LIBRARY

 

library good

Academic Libraries world-wide are facing a lot of challenges.  Most academic libraries can no longer meet the information needs of faculty and Scholars through the traditional avenue of simply adding to their collections.  Modern academic libraries must fashion new roles in a Knowledge economy such as:

  • Managing knowledge content by working more closely with faculty and Scholars to design, organize, and maintain a broader range of digital assets.
  • Using IT to create new organization Meta data, retrieval (discovery) and storage (preservation) options.
  • Taking more active role in the education and research mission of the university – through Information Literacy Programmes.  Thus integrating information resources for services in teaching and research activities.
  • Be active learners and educators especially in the area of Information Literacy, programming library space, involving the literacy in outreach to faculty and Scholars, active in grant seeking and fund raising.

Modern academic Librarians must concern themselves with:

  • Organization of information
  • Exploitation of electronic resources
  • Library research methods
  • Sources of Information
  • Content management
  • Information Content relevance and credibility
  • Teach Scholars critical thinking and problem solution
  • Teach Scholars writing skills and communication skills
  • Teach Information Literacy skills to Scholars
  • Teach Network Literacy skills to Scholars
  • Use of software/operating system for the e-library

The advent of e-libraries/digital libraries have led academic librarians to:

  • Migrate from print to electronic collections
  • Retire legacy collections
  • Re-develop library space
  • Reposition library and information tools resources and expertise

GUU UNIVERSITY LIBRARY VISION

The vision and mission of GUU University Library is to support the vision and mission of GUU – “to be a world renowned university noted for high quality academic and research programmes as well as professional, practical and entrepreneurial capacity development” and the mission to produce God fearing, ethically sound, highly skilled global leaders  who shall be catalysts for technological and socio-economic advancement.

The vision of GUU University Library is to be a proactive, responsive 21st century e-library, quickly transiting from print to electronic library.

MISSION STATEMENT OF GUU LIBRARY

The  mission statement of GUU library is to establish a university academic library that will meet the needs of faculty and scholars in the modern teaching, learning, research areas of GUU and comparable to global academic library standards.

The mission statement will be achieved through:

  • Staff training and development

GUU library believes in staff training and development and intends to keep the staff strength low and robust and trained in:

  • E-library  services  – providing quality on-line information services
  • Electronic resources
  • Multimedia publishing
  • Intranet based information services
  • Global networking
  • Web based digital resources

This will enable the staff cope with the myriad of information recorded in a variety of formats.

  • Texts
  • Numeric
  • Graphic
  • Video
  • Audio
  • Image
  • Electronic

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

GUU University Library is involved in:

  • Design and development of new products and services e.g. Crescent Awareness Services, databases of local materials in subject areas.
  • Documentation of indigenous knowledge systems.
  • Acquire, learn and use tools to support information seeking and selection by Scholars.
  • Analysis , synthesis and consolidation of information content on behalf of the users.
  • End information of user instructions.
  • Adoption  of patron driven acquisition  (PDA)

GUU UNIVERSITY LIBRARY COPYRIGHT POLICY

GUU affirms the obligation of its faculty, staff and scholars to comply   with all laws regarding copyright.  This policy grows from a time honored academic tradition that the creators of works own certain exclusive rights regarding the products of their scholarly, pedagogical or creative activities.  This principle underlies GUUs commitment to encouraging respect for, and the responsible use of, the intellectual property of others.  This policy affirms that copyright legislation exists to encourage the generation and distribution of intellectual works in order to advance the public good.  Copyright law gives copyright holders (writers, publishers, artists etc.) the exclusive rights to distribute, copy, perform, or publicly display, their own original works. GUU recognizes its obligation to inform members of faculty and scholars about this law, and to promote, within the various University consistencies, the exercise of the rights and responsibilities granted under this law.  All members of the GUU community are responsible for complying to the University guidelines regarding the legal use of their format or the purpose of that use, and of complying, including obtaining required permissions to use copyrighted materials. Faculty, staff and scholars shall not exercise any rights under copyright law in a work owned by others unless one of the following applies:

  • The work is in the public domain.
  • The use of the work qualifies as fair use under copyright law

Scholars should know that the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials (including peer to peer file sharing) may subject them to civil or criminal liability.

Uploading or downloading works protected by copy right without the authority of the copyright owner is an infringement of the copyright owner’s exclusive rights of reproduction and or distribution.

Since files distributed over peer-to-peer networks are primarily copyrighted works, there is a risk of liability for downloading materials from these networks.  In order to avoid these risks there are currently many authorized sources on the Internet that allows consumers to purchase copyrighted works online, of music, e-books or motion pictures.

Digitization has brought about concerns regarding the case with which digital materials may be pirated and distributed as well as to help clarify how copyright relates to these materials.  The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 criminalizes the development of technologies that are intended to circumvent devices (such as passwords or encryption) that limit access to copyrighted materials and at also criminalizes the act of circumvention. GUU staff, scholars are must avoid the infringement of copyright laws and should enquire from the University library staff.  As creators and users of intellectual property you need to understand the law and what we need to do to comply with it.  As pace setters GUU recognizes and embraces its responsibilities to follow the law and model it for others.

CONNECTING TO ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

Due to site licensing agreements, access to the library’s online journals and databases are restricted to current students, faculty and staff with GUU computing accounts, and to visitors doing research within the library building, may be issued a temporary wireless network credentials.

ON-CAMPUS USERS – The GUU electronic resources are accessible from any computer connected to the campus network.  Connecting a laptop or other devices to the campus wireless require authorization with a CNet ID and password from the ICT Unit.  Visitors doing research within the library building who are not eligible for GUU CNet IDs may be issued temporary wireless network credentials by the ICT Unit.

OFF-CAMPUS- USERS

Access to electronic resources from off-campus requires authentication which is done through ICT Unit.  Links to the GUU library website are configured to do this automatically.  You will be prompted to log in using your GUU Net ID and password.  Off-campus access is only available to current students, faculty and staff.

CONNECTING TO THE LIBRARY CATALOG

GUU library catalog is freely available to the public through the GUU University library website in the GUU portal.  The catalog is undergoing expansion.

ASSISTANCE

If you are unable to connect to any specific resources – journals, databases listed in the e-library catalog please contact the library.  We will investigate the problem.

DIVISIONS IN THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

The divisions in the University library remain:

  • Reference services
  • Cataloguing and classifications
  • Readers services
  • Collection development
  • Special collections
  • Nigeriana

As in the trend in digitally focused academic libraries there is a gradual atrophy of reference and collections development by channeling their efforts to information literacy, digitization, exploitation of e-resources, assistance in research to faculty and Scholars; negotiation of leases, copyright issues to mention a few.

The library operates the library of congress cataloguing system with emphasis to KOHA Software (an integrated Software), demands GUU University is not a hybrid in hot pursuit of digitization.

GUU University library intends to create a social networking centre or café to facilitate social interaction, use of mobile networks in library services.

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

GUU University Library is carefully developing a collection development policy in this period of transition from print to electronic and from collection development to collection management and to knowledge management.  This will be done immediately the available resources are carefully catalogued and entered into the KOHA Integrated Software.

INFORMATION LITERACY PROGRAMME

Total information literacy is a since qua non in a knowledge economy.  Information literacy policies for GUU have been packaged for management and senate input and approval.  The policy will cover Library literacy, computer literacy, information literacy, electronic /digital literacy, this will be available on the University library website in the University portal.  A good information literary policy will greatly promote creativity, innovations and productivity of Scholars as well as helping them to imbibe life-long reading habits for their life’s option.

TERMS OF USE FOR E-JOURNALS AND OTHER ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

GUU University Library subscribes to numerous electronic journals, e-books, databases and similar resources through licenses.  The publishers and distributors of these resources require compliance with terms and conditions of use of those products.  Violation of terms of use may result in loss of access to the resources and termination of library privileges.  Access is limited to current GUU Scholars, faculty and staff presently.

TERMS OF USE

Generally Permitted 

  • Making limited or printed or electronic copies.
  • Using for personal, instructional or research needs.
  • Sharing with GUU Scholars, faculty and staff.
  • Posting links to specific content.

Generally Not Permitted

  • Systematic or substantial printing, copying or downloading (such as an entire journal issues or books).
  • Selling or re-distributing content, or providing it to an employer.
  • Sharing with people other than GUU Scholars, faculty and staff.
  • Posting content or articles to websites.
  • Modifying, altering or creating derivative works.

Please note that all use is governed by the acceptable use policy and academic standards regarding plagiarism and copyright rules.

COLLABORATION

GUU University library solicits the collaboration of all patrons, faculty and scholars to enable the University library satisfy user needs as the Knowledge economy redefines academic library practice.

UNIVERSITY LIBRARY DIVISIONS

The vision and mission of the GUU University library is not static and  will be modified as necessary and be input into GUU library website. Concluding without commending the efforts of the Chancellor Dr. Gregory Iyke Ibe for his foresight in pursuing a paperless library, and e-library for GUU; the massive collections assembled within a short space of time, and the user-friendly, custom built library that will not be a nightmare.

The typical departments in an academic library such as cataloguing and  Classification, Selection Development, Reference Services, Special  Collections, Reader’s Services are to be found in the library.  As a result    of the library’s focus towards   digitization there is a reuse of manpower in areas of pressing needs, such as information literacy, assistance of scholars and faculty in research, and digitization efforts.  Cataloguing and classification extends to cataloguing and classification of digital resources, taxonomy, and entry into the KOHA Software.

GUU University library is not a hybrid library but an academic library in a haste to transmit into an electronic/digital library.  College libraries are gradually been set up e.g. College of Engineering Library, College of Social and Management Sciences while others will soon be computed.

The physically handicapped, de-emphasize massive walls and huge often unused collections; GUU is grateful for this innovation in academic librarianship in Nigeria.