INTRODUCTION
Plateau State University Library Bokkos was established in 2005. It started as a small library occupying six rooms on the 2nd floor in an arm of the Faculty of Science building. In November 2016, movements of the library materials from the old into a gigantic and ultra-modern new library building adjacent to Faculty of Management Sciences building began.
The phase 1 of the library new building was commissioned on 2nd February, 2017. It has a total holding of over 16,000 volumes of books and 283 current periodical titles and can sit 292 readers.
When completed, the new library building shall sit about 1,850 readers; and accommodate about 750,000 volumes of books and bound periodicals.
The library serves the academic communities in the faculties of Arts, Social Sciences, Management Sciences and the Natural and Applied Sciences.
LIBRARY OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the University Library are naturally from those of the University it serves. Briefly, the library exists to provide a variety of information resources of all formats and ancillary services that support and extend the University’s programmes of teaching, learning and research. In its attempt to achieve the above goals, the library sets out deliberately to:
1. Ensure that a highest degree of its collection are relevant to the needs of the University community;
2. Ensure that there is maximum use of the resources and facilities it provides;
3. Give qualitative reference and information service to its clients;
4. Join its staff with teaching their colleagues in making use of its resources as an integral part of the educational process.
REGULATIONS FOR THE USE OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
These regulations are intended to maximize the efficiency of the Library Services in the Plateau State University, Bokkos; to cultivate appropriate user-habits; to facilitate circulation and protection of available library resources. Compliance to the under listed library rules of conduct is mandatory for all patrons.
A. GENERAL:
1. The Library may be used by bonafide students and senior members of staff of the University. However, others who wish to use the library have to seek approval from the Library Committee through the University Librarian.
2. Silence should be maintained in the library at all times.
3. No group discussion in the library.
4. The use of handsets is allowed only in the designated-non reading areas of the library.
5. Readers are not allowed to bring their brief-case(s) or hand bag(s) into the library.
6. No person shall be allowed to borrow any book(s) or any other item(s) from the Library until the materials have been properly processed.
7. Admission of users into the Library shall be granted only on a show of User’s Library identity card.
8. Stealing, mutilation or defacing Library materials are serious offences and shall be dealt with severely.
9. No Smoking, eating or drinking in the Library.
10. Animals (pets) are not allowed into the Library.
11. Children under 15 years of age are not allowed into the Library.
12. Users must endeavour to keep the library clean and tidy.
13. Users must show all book(s) and papers in their possession at the exit when leaving the Library to ensure that all the Library book(s) have been properly issued.
14. Books and current journals consulted in the library should be left on the tables after use for library staff to return to their correct places on the shelves for easy access and use by other readers.
15. Reading tables and chairs must not be moved away from their positions.
16. No reservation of seat(s) in the library.
17. Library tickets are valuable and non-transferable documents. Therefore readers are advised to keep their tickets securely as any reader is held responsible for the book(s) issued against his/her tickets.
18. Before leaving the University finally, readers must return all the library books in their possession as well as the Library tickets. Failure to do so shall result in the denial of the clearance certificate by the Bursary Department.
19. The University Librarian has the power to suspend any reader(s) who willfully disobeys the Library regulations, from the use of all the Library services and facilities.
20. The University Librarian shall report such action to the University Library Disciplinary Committee for appropriate disciplinary action.
21. Clearance shall be obtained from the Library Department before a student’s caution deposit is or before a member of staff is paid his/her final claims.
B. LOANS:
1. Book(s) for loan may be borrowed by the members of teaching staff for a period of one month and by students and others for a period of 14 days.
2. The teaching staff are allowed to borrow up to five books; post-graduate and under-graduate students are allowed two books at a time.
3. A book on loan may be renewed if no one else requested for it. However, any loaned book is subject to immediate recall in case of emergency.
4. Due to limited number of books in the Library, a reader shall not be allowed to check out book(s) more than three consecutive times.
5. Reference books, books on reserved, manuscripts, rare books, microfiche, current and bound volumes of periodicals and government publications can be borrowed only with express permission of the University Librarian.
C. PENALTIES:
1. A fine of Two Naira (N2:00) per book, per day is charged if a book is kept overdue. The date due slip is pasted at the front of each book.
2. If a book is recalled from a reader who has charged it out for a second time or when a book is recommended to be placed on reserve, the reader must return such a book within three days from the day the notice of recall is sent to him or her. Failure to return the book within the stipulated time, the reader shall pay a fined of Five Naira (N5:00) per day for the number of days in excess of the three days.
3. A borrower shall be charged 5 times the replacement cost of a lost/ damaged book.
4. All proven cases of stealing and mutilation by students shall attract a penalty of expulsion from the University.
5. Students who default in the payment of charges, shall have the amount deducted from their caution deposits, where the caution deposits cannot cover the charges, the students shall make for it from other sources.
6. A user, who is being surcharged for a lost/damaged Library material, shall have his or her identity card impounded until such payments are fully made.
7. A defaulting staff that has no means to pay will get the accrued charge deducted from his or her salary.
8. All books loaned to students should be returned to the Library before vacation begins. Failure to return such books before proceeding on vacation shall attract an overdue fine of Five Naira (N5:00) per day.
D. PUBLICATIONS:
1. Ten copies each of any University or Department publication(s) shall be deposited in the Library free-of-charge.
2. One copy of every thesis or dissertation funded by the University shall be deposited in the University Library.
3. One copy of every Post-graduate thesis produced in the University shall also be deposited in the Library.
E HOURS OF OPENING:
DURING SEMESTER:
Monday – Friday - 8:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday - 8:00am – 3:00pm
Sunday - Closed
DURING LONG VACATION:
Monday – Friday - 8:00am – 4:00pm
Saturday and Sunday - Closed
ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:
The Library remains closed
However, during other University’s vacations, the Library shall continue with its normal services except otherwise stated.
F MEMBERSHIP:
Membership of the library is open to bonafide university students, academic staff, the senior administrative/technical staff of the University and any other persons whose written applications have been approved by the University Librarian.
The only formality required is the completion of a reader’s registration form on presentation of original letter of admission/appointment and the university identity card,
G. BOOK SELECTION:
The selection of information resources for addition to Library stock shall be a joint effort of the Teaching Staff and the senior academic staff of the Library.
Also, enlightened students can send their recommendations, which must meet the standard and the University Library Acquisitions Policy, to the library for acquisition.
H. NEW BOOKS:
New additions to the Library stock are displayed in the Circulation Hall on the New Arrival Racks for one week after which they become available for loan. While on display, the books may be consulted and reserved for borrowing thereafter by completing book reservation form.
I. ARRANGEMENT OF BOOKS ON THE SHELVES:
Books are arranged on the Library shelves in classified subject order, using the Library of Congress (LC) Classification Scheme. The Scheme which brings all related subjects together, divides the whole fields of knowledge into 21 main subject areas called classes. Each class is made up of one or two letters followed by Arabic numerals. The letters and numbers are together referred to as class-marks or call numbers.
However, the Library has separate sequences for periodicals, reference books, bibliographies, oversized books and pamphlets as well as other special collections. Each field of knowledge in the Scheme is represented by one letter of the alphabet and sub-divisions of these subjects have additional letters and Arabic numerals.
Note: An outline of the Library of Congress Classification Scheme has been produced at the end of this guide.
J. MANUAL LIBRARY SERVICE:
A. THE CATALOGUE:
The Library Catalogue is the key to the material contents of the Library. It is a record of the books as well as non-book materials in the entire Library. With the help of the Catalogue, maximum use can be made of the library. It can indicate to the reader whether the Library has a particular book by a given author or not and what books the Library has on certain subjects and their locations on the shelves.
A Catalogue Card contains the following information:- author, title, edition (if any), place of publication, publisher, date of publication, number of pages, whether a book is illustrated or not and where a book is located in the Library. The following Catalogues are available in this Library.
The card catalogue is arranged alphabetically A-Z first by author’s surname followed by the forename(s). Books are entered, where necessary under editors, translators and the institutions or other bodies that contribute to intellectual contents of it. For example:
White, J.B.
The title entries which enable you to find books under their titles are made in almost all cases and interfiled along the author sequence. The article ‘A’, ‘An’ and ‘The’ at the beginning of a title is disregarded in the Title Filing arrangement. For example:
The Waste Water Engineering/by J.B. White will be filed under Waste and not under the article THE.
The Classified Catalogue brings together in one place all books and documents on the same subject. The classified catalogue is used with the help of a Subject Index.
This contains entries under the subject of the books. Here books on the same topic are brought together. This subject catalogue is arranged in A-Z alphabetical order according to the subject treatment of book (e.g. Chemistry, Organic). In consulting this catalogue, you should look under the most specific heading.
Note: You can find out what books the Library has on a particular subject by using the Subject Catalogue. Browsing round the shelves will reveal only those works shelved in a particular sequence in one part of the Library. Books currently on loan and related materials classified elsewhere will be missed.
K HOW TO LOCATE A BOOK ON THE SHELF:
When you have identified the book you want in any of the Catalogues, or computer display, copy out the Location Mark or Class mark with pieces of papers usually put on the top left corner of the Catalogue Cabinet. With this information, you can then go to the appropriate place on the shelf to get the book.
The class mark is printed at the base of the spine or the base of the front cover of each book. Also, it is shown at the top-left of the catalogue card and against the subjects in the book index.
This Class mark makes it possible not only to place a book in the appropriate location in knowledge organisation, but also easy tracing of it on the shelf. If however the book is not on the shelf, check with the staff at the Loans’ desk as it might have been borrowed by other readers.
The loan status of a computer informs the reader whether a book is “on the shelf” or “on loan”. Readers can place reservation at the Loan’s Desk. In case of Catalogue Cabinet, you have to reserve it by filing a Reservation Form. The Catalogue trays/Cards must not, for whatever reason, be tempered with or removed from the Catalogue Cabinet.
L. HOW TO FIND A BOOK TO USE:
If the author or title of the book needed is known, use the Author/Title Catalogue. If you have no specific title in mind but want to know what book the Library has on a particular subject, use the Subject Catalogue to find out whether the Library has a periodical title, consult the Serials Index.
M. HOW TO BORROW A BOOK:
1. All loan able books are borrowed at the circulation desk by presenting the books and reader’s ID card to the Library Staff at the lending counter. The date due slip in the book is stamped with the date on which the books MUST be returned to the library. Failure to return a book on or before the date stamped on the date due slip will attract a fine.
A recall notice may be sent to the borrower when the book is overdue. The Library reserves the right to recall any book even when it is not due for return, particularly, when a book is recommended by a teaching staff to be placed on reserve.
N. BOOK RESERVATION:
Books on loan that are needed by another reader may be reserved by filling in the book reservation card at the circulation desk. Whenever the book is available, the card is sent to the requester stating the date the book can be borrowed.
O. BOOKS ON RESERVE:
Books, journal articles and other documents that are of great demand are usually placed on reserve unit for faster circulation to Library users. Applications for their use are made at the Reserved Unit where they must be used for a two-hour period. The book can, however, be renewed for another period of two hours if no one else wants it. Your co-operation in the use of materials placed on reserve will be greatly appreciated.
P. DOCUMENTS UNIT:
The materials in this unit comprise of government publications, and international organizations as well as companies, thesis and dissertations. It is here the works published by Nigerians and non-Nigerian about Nigeria, as well as serial publications are kept. Efforts will be made to collect with vigour, works written on or about Plateau State. The collection is open to students and the academic staff for research and reference purposes.
Q. REFERENCE SECTION:
The Reference Section helps readers to find information they require in the Reference Reading Room, where collections of encyclopedias, handbooks, year-books, dictionaries, atlases, bibliographies, abstracts, indexes, etc are housed. It provides: quick reference answers; assistance in the use of Card Catalogue, as well as in the use of indexes and other reference materials. It also assists in identifying and securing research materials through Inter- Library Loan.
R. SERIALS SECTION:
A. PERIODICALS:
Serials (i.e. newspapers, journals, periodicals, magazines, etc.) are publications issued at regular intervals, and the issues are collated and bound together into volumes annually. Each issue can be identified by its volume and issue number.
To find out whether the Library has a particular journal title, use the Serials Index in the Serials Reading Room. The Index lists and arranged all the current periodical titles held by the library in A-Z alphabetical order. At the end of each title are the volumes and issues in the Library’s holdings.
B. GENERAL STACK AREA:
The General Stack provides a collection of reading materials used in support of courses taught in the Plateau State University, Bokkos. The materials housed here are for circulation. Post-graduate students/ Academic staff are allowed to borrow four books at a time for a period of 4 weeks while Undergraduate students can borrow up to three books at a time for a period of two weeks.
S. INTER-LIBRARY LOAN:
Inter-library loan requests for books not available in the Library are accepted. Readers for whom such requests are granted should be ready to abide by the regulations of the lending library.
The library can obtain photocopies of journal articles or chapter of a book or other materials not available in the Library through inter-Library cooperation and the cost will be borne by the reader making the request.
T. USER EDUCATION:
Library Use instruction is taught by the staff of the library to students as well as other library users as part of general English Language course. The aim is to educate both Students and Research Scholars on how to find information in the Library independent of the Library Staff.
U. BINDERY UNIT:
The Library has a bindery unit that binds books and journals. It also serves the Faculties and the Departments as well as non University organizations. Student’s projects and the Post-graduate theses are also bound in this unit at moderate charges.
V. PHOTOCOPYING SERVICE:
Photocopying services are available at moderate charges of ---- per page for any member of the university community. Copyright regulations MUST however be observed while photocopying copyrighted materials.
Where the material required is not available in the Library, it is possible to obtain a photocopy of it from another library; the reader will be required to pay for this service.
W. OUTLINE OF LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CLASSIFICATIONS SCHEME
A - General
B-BJ - Philosophy and Psychology
BL-BX - Religions, General
C - History, Auxiliary Science
D - History (General)
DA-DR - History of Europe
DS - History of Asia
DT-DX - History of Africa, Australia etc.
E-F - History of America
G-GH - Geography
GN-GR - Anthropology, Ethnology
GV - Sports
H - Social Sciences
HA - Economic Statistics
HB - Economic Theory
HC - Economic History
HD - Applied Economics
HE - Communications
HF - Commerce
HG-HJ - Finance
HM-HN - Sociology
HQ - Family and Marriage
HS - Societies
HT - Social Classes
HV - Social Welfare
HX - Socialism and Communism
J - Political Science
JA - General
JC-JQ - Constitutional History and Administration
JS - Local Government
JK - Colonial, Colonization and Emigration
JX - International Relations
K - Law
L - Education
LA - History
LB - Theory and Practice
LC - Special Aspects
LD-LG - Individual Universities and Colleges
M - Music
N - Fine Arts
NA - Architecture and Planning
NB - Sculpture
NC - Graphic Arts
ND - Painting
NE - Graphics and Art Production
P - Languages and Literature
PA - Classical Languages and Literature
PB-PH - European Languages
PG - Russian Languages and Literature
PJ - Oriental Language and Literature
PK - Indo-Iranian Languages and Literature
PL Languages and Literature of Western Asia Africa & Oceanic
PM - American and Artificial Languages
PN - Comparative Literature
PQ - Romance Literature
PR - English Literature
PS - American Literature
PT - German Literature
PZ - Short Stories, Children Literature
Q - Sciences
QA - Mathematics
QB - Astronomy
QC - Physics
QD - Chemistry
QE - Geology
QH - Biological Sciences
QK - Botany
QL - Zoology
QM - Anatomy
QP - Biochemistry and Physiology
QR - Microbiology
R - Medicine
S - Agriculture
SB - Plant Culture & Horticulture
SD - Forestry
SF - Animal Breeding & Veterinary Medicine
SH - Fish Culture & Fisheries
T - Technology and Engineering
TA - Civil Engineering and General
TC - Hydraulic Engineering
TD - Sanitary and Municipal Engineering
TE - Roads
TF - Railways
TG - Bridges
TH - Building Technology
TJ - Automobile & Aeronautic Engineering
TN - Mineral Industries and Metallurgy
TP - Chemical Engineering
TR - Photography
TS - Manufactures
TT - Mechanical Trade and Handicrafts
TX - Domestic Science
U - Military Science
V - Naval Science
Z - Librarianship and Bibliograph