Management of Archival Resources for Effective Utilization by Students of Federal Polytechnic Libraries in North-East, Nigeria

ABSTRACT:

This study is designed to determine the management of archival resources for effective utilization by students in Federal Polytechnic libraries in North-East, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study are to find out the types, utilization, methods employed, challenges associated, and strategies for managing archival resources. The research design used is descriptive survey method, which involves a study of a population through the use of sample. The population of this study comprises students in Federal Polytechnic libraries in North-East, Nigeria which has the total population of 10951 and the sample size is 385. The instruments employed in gathering data for this study were observation check list and questionnaire, method of data collection, the researcher visited the Federal Polytechnic libraries in North-East to administer questionnaire to the students. Out of the 385 copies of questionnaire administered only 377 representing 97.9% were correctly filled and returned, method of data analysis, the data gathered on various items in the questionnaire were scored by frequency counts and mean scores. The major findings of the study are that there are adequate archival resources in the Federal Polytechnic libraries in NorthEast and that students use the archival resources mainly for research and reference making. Furthermore, the study therefore, recommended that Library management should organize periodic meetings, seminars, workshops, lectures symposium, etc. for utilizing archival resources, the students’ needs to be tutored by experts on copyright issues and enhance their commitment or participation in the use of archival resources and the federal Polytechnic management should hire or trained manpower to support the staff already on ground in handling the archival resources for effective utilization. This will go a long way to improve the work and meet the objectives of the federal Polytechnic in North East Nigeria.

Keywords: Management, Archival Resources, Effective Utilization, Students, Federal Polytechnic Libraries, North-East.