Study Session 12

UNDERSTANDING THE LIBRARY, INFORMATION RESOURCES AND USE

12.0 Introduction
In this study session, you will learn about the library, data, information and information literacy,
characteristics of information, types of information, sources of information and how library
resources are organized. This will enable you to become acquainted with the sources of
information and collections found in academic libraries, especially the University of Lagos
Library.

Learning Outcomes:
After successful completion of study session 7, you should be able to:

 Highlight the concept of library and discuss its various functions

 List the various sources of information
 Describe the features of information
 State the various resources, facilities and services available at the University of Lagos
Library

12.1 Concept of the Library

Do you know what the library represents in a learning environment?A library could be
described as any organized collection for use by an individual or group of people. According to
the New Encyclopedia Britannica (2004), a library is a collection of books gathered for purposes
of reading, study or references. In the contemporary world today, library connotes a body of
recorded information brought together for specific purposes, organized for use, and made
available to user. There are different types of libraries depending on the purpose for which they
are established. These include: public libraries, academic libraries, special libraries, school
libraries, private libraries, and so on. Libraries regardless of their type perform basic functions,
which are selection, acquisition, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information
resources to users both in print and electronic format.

List at least three functions of the library.

Libraries acquire print and non-print materials for library users.

Libraries organize information resources for effective use of users
 Libraries preserve information resources acquired.

12.1.1 For you to develop information competence and access to library resources, it is important
for you to understand concepts such as: data, information, characteristics of information, types of
information, and sources of information. You must have been familiar with these concepts,
however, it is important for you not to let go of the distinct difference between data and
information.
Data: A plural of datum, is defined as facts used in describing or discussing an item or a set of
items. It is also described additionally as “facts, figures or instructions presented in a form that
can be comprehended, interacted and communicated by a human being or processed by a
computer” (Reitz, 2004).
Information: Information is defined as facts, news, opinions, messages, symbols, signals and
processed data that are capable of improving the knowledge state of a user on a random
phenomenon (Popoola, 2006). It is also known as the building block in the creation of
knowledge and wisdom.
Information literacy: Information literacy is the ability to locate, retrieve, evaluate and apply
information as you convert it into knowledge. It also involves the ability to recognize when
information is needed (American Library Association 1989). It emphasizes the skill required in
finding needed information and incorporating the understanding of library organization and its
resources.

12.2 Characteristics of information

Now that you have been told that information is the building block in the creation of knowledge
and wisdom, it is now important for you to understand the qualities of information. When using
information, it is of vital importance that the information is good and helps the user to make
correct decisions. Take a moment and list on a sheet of paper what you probably think would be
the attributes of information.
Information will be considered as good if it has the following characteristics:
 Availability/Accessibility: Information is of no use if it is not within the reach of
prospective and intended users. To this extent, information should be easy to obtain and
access. To buttress this, Fadehan (2010) asserts that information accessibility could be
described as the ease with which information could be obtained. For instance, the
University of Lagos Library is the major organ of information provision and services in
the University of Lagos community and beyond. It provides access to various types and
formats of information to users. In addition, in the pursuit of this, it also provides the
mechanism that will enhance access to this information. For example, its resources could
be accessed through the traditional catalogue and Online Public Access Catalogue
(OPAC).
 Accurate: Information needs to be accurate for the purpose for which it is to be utilized.
 Reliability: This relates to truthfulness with which information is presented. Information
 reliability is ensured by its authoritativeness and dependability (Fadehan, 2010).
 Timeliness: Information needs to be provided on time for the purpose for which it is
required to avoid being irrelevant. The timeliness of an information source is a sub-set of
its accessibility (Fadehan, 2010).
 Relevance:Information needs to be relevant to the purpose for which it is required and
should be suitable for the user.

12.3 Types and sources of Information

The range of sources of information which users may choose from is large. These include:
 Oral - spoken words
 Textual - pertaining to text and words
 Numeric - pertaining to numbers.
 Bibliographic - pertaining to the use of multi-diversified means of dissemination
 Graphical - pertaining to the use of graphs and charts
 Multimedia - pertaining to the use of diversified medium of communication such as
audio, visual, audio-visual and so on.
Sources of Information
Information sources are categorized into two distinct areas namely Primary and Secondary.
Primary sources:Primary sources tend to stand on their own and give first hand observatory
account of an event. It provides the type of information required by the user directly. Primary
source takes different forms depending on the discipline. In literature, a primary source is the
novel, short story, poem, etc. Primary sources in history include laws, letters, oral histories,
diaries, and newspaper articles on events. In science, primary sources include reports of original
research.
Secondary Source: A secondary source is one that analyzes, critiques, reviews or explains a
primary source. People who were not present when the event occurred or the person under study
was alive often author them. Scholars who have carefully studied the primary source and have
drawn their own conclusions from it write such sources. One type of source is not, by nature,
more or less reliable than the other. Depending on your research topic, primary source
documents may be essential. The discipline area in which your search topic falls may require that
the information be current.

Activity:Identify the source(s) of information that you will mostly require

for your research in your own discipline.

12.4 Understanding Library Resources, Facilities and Services (with emphasis on the
University of Lagos Library)
Now that you have gained admission to the University of Lagos, continuous class assignments
and research projects become the norm. You are therefore expected to use library resources for
assignment, book reports, individual and group projects or leisure reading. If someone is not
familiar with the way library resources are organized, finding sources will not be easy. With so
many different types of information available, particularly with our digital environment, finding
reliable information can be very frustrating. There are different sources of information for
different purposes. Therefore, you must be able to access needed information effectively and
efficiently. The various categories of library resources available at the University of Lagos
library include: Print resources, Non Print Resources and Audio-visual Resources.
 Print Resources (Books): General and special collection which include:
 Africana collection
 Reference collection
 Reserved collection
 Serials collection
 Recent accessions

12.4.1 Africana collections: Africana collections are print materials published on Africa by
African authors and non-Africans. Africana collections primarily are research collections. In the
University of Lagos Library, Africana collections are housed at the Research and Bibliographic
Department otherwise known as Gandhi Library. This part of the library is situated at the
basement of the main library. To access the resources housed there, a user needs to consult the
Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) or the Card Catalogue (Author/Title and Subject
Catalogue) located on the ground floor of the library to obtain necessary bibliographic details of
the needed material(s). Such bibliographic details include author, title, and importantly the call
number otherwise known as call mark. Such details are required to retrieve and use library
collection.

At the University of Lagos Library, Africana print collections are on close access system where
users are not allowed to retrieve materials from the shelves by themselves. Rather, details of
needed materials are provided and the desk officer retrieves the material for the user. Apart from
books and journals, other information resources housed in this part of the library include special
collections of notable individuals such as Mahatma Gandhi (an India nationalist and elder
statesman [late]), Late D.O.Fagunwa (popularly referred to as the Shakespeare of Africa) Late Pa
S.O. Solanke (WASU Secretary), Late Revd. Awojobi, Late Professor Babalola, Late Yesufu
Eke (one time bursar of University of Lagos), Late Bishop Kale and Late Professor
AdetokunboSofoluwe (Former Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos). Also, newspapers (old
and current) dated to as far back as 1930 (West Africa pilot by founded and owned by Late
NnamdiAzikiwe), magazines, PhD theses from the University, papers and documents such as
government papers, materials from nongovernmental organisations (national and international),
cartographic materials and University of Lagos archives.

In addition to the OPAC and Card Catalogue mentioned above, bibliographic details of other
documents and papers housed in that department are also provided and arranged systematically
in a catalogue located at the Gandhi library. One other peculiarity of this part of the library is that
access is strictly for researchers and postgraduate students. Undergraduates are granted access
upon presenting a letter from head of department, supervisor or course lecturer. Lastly, Africana
materials are not loanable and users are not permitted to take them out of that department. They
can only be consulted within the Research and Bibliographic Department of the library but users
are allowed to photocopy when necessary.
12.4.2 Reference Collections: Reference collections are materials that are consulted in order to
provide specific information to library users whenever the need arises. Reference collection also
referred to as “reference sources” can appear in both print and electronic formats. Basically,
reference materials contain facts and rarely contain opinions. Unlike books, reference collections
are not expected to be read from cover to cover. Entries, which may include tables, diagrams,
statistics and map, are usually arranged in alphabetical order. Notable reference collections
include dictionaries, encyclopedias, biographies, indexes, abstracts, fact sources, geographical
sources, bibliographical sources, books of quotation, handbooks and manuals.

12.4.3 Types of reference collections

 Dictionaries: Dictionaries are reference materials that provide information about words and
their spellings, meanings, pronunciation, usage, synonym, etymology and grammatical functions.
Types of dictionaries include general dictionaries, specialized dictionaries and subject
dictionaries. Example of general dictionaries: Oxford English Dictionary and Chambers English
Dictionary. Examples of specialized dictionaries are: Collin‟s Roget‟s International Thesaurus
Dictionary of American Slangs. Dictionary of the Yoruba Language and Dictionary of Modern
Politics. Dictionaries are arranged in alphabetical order. They are housed at the reference section
of the library. The reference section is situated at the left hand side on the ground floor.
 Encyclopedias: Encyclopedias are reference resources that provide both background and
current information on any topic. In almost every field of knowledge there are encyclopedias that
provide basic information. Also, encyclopedias could be general or subject based. Example of
general encyclopedia: Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Americana. Example of subject
encyclopedias: Encyclopedia of library and information science, Encyclopedia of linguistics and
languages, Encyclopedia of philosophy. Just like a dictionary, encyclopedias are also
systematically arranged in alphabetical order. In University of Lagos Library, encyclopedias are
located at the reference section of the library.
 Facts sources: These provide facts on a wide range of current issues. Facts sources include
directories, handbooks, yearbooks and almanacs. Examples of directories: Nigeria Yellow Page
and Directory of African Universities. Examples of handbooks: Guinness World Record and
Handbook of Statistical Tables. Examples of yearbooks: Europa World Yearbook and Africa
South of the Sahara. These are also housed at the reference section of the library.
(IV) Biographical Sources: These are reference materials that provide information on
individuals such as birth date, education, place of birth, career achievements and so on.
Biographical sources are categorized into: universal and current, national and local. Examples of
universal and current biographies: International Who is Who, Webster‟s Biographical Dictionary
and Who is Who. Examples of national and local biographies are Africa Who is Who and
Newswatch Who is Who. These are housed are housed at the reference section and some in
Gandhi Library.
(V) Bibliographical Sources: These are reference sources that provide lists of articles in
periodicals, books, conference proceedings, technical reports, theses and dissertations on a
subject or by a given author. Bibliographical materials assist the user in getting knowledge
within the shortest minimum time. They provide quick and easy access to information on various
fields of study. Bibliographies are compiled to serve various purposes. For example, the national
bibliography contains details of books in a specified national terrain. Examples are; the National
Bibliography of Nigeria and the British National Bibliography. The Book Seller and the
Publisher Trade List Annal service the trade industry while the Economic Development in
Nigeria and the Bibliographic Guide to Technology are examples of subject oriented
bibliographies. Some are housed at the reference section of the library and some especially the
old ones are located in the Research and Bibliographic Department of the Library (Gandhi).
(VI) Index: An index is a directional aid to already published materials in serial form within a
period of time. It also covers the subject and authors with detail bibliographic information to
identify them on specific pages on which the items are to be found. An index serves as an
indicator or pointer to required information. It provides a systematic guide to the contents of a
book or a text. Indexes are arranged alphabetically by author, title and subject and may be
published as part of a book or separately. An index in a book is a detailed alphabetical list or
table of topics in that book, while indexes to periodicals are stand-alone guides to the contents of
a number of listed periodicals. This type of index is a book on its own. Index makes it easy to
find articles available on a particular subject. Types of index are: book indexes, index to
collections (Anthology of Shakespeare Plays), periodical index (Agricultural Index, British
Education Index), and newspaper index.
(VII) Abstracts: An abstract is a summary of a publication or article which provides adequate
bibliographical details with which the original publication can be traced. Abstracts are useful
reference tools to bring quick information to users and aims at a specific group of users who may
not have access to the original document. Types of abstracts are: indicative abstracts, informative
abstracts and evaluative abstracts. Examples are: abstracts of English studies, Nigerian
universities dissertation, science abstracts, and chemical abstracts. The old ones (CAB) are
housed in Gandhi while the recent ones are at the reference section.
(VIII) Geographical Sources: These are reference sources that provide information on places
(towns, cities, states and countries), and physical features (mountains, valleys, rivers). Examples
of geographical sources are maps (Map of Nigeria), atlases (the Times Atlas of the World),
gazetteers (Federal Republic of Nigeria Gazette) and travel guides. Again, some of these
especially the old ones are housed in Gandhi library at the basement of university of Lagos
library while recent issues are housed at the reference section of the library.
(IX) Manuals: Manuals provide instructions on how to do things. User queries on „how to do‟,
„how to perform‟ or „make‟ are provided answers to in manuals. Example is product manuals.
(X) Books of Quotation: These are sources that provide quotations on sets of subject by
certain authors. They provide readers sources of quotations through their indexes. They are
mostly consulted by speech makers and writers. Example is Home Book of Quotation.
(XI) Handbooks:this is a small ready reference source that provides facts or/ and information.
Handbooks deal with various subject matters such as; places, techniques, institutions, subjects
and so on. Its usage is very close to that of a manual. Examples are Faculty and Departmental
Handbooks.

12.4.4 Reserved Collections: Reserved collections are valuable resources in the library. These
resources depending on the type of library cut across all disciplines. Most of the time, reserved
collections are rare materials in various disciplines. Reserved collections are run on closed access
system where a user can only place a request by providing the necessary bibliographic details. In
University of Lagos library, the reserved collections are housed at the Reserved Section of the
library, which is currently located at the immediate right on the ground floor of the library. At
the University of Lagos Library, such reserved collections are retrieved for users and must be
consulted within the reading room where books are located. Reserved collections are not placed
on long loan but users can access, use and make photocopy

12.4.5 Serials Collections: Serials collections can be described as any publication issued in
successive parts, appearing at regular interval, and as a rule is intended to be continued
indefinitely (Prytherch, 1995). Example includes newspapers, magazines, newsletters, journals,
indexes, abstract, reports, proceedings and transactions of societies. Serials collections are very
important part of any library‟s collection because of their nature and the currency of their
information content. Serials holdings are recorded in a kardex (Card information system used in
a library which usually contains bibliographic information), which is maintained and updated
from time to time as more volumes of a particular periodical are acquired. Serials collections also
have index to magazines which students most of the times rely on for their term papers and class
assignments.

12.5Non-Print Resources: Non-Print material which include: Electronic books, Electronic

journals, electronic images, electronic texts/records (full text from the internet), Servers: e.g
library software, CD-ROMS, floppy and flash disks (soft copies), Hard disks etc. are available
and could be accessed by students to support learning. Non-print resources enhance multiple
usage of materials at the same time. The resources are managed by the Automation Section of
the library, which is domiciled at the third floor of the library. Enquiries on the use of the audio-
visual resources or on how to access any of the identified materials whenever the need arises
could be made at the Reader‟s Services point of the library. The designated area of access in the
library is called the E-Library. This consists of two classrooms at the third floor (undergraduate
and postgraduate), and the MTN Connect Library at the AkintundeOjo building. It is also to be
noted that since the library provide wireless access, it is possible to access the resources on
personal e-devices in other approved designated areas of the library. Available e-resources cover
all the programmes offered in the University of Lagos and beyond.

12.6.Audiovisual Resources: Audio Visual Aids which make the learning situations as real as
possible and give you first-hand knowledge through the organs of hearing and
seeing are available at various locations in the library. The materials include:
 Audio Aids: Radio, Tape-recorder, Gramophone, Audio cassette player –
Available in the Music Library
 Visual Aids – Maps, Pictures, Text-books, Slide projector, Transparency, Print materials
etc.- Available in Research and Bibliographic Department and Automation Section of the
library.
 Audiovisual Aids LCD projector, Television, Computers, VCD player,
Multimedia, Artefacts etc – Available at various sections and the Museum.

2: Provide a brief dissimilarity between:

a) Facts sources and biographical sources
b) Bibliographical Sources and Index
c) Print and Non –Print resources
2:
a) Facts sources and biographical sources: Facts sources provide facts on a wide range
of current issues while biographical Sources: are reference materials that provide
information on individuals.
b) Bibliographical Sources and Index: Bibliographical Sourcesare
reference sources that provide lists of articles in periodicals, books, conference
proceedings, technical reports, theses and dissertations on a subject or by a given
author while an Indexserves asa directional aid to already published materials in serial
form.
c) Print and Non –Print resources: Print resources are material published
in hard copy and can be found on library shelves while non print resources are in soft
copies in form of electronic books, electronic journals and can only be accessed
electronically on personal or public electronic devices such as computer, laptops and
mobile phones. Non-print resources unlike print resources enhance multiple usage of
materials at the same time.

3: Assuming your friend called that he/she is having difficulty locating a particular book in the
library, what advice would you give your friend?

3: I will advise my friend to use the Library catalogue or seek assistance from the officer at the
Circulation desk or any library staff

Summary of Study Session 12

In study session seven, you have learnt the concepts of library, data and information and how
library resources are organized in libraries with special reference to the University of Lagos
Library.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTION (SAQ)

It is assumed that since you have completed this study session you would be able to answer the
following questions:
SAQ 1.1 (Test learning outcome 12.2)Highlight five characteristics of information
SAQ 1.2 (Test learning outcome 12.3 Mention and describe the sources of information
SAQ 1.3 (Test learning outcome 12.4) List various categories of resources at the University of
Lagos library.

References
American Library Association (1989). Presidential Committee on Information Literacy: Final
Report. Available at: http://www.ala.org/acrl/publications/whitepapers/presidential.
Fadehan, O. (2010) Environmental scanning as a correlate of business performance: community
Banks in Osun State Nigeria. Saarbrucken: VDM verlas Dr. Muller Gambit & Co. KG.
Popoola, S.O. (2006). Information availability and utilization as a factor influencing decision
making of managers in manufacturing companies in Nigeria. South African Journal
ofLibrary and Information Science, 72 (1): 45-55.
Reitz, J.M. (2004) Dictionary for library and information science. West port, (T: Libraries
unlimited. P. 201

Suggestions for further Reading

Gates, Jean Key. (1990). Introduction to Librarianship. 3rd ed. New York: Neal Schuman.
Okiy, R.B. (2014).History of Libraries(2nd ed.). Benin: Ambik Press.