MANAGEMENT AND USE OF LEGAL DEPOSIT MATERIALS ON USERS SUPPORT SERVICES IN STATE BRANCHES OF NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NIGERIA IN NORTH-CENTRAL

Abstract

This study investigated the management and use of legal deposit materials on users support services in State branches of National Library of Nigeria in North-central. Three research questions guided the study in line with the research objectives. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The study population comprised two hundred and fifty-two (252) respondents, one hundred and six (106) staff of legal deposit department and 146 users across the eight State branches in North-central Nigeria. The study adopted complete enumeration or census method due to the small number of the population. Structured questionnaire and checklist were the instruments used for data collection. Data were analysed using frequency counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation using weighted mean score for taking decision. Findings revealed that users support services provided include: reference and information assistance; document delivery; training and orientation; access to electronic databases; and guidance on research methods, branches employed structured methods for organising, cataloguing, preserving, and providing access to these resources with variation in the effectiveness of these practices across branches and the level of use of legal deposit materials was high. Based on the findings, the study concluded that National Library of Nigeria branches in North-central possessed the requisite user support mechanisms for maximising their impact in addressing management inefficiencies, promoting resource utilisation, and mitigating operational constraints. The study recommended that adequate fund budgetary allocation, regular training, ICT infrastructure and information literacy programmes should be provided in National Library of Nigeria branches in North-central.