lost materials:
- The current price will be determined from the appropriate Library sources.
- In addition, ordering and processing fees shall be charged.
- When lost items have been paid for, the overdue fines will be dropped.

If a borrower locates an item after these charges have been paid, the borrower may keep the item. The Library will not refund the money paid for lost materials.

The privileges to borrow from and use the Library will be denied to users who fail to clear outstanding charges. If such charges remain outstanding by the end of the session in which they are incurred, the University Librarian will make recommendations for further action to the appropriate committee of the University.

The University Library provides other vital services such as:

(i) Internet Services
The Lagos State University Library have access to on-line journals via EBSCO Publishing limited. This access does not restrict the number of computers that can connect to the journal site, provided that the subscription period does not elapse. The access runs for 24 hours daily and it can be viewed through:http://search.ebscohost.com and
http://eadmin.epret.com/eadmin/login.asp
The products covered by the subscription include all journals on:

• Academic Search Full Text Premier
• Business Source Premier
• EBSCOHOST – Medical-on-line (MEDLINE)
• ERIC
• Health Source: Consumer Edition
• Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition
• Master file Fultext Premier
• Newspaper source

(ii) Legal Depository
Under the publications law (Cap. 107 of the Laws of the Lagos State of Nigeria, 1973) amended by the Lagos State Government Edict No.5 of 1991, the Library became a legal depository. The Edict makes it mandatory for authors, printers, publishers and all organizations in Lagos State to deposit two copies of every work published in Lagos State to the Lagos State University Library within one month after publication.

(iii) Theses/Dissertations
The Library receives one copy of every thesis/dissertation for which the University awards a higher degree. It also collects theses/dissertations of its academic staff, which are accepted, by other universities for the award of higher degrees.

(iv) Bindery
There is a mini-bindery which serves all branches of the University Library. The mini-bindery does all the binding of back issues of journals, magazines, newspapers and various sizes of textbooks. It also carries out basic repairs of Library books and booklets.
Branch Libraries

(a) Taslim Olawale Elias Library
The Lagos State University Law Library known as Teslim Olawale Elias Library was established in 1988. The law Library contains a special collection oriented both to the needs of educational research and law training. Features of these are the law books, law reports, journals, related reference books, etc. The collections of the Library are arranged according to a one–volume MOYS Classification Scheme.

(b) Engineering Library
The Engineering Library at the Epe Campus of the University came into existence in 1998 with the movement of the Faculty of Engineering to Epe. It is purely a reference Library. The Library, currently located on the hilly side of the campus is a temporary site that will soon move to another spacious building when the renovation is completed. The collection of the Library is made up of textbooks, journals, reference books, etc. on various aspects of Engineering and it is arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification Scheme.

(c) Medical Library
The Medical Library of the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) was established and commissioned on 9th February 1999. It is strategically located within the College of Medicine, which shares the same premises with the erstwhile Ikeja General Hospital, now Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), for easy achievement of its objectives.
The Medical Library serves both the College of Medicine and the teaching hospital of the University. It is primarily established to complement (through its available facilities and services provided) the training, teaching, learning and research activities of the College of Medicine.
Furthermore, the Medical Library is to enhance the quality of health care delivery of the teaching hospital, through the provision of current information contained in the materials stocked on various disciplines to consultants, registrars, house officers and other health personnel.
The collection at the Medical Library is arranged according to the National Library of Medicine Classification Scheme.

(d) School of Communication Library, Surulere
The School of Communication Library commenced operations with the assumption of duty of a professional librarian for the school on February 1st 2005. The Library is located on the second floor of the School of Communication’s main building. The space has been partitioned to serve the Library needs of the School. Library materials already acquired and processed have been transferred to the new Library while subscriptions to current journals have been placed for all the courses offered by the School.

The Library is an academic department. Detailed instruction and teaching in Library use is provided to undergraduates as part of the General Studies Programme. The following topics under course title GNS 101 are taught. It is a 2 unit course and it is compulsory for all new 100 Level and 200 Level students.

All professional librarians in the Library have academic status. They are fully involved in teaching and research. Like all academic staff, their promotions are largely determined by their research activities.

The Compendium of Academic Publications (LASU) and other sources confirm the research activities of the academic Library stated above.

Gifts of books and other donations are welcome from individuals and institutions. The Library is particularly interested in private papers of distinguished persons who have made significant contributions to development at the local, state or federal level.

The Library maintains a special collection of staff publications and reprints.

The National Universities Commission has recommended that at least 10% of the TOTAL university’s recurrent expenditure should be provided for Library services in universities.

The Committee of University Librarians agree that this is the minimum that should be made available to provide adequate Library services in a university. Of recent, additional 10% of internally generated fund (IGF) is also being canvassed; the table below shows the recommended percentages.

FUNDS	PERCENTAGES SUGGESTED
Recurrent Expenditure	10%
Capital Budget	3%
Internally generated funds from the University	10%
Other sources: endowments, donations, gifts, outsourced services, consultancy, Library registration, space rentals, bindery, etc.	100%

 

• Virtual Library

Lagos State University can have a foremost Library. The University’s ICT centre will surely complement all efforts at getting Library services fully computerized. The creation of virtual Library, which is almost completed to be equipped with 100 Computers, will take the University into the 21st century and beyond.

Presently, Internet facilities are available to assist in research and teaching. Several databases and websites can be visited in the new postgraduate/ research room within the Library.

In rising to the challenge being posed by digital innovations, the Library has started acquiring CD versions of all textbooks. The CD collection covers all areas of Arts and Science. Presently over a hundred titles of textbooks, indexes and databases are available in the Library. It is hoped that the University will have a wireless network which will open staffs and students to the thrills and opportunities of a virtual world.

The following websites can be accessed from the Library:

1. Oxford University Press Journals: http://ww3.oup.co.uk/jnls
2. Hinary Health Inter Network Access to Research Initiatives: http://www.healthinternetwork.org
3. AGORA: Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture: http://www.aginternetwork.net
4. Ebscohost: http://search.epnet.com.
5. Nigeria Virtual Library (NUC): http://www.nigeriavirtualLibrary.com
6. www.emraldinsight.com (30 days free access to 45,000 full text business and management articles/review abstracts from 300 of the world’s leading journals).