DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY AWKA

LECTURE NOTES

ON

TECHNICAL SERVICES IN LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION CENTRES

LIS 206
LIS 206 2023
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The primary role of the library is to provide information service to support the educational,
recreation, cultural, economic and technological endeavors of members in their respective
communities. The National Policy on Education (2004) identified the library as one of the most
important aspect of educational support services, although not visible, technical services is
considered the central department of the library, its operations and services are so crucial that it
is safe to say that a library without technical services department is dead.
Technical services department activities require not only special training to accomplish but also
a good understanding is needed to use most of its services. Each of the functions of the
technical services department plays a major role in the effective and smooth running of the
library, this call for taking to cognizance the difference between library routines and technical
services.
1.1 Definition of Technical Services in the Library
Technical Services are the behind-the-scenes activities that a library undertakes to process
library materials loaned to the public. These activities include selecting, ordering, classifying
and cataloging, preparing materials for the library shelves, inventory, and weeding.
1.2 Concept of Technical Services
Technical services can be considered as one of the oldest aspects of librarianship. Services
involving the operations and techniques for acquiring, recording and preserving materials are
among the oldest aspects of librarianship.
Technical Services is a service that is responsible for selecting, acquiring, cataloging, and
processing library collections both in hard copy and electronic formats. Staff in technical
services work with materials in all formats and in all languages. Technical service is also
concerned with the acquisition, organization, physical processing, and maintenance of library
collections, technical processing is performed behind the scenes, usually in a technical services
department.
Technical services also include: maintenance of online catalogs, creation and maintenance of
MARC records in the catalog, security processing, maintaining a library's technology resources,
such as servers, OPACs, circulation, scanners, and other devices.
Technical services are jobs done in a library to obtain and prepare library materials for use by
the patrons. This area of library service encompasses ordering materials, receiving materials,
entering materials in the library catalog, and labeling materials for use.

OPAC: Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC): It is the computer form of library catalogue.
It is used to access materials in the library. It is an online bibliography of a data collection from
the library in the form of books, authors, genre, etc, that is available to the public.
 Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) or simply a Library Catalogue is a digital database of
materials such as text files, e-books, journals, etc held by a library or group of libraries. Patrons
can use the online library cataloguing software to find out any item under control of a library. It
displays the query search results in an easy-to-understand format to enable patrons to find
digital material quickly. An Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) is an online reserve of
library collections that is made available for public use.

1.3 Impact of ICT on Technical Services

ICTs application to library works and services is seen as the best way that could be used to
assist researchers to adequately solve their literature need for effective research activities. This
is because the application of ICT to library operations has greatly helped in the provision of
efficient reference and information services, the utilization of network operations such as
cataloguing, authority control, inter library loans and co-operation and in the participation of
international bibliographic project.
The use of ICT has impacted on technical services in the following ways:
1. Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC): It is the computer form of library catalogue to
access
materials in the library.
2. Storage Capacity: Digital libraries have the potential to store much more information, since it
requires very little space to contain it.
3. Preservation and Conservation: An exact copy of the original can be made any number of
times without any degradation in quality.

2. INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEMS (ILSS)

Library management softwares are the outcome of the rich experience of library professional
and their day to day problems faced by them. The primary responsibility of any Library
automation softwares is to focus on best customer services, stock management and management
of services.
Integrated refers to the ability of the system to share data among its modules. Exemple, the
information to order a book may be entered in the acquisition module which may be used by
cataloguing module and searched via the OPAC. This integration reduces redundant data and
effort. Library Management systems (LMS) vary by factors including scalability, database type,
Operating System compatibility, support for machine readable catalogue (MARC) record
format and Interoperability with other Library networks and article database. Integrated Library
System is a computer-based information system consisting of a set of Inter related components
or entities and sub-components that are designed to interact together to perform specific task,
function, and operation and achieve a purpose. There are two dominant type of ILS software in
libraries i.e, proprietary and Open Source Softwares. Proprietary ILS is provided by commercial
vendor or company. This type of software is also called ‘Turnkey or off-the shelf’ because once
installed, setup and data are imported into the system. Its companies restrict access to the
software source code. The purpose of the study is to inform librarians about what considerations
to make when choosing ILMS for their library. The study investigates why some libraries have
chosen particular commercial ILMS and what are the different features and benefits of the
select Commercial ILMS. The study will also analyze ILMS features in each module of the
select ILMSs, to insight the librarians to know technical aspects to each ILMS (Vikas, 2015).

2.1 Functions of technical services

The technical section plays a key role in the functioning of the library. It makes a bridge
between the acquisitions of the documents to the circulation. The Technical-Section in all the
libraries is responsible for the processing of the new books

3.0 Library Technical Services Are the Processing and Maintenance Activities of a
Library's Collection. These Include:

Acquisition of Library Materials

Acquisitions or Library Acquisitions is the process of selecting and acquiring selected

materials for library and information centers in all formats including digital items and
maintaining the necessary records related to acquisitions. First, the selections of materials
are done according to the collection development policy of the library. It involves pre-order
bibliographic searching of the library catalog to avoid duplication of materials. Then the
selected materials are acquired by ordering them for purchase, exchange, or gift. This is
followed by receiving the materials, checking their quality, processing invoices, making
payment to vendors or individuals, and maintaining the necessary records related to
acquisitions.
Acquisition is also used to refer to the functional department (Acquisitions Department)
responsible for all aspects of obtaining materials for libraries. Acquisition department also
refers to the department within a library responsible for selecting, ordering, and receiving new
materials and for maintaining accurate records of such transactions, usually managed by an
acquisitions librarian.
Acquisition is carried out by the Library acquisitions department. Before acquisition, we have
identification which includes locating potentially worthwhile items to add to the collection and
book selection which involves deciding which of the identified items to add to the collection.
Acquisition department is the department of a library responsible for the selection and purchase
of materials or resources. Acquisition department does the securing of items for any institutions
collection. This includes purchasing of books, electronic resources, and multimedia materials
for the library's collection .The department may select vendors, negotiate pricing, arrange for
standing orders, and select individual titles or resources.
Book selection
Book selection is of crucial importance because a book or any library material cannot be
ordered, catalogued classified and eventually borrowed unless it has been selected for
acquisition.
Library selection is defined as the intellectual process of choosing from materials based on the
quality and need of the material. Selection determines the quality of library collection.
Book selection and its subsequent acquisition is one of the most important functions of the
professional librarian. Selection is of crucial importance because a book or any library material
cannot be ordered, catalogued, classified and eventually borrowed unless somebody somehow
has selected the book for acquisition. Selection is a process that involves evaluation and
choosing of information materials to add to the library or information center collection. It is the
making certain that the information needs of the people using the collection are met.
Information materials selection is intimately connected or entangled with the aims of the
organization or institution and with the center.
For any library or information center to be effective, it must have a stock of prints and non-
prints materials that are carefully selected to further its purpose. Selections of library or
information center materials are done through the help of selection aids
For an effective material selection, there are some general principles that guides the librarian.
These principles include:-
1. The Purpose or the Objective of the Parent Organization: The library being a
component of a system has to fulfill the objectives of the parent body. In the final
analysis, the basic shape and contents of any library stock are determined by the
organization and not necessarily the librarian.
2. The Role of the Library: There are some fundamental roles a library plays depending on
the kind of the library. Material selection in the library is usually aimed at fulfilling these
roles. For example in an academic library, the fundamental role is to promote teaching,
leaning and research. Selection will therefore cover all fields of teaching, learning and
research. Other considerations of historical, cultural, civic and recreational roles also
influence selection.
3. Demand vs Value or Want vs need: The library should cater for the needs of her users.
The librarian’s judgment in the choice of the material should however not be based on
either the value or demand alone. Rather each concept should be given a relative weight.
While choosing books or electronic resources in high demand by users, librarian should
recognize that the demand for a material does not necessarily make a material a valuable
one. The library should appeal to all tastes. Demand should therefore be assessed in terms
of what the people would prefer when presented with quality alternatives. Determining
the needs of the users can be done by : i. Research and investigation into the community
interest ii. Meeting and discussing with the people directly and iii. Reading government
reports.
4. Knowledge of Collection and Available Resources: It is necessary for the librarian to
know his collection. This will help to avoid unnecessary duplication. Knowledge of
resources in other libraries and information centres in the locality where the library is
situated and where there is cooperation between libraries can in no small way influence
selection. In this part of the globe, there is little to say about cooperative acquisition and
lending.
 5. Standards of selection:- there are inherent characteristics of good books and journals.
Librarians involved in selection should try to look out for them. Some of these
characteristics include;
i. Accuracy and authenticity of information in the materials
ii. Quality of the book or periodical (contents, presentation and paper quality).
iii. Creativeness (i.e. approach to the subject)
iv. Expression (simplicity of language for level of users).
v. Relevance of subject
vi. Experience of the author

6. Financial constraint: The financial problem of book selection has now become a basic
reality for librarians. Inflation has affected not only the materials the library want to
acquire but everything. Library budgets (where they have) are getting smaller everyday
and librarians are faced with the difficulty of having to adequate library collection in a
situation like this. Library selection must be within the limits of available funds.
Source use to select the books
To be able to select a wide range of relevant library materials for all levels from the many
publications in the market, it necessary to use selection aids/tools. A librarian should be familiar
with both the general selection of books, book reviews and other aids these aids include:-
Source use to select the books
Sources used to select the books are as followsi)
i) Publishers catalogue
ii) Trade periodicals
iii) National Bibliography
iv) Citation Analysis Tools
v) Electronic Resources
vi) Syllabus of courses in the parent organization
vii) Library user recommendation
For periodicals selections, the following are the most authoritative selection aids:
i. Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory
ii. Irregular serials and Annual: An International directory
iii. Standards periodical directory
iv. Serials in print in Nigeria

ACQUISITION
This is the specific activities of “procuring items and paying the publishing companies that
produced the items. Acquisition is technically defined as the physical procedure of procuring
books (print, non-print) and other materials in the library. Generally, library materials can be
acquired through any of the following ways:
Generally, library materials can be acquired through any of the following ways:
 i. Purchase
ii. Gift and donation
iii. Exchange
iv. Legal deposit
v. Inter library loans
vi. Membership

i. PURCHASE
This is when materials are purchased and brought into the library. The materials could be puchased through
the vendor, and the vendor could be a publisher or a book seller.Orders are made and the various materials
are bought and brough into the library. These days orders can be made on-line and payment made through
electronic banking.
There are a number of very technical activities that are involved in purchase of library materials. These
activities include.
1. Receipt and Arrangement of Suggested List: Suggested titles are received from library users,
or selected from bibliographic tools by members of staff of the library. Titles are examined and
some selected according to the need of the library for ordering.
2. Pre-searching: The selected titles arranged in alphabetical sequence are checked against the
following library files:
a) On-order file: This is a work file of all materials on order arranged in an alphabetical order.
b) In-process file: This file contains all the materials arranged in alphabetical sequence
undergoing cataloging.
c) Main catalogue: This is the list of the entire library collection. The purpose of the searches
is to ensure that items selected for order are not already in stock or on order unless otherwise
required. In other words, the search is necessary to avoid purchasing unwanted duplicates.
3. Verification: This is the process of verifying the exact author, title, price, publisher and ISBN
for a book or the relevant information for another type of format it involves checking selected
list against major bibliographies; complete and correct entries where necessary.
4. Placing orders: In placing orders, you have to prepare your orders on sheet of paper reflecting
the following :
i. Serial number
ii. Quantity of material required
iii. Author of the material
iv. Title and edition
v. Imprint
vi. Price of the book
When deciding on the vendor, the vendor could be a publisher or a book seller. Traditionally, the
following purchase arrangements exist:
a. Approval Plan: Here dealers send assorted books to libraries for selection and take back
unselected titles later.
b. Blanket Order Plan: This is a situation, where there is a standing order to supply works as
published, usually in a particular subject or a few selected subject area.
c. Block order Plan: This entails buying a whole collection of library. In this type, there is no need
for material selection since all items are purchased. These days also orders can be made on-line
and payment made through electronic banking.
 ii. GIFTS AND DONATIONS:
Gifts and donation are valuable source of enriching the library collections. Donors give gifts to
libraries. Donors could be individual or organization transferring the ownership of informtion
resources to a particular library free of charge. Donors may be publishers or individuals. Many
rising and valuable materials can be acquired through this process. Materials donated will be
held to the same collection and evaluation standard as purchased items. Some policies are
maintained for gifted materials. Such as:

i. Gifts should be examined in relation to the purpose and program of the library on a long range basis.
ii. All gifts materials must be properly organized like purchase materials.
iii. Gift indicating ‘received on donation’ should be acknowledged thanking the donor.

iii. EXCHANGE: Exchange is another important method of building up the library collection. A library
can enter into an exchange arrangement with partners. This arrangement can be initiated either way usually
by letter showing all the available materials for exchange. A reciprocal list is sent by the other library in
return. The libraries make a choice of materials for exchange sometimes on a one to one basis. An
agreement is thus reached on:

a. Item to be received
b. Items to be sent to the exchange partners. Keep and maintain a file of exchange partners in
alphabetical sequence. On each partner show items received and item sent to the partner. Libraries
attested to some learned societies institutions will have their own publication to offer for exchange.
It is the only way of overcoming international barriers. In search a number of purposes.

iv. LEGAL DEPOSIT: This is a statutory obligation that requires publishers, distributors and in some
countries, printers to freely provide copies of their publications to the National collection. In many
countries this scope is being extended to include electronic resources together with other forms of
non-print media. Legal deposit is also a legal requirement that a person or group submit copies of
their publications to a repository, usually a library. The number of copies required varies from
country to country. Typically, the National library is the primary repository of these copies. Some
reading materials are deposited only for National Library on copyright law.

v. INTER LIBRARY LOANS: Very few libraries can hold every journal, book or research papers
required to meet the needs of their users and Inter Library Loans are the best way to meet this
requirements. Interlibrary loan (ILL) is the cooperative arrangement among libraries that allows
books and other materials from one library to be loaned out to a patron from another library.ILL is
a service whereby a patron of one library can borrow books, DVDs, music, etc. and/or receive
photocopies of documents that are owned by another library.

vi. Membership: Libraries receive publications through making membership of some organizations
such as research organizations, academic bodies and professional associations. The membership to
these organizations may be free or it may require payment of an annual fee. An important fact is
that, the publications of these organizations are not available in open market. As a part of
membership, the publication of these organizations is send to the library.

Receipt of Books or Parcels of Materials Ordered and Actions to Be Taken on Them

Ideally, the acquisitions department should be located at the ground floor of a library building
and also strategically to make receipt of library mails and orders easy. When an order arrives
the acquisitions department in form of parcels, it is received. Thereafter, the following
systematic steps and actions are taken:
Advance invoices of expected parcels are received by libraries from suppliers. The parcels are
then received afterwards usually with copies of the invoices enclosed.
i. Open The Parcel: Check the addresses on any parcel to certify that the parcels
received are the library’s. Open parcel and remove the invoice and unpack the
materials enclosed. Check the materials against the enclosed invoice to ensure that the
materials sent correspond’s to the invoice enclosed.
ii. Take One Item: Even if a parcel contains multiple volumes of a given book or
several titles, only an item should be taken out at a time.
iii. Check against orders: Details of the material (author, title, edition, paper back or
case, etc) are checked against details of the order slip in the books-on-order file. If the
details correspond, all copies of the book are taken out. The books are searched to see
whether any invoice, receipt or letter is enclosed. If the details do not correspond, for
example in edition, the books should be repackaged and returned to sender. It is
necessary to enclose a note stating why the material is being returned and insisting
that the order be met.
iv. Check physical condition of book: it is very necessary to examine the physical
conditions of a book at this point. Any imperfect volume of a book is usually rejected.
An imperfect volume may have missing pages, blank pages, blurred pages, torn pages,
pages turned up-side-down and very poor and weak bindery. Imperfect volumes of
books are unacceptable and should be repackaged and returned to sender with a letter
demanding either a perfect copy or refund.
v. Insert order slip in book: The slip will subsequently be used in keeping accessions
records. Details on the slip are entered in the accessions register.
vi. Stamp book: Stamp all books acquired with the ownership stamp of the library. This
is to establish ownership. If a book is found to be in perfect physical condition, it is
stamped with the appropriate library identification stamp. A book is stamped both on
strategic and inner pages. Multiple stamping is done to ensure that users do not easily
erase the marks or tear off a stamped page and subsequently smuggle the book out of
the library. Every library may decide on the pages of a book on which library
identification stamp will be put. For instance, a given library may decide to stamp the
title page, pages 10, 27, 30, 60 and the last page. This is fixed for each library and is
kept as an internal secret. If users become aware of all the stamped pages, the thieves
among them could cleverly remove all the affected pages and beat the vigilance of
security personnel at the library exit. Care must be taken not to deface a book with the
identification stamp. As much as possible, stamping should be made at a blank spot of
the desired page. Note that once identification mark have been made on a book, the
sender may refuse to accept it if returned for imperfection, wrong edition, etc.
vii. Accession the book: Accessioning is defined as the act of numbering a book in a
library collection. Accessioning entails giving a newly acquired book a number
 representing what addition in terms of number it has made to the existing stock of the
library. If a library already has 100 volumes, the next volume acquired will bear the
accession number: 101. If four copies of the title have been acquired, they will bear
the accession number 102,103, 104 and 105 respectively. Thus, no two volumes of a
book in the library can have the same accession number. This is unlike the class
number where several copies of a given title must have an identical number. The
accession number of the latest book acquired automatically represents the number of
volumes a library has in its collection.
Accession number is very important as it removes any confusion that may arise from
the return of multiple copies of a book on loan. Without the accession number of each
book, a delinquent borrower could remove the date-due-slip on the book he has
borrowed. Having done this, he would then replace the date-due-slip of another
volume of the title in the library with that of the book charged out to him. The clever
borrower will then return the wrong copy of the book he has borrowed, which will be
promptly discharged by the unsuspecting library assistant at the circulation desk.
When this happens, the library has lost a book despite any security arrangement it may
have made to secure its materials.
But if books bear accession numbers that are recorded in the charge, no user can
return a copy of a book other than the one charged out to him without the fraud being
detected. The reasons for accessioning include:-
a. To account for books purchased with public funds showing where when and the
cost of the materials acquired.
b. To indicate the number of volumes in the stock
c. They distinguish between different copies of the same book and between different
books.
d. To give the number of stock additions to the library over a given period of time.
viii. Affixing of date due labels and book pockets: All books already stamped and
accessioned (except Reference Books) which can be borrowed by users are affixed
date due labels and book pockets with book cards in them. The book cards and labels
are used to recorded loans when the books on the shelves in the open stacks are
borrowed by users. Reference books are labeled as such and are for reference only.
CATALOGUING

After acquisition, materials become unorganized and patrons will definitely find it difficult to
retrieve the material. Cataloguing through its techniques make it possible for information
retrieval, as the aim of every library is to obtain preserve and make available the resources in its
holdings.
Cataloguing is the description of materials in the library providing access for users and staff
through a card catalogue or online catalogue. Cataloging provides information on the physical
and topical nature of the book (or other item). In library and information science, cataloging (or
cataloguing) is the process of creating metadata representing information resources, such as
books, sound recordings, moving images, etc. Cataloging provides information such as creator
names, titles, and subject terms that describe resources, typically through the creation of
bibliographic records.
A cataloger is an individual responsible for the processes of description, subject analysis,
classification, and authority control of library materials. Catalogers serve as the "foundation of
all library service, as they are the ones who organize information in such a way as to make it
easily accessible.
Online cataloguing made possible by ICT involves searching, location and copying cataloguing
data through computer and networks worldwide. Online cataloguing is facilitated by creation of
Machine Readable catalogue (MARC) and Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) from
where required data could be directly transferred to cataloguers own systems depending on the
flexibility of the computer software in use,
Automating the cataloguing section can facilitate the following:-
a. Establishment and maintenance of catalogue database, names of authority files,
subject file and local authority lists.
b. Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC)
c. Inventory control, establishment of shelf list control record, added copy control
and inventory statistics. One of the most important benefits of the application of
computers to cataloguing that directly affects library users is Online Public Access
Catalogues (OPAC).
Cataloguing facets
i. Descriptive cataloguing: this gives the physical and other bibliographic details of the
book (series, publisher, place of publication, date of publication, illustrations, ISBN,
etc.)
ii. Author/ Title Headings: This gives the author/ title of the book. The tool in
descriptive cataloguing is the Anglo- American Cataloguing Rules (AACR II )
iii. Subject cataloguing: This points out the subject(s) treated by the book. A book on
“crafts making” may have dwelt on distinct subjects like weaving, carpentry and
painting. In subject cataloguing, headings are assigned to all major subject contents of
the book to facilitate easy access to it by readers with differing interests.
The subject cataloguing tools most popular with Nigerian academic libraries are the Sear’s List
of Subject headings and the Library of Congress Subject Headings.

CLASSIFICATION
Library Classification is the process of arranging, grouping, coding, and organizing books
and other library materials (e.g. serials, sound recordings, moving images, cartographic
materials, manuscripts, computer files, e-resources etc.) on shelves or entries of a catalog,
bibliography, and index according to their subject in a systematic, logical, and helpful order by
way of assigning them call numbers using a library classification system, so that users can find
them as quickly and easily as possible.
The call number serves a dual purpose: it determines the place of a book on the shelf and
colocates books on the same topic next to each other. While cataloging provides information on
the physical and topical nature of the book (or other item), classification, through assignment of
a call number (consisting of class designation and author representation), locates the item in its
library setting. Arranging similar things in some order according to some principle unites and
controls information from various sources.
Call number consists of a class number providing class designation, a book number providing
author representation, and a collection number denoting the collection to which it belongs. In
ordinary classification, we deal with the arrangement of ideas and the objects in a systematic
order. Books are shelved in the library by call number. A call number is a unique identification
code assigned to each book that clearly identifies it from other books (call numbers are also
used for other items in the library such as periodicals). It consists of a combination of numbers
and letters. Each call number consists of at least two parts, the classification number and the
Cutter number (author or book number). Using the classification system e.g. the L.C or DDC,
each book is given a unique number called the call number or class mark. E.g. business
information processing systems T435.C59 where T is the class or main class mark Technology,
435 further identifies the subject and 59 cutter number that further identifies the author.

Access Points
Materials in the library can be traced if you know:
i. The author
ii. Title
iii. The subject
Classification of Materials is organized by classification systems such as the Dewey Decimal
System or Library of Congress classification system.
The most popular classification schemes are:
i. Library of Congress Classification- LC (popularly used by academic libraries all over
the world. LC is used with a Cutter Table.
ii. Universal Decimal Classification- UDC ( used at present mainly by some research
libraries) Also used by the Polytechnics
iii. Dewey Decimal Classification- DDC (very popular with special, school and public
libraries in Nigeria)

Treatment of new books

Library materials, on receipt from the acquisitions department are arranged on shelves. All
copies of a particular title are kept together to ensure that a record is made of all their accession
numbers on the shelf list card.
From the shelves, the new books are taken out and catalogued. Cataloguing could be done on
cards or online using the available software.
After cataloging, the books are classified. Every library uses a particular classification scheme,
for example; Library of Congress Classification Scheme and Dewey Decimal Classification
Scheme (DDC). The class number is determined by the subject heading given in descriptive
cataloging. Classification facilitates the arrangement of materials on the library shelves with
materials in specific subjects being housed together in the same area of the library. Once a
material is wrongly classified and shelved, it does not stay with members of its class. It is
literally a lost material to the library.
Having catalogued a book, the call mark is written in it (usually on the verso of title page). The
books are passed on to the typist who types and inserts the catalogue cards in the book. After
typing, the catalogue cards are proofread and necessary corrections made. Some libraries type
in catalogue details on a monograph stencil, which is then duplicated on cards with the aid of a
minigraph- duplicating machine. The cards are then sorted with the card sorter for filing.
The next stage is the horizontal writing of call mark on the book spine using stylus pen this
depends on the library. If the spine is not broad enough to accommodate the number, it is
written on the lower front cover of the book. Some libraries letter the spine with pen and ink.
The number is then covered with cellotape cut to size to prevent it from being erased by
intensive handling.
Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) is a great relief to users of the library catalogue in the
sense that, different users can search for the same information at the same time using different
terminals which is impossible through the traditional card catalogue. Also, users can search the
online library catalogue through ISSN, ISBN, and combination of title and author etc.

SERIALS CONTROL
Serial control is one of the most important yet the most complicated functions of the library. For
ensuring a smooth serial control in libraries, the librarian and supporting school staff need to
manage various stages such as receiving quotes from library vendors, choosing titles, placing
new orders, processing invoice, renewals, handling the check-in procedure, etc. which creates
hassles when managed manually.
Serials are publications issued in successive parts, at regular or irregular intervals and intended
to be continued indefinitely. There are many kinds of serials including journals, magazines,
newspapers, newsletters, reports, memos, proceedings and transactions of societies. Of all kinds
of serials, journals are considered to be the most effective and so the academic and library’s are
primarily concerned in it’s subscriptions. Professional bodies publish journals. They contain the
most current and vital information on the various disciplines. Much of the information in
journals are products of research and may never appear again in any other form. This explains
the great importance attached to journal publications by libraries and the users.
Periodicals Order
Standing orders are usually placed for current issues of periodicals because of their continuous
nature. This method ensures the receipts of the parts as they are published. A list of current
serial publications required by the library is compiled and indications made of the issues or
volumes from which the library would wish the vendor to begin supplies. For current
subscriptions, an order would look like this:
Serial no Title of Journal
1 Library Association Record Vol. 145 (1) 2020
2 Nigerian Libraries Vol.23 (2) 2020
3 COCLIN Journal of Library and Information Science Vol. 3(2) 2020
Usually the current s subscription order will be preceded by an instruction to the vendor as to
the period of supply usually for a year, renewable afterwards as may be directed. For back issue
orders, definite statements of requirement are made against each title as follows.
Back File/ Back Set / Back Issues / Back Numbers:
1. Nigerian Libraries Vol. 7 -40 ( 1995 – 2007)

Received Serial Publications

 Loose issues of serial publications received from vendors are recorded, stamped
with ownership stamps and shelved for use until withdrawn for binding. Complete
volumes of serial publications received from vendor are recorded and passed on for
stamping, accessioning (and in some libraries affixing date due labels and book
pockets with book cards exactly as books are treated) before shelving. Complete
volumes of loose issues of journals from time to time are collected from the
shelves, collated and passed for binding. The bound volumes are then processed
like books before shelving.

Serial Records
From librarians’ standpoint, and other related professionals, serials records mean
complete entries made for a serial title (or journal title). Vere (1980) has extensively
discussed various kinds of serials records and their relative advantages. These include:
i. Conventional Card Files
As the name implies, the conventional card files consist of slips reminiscent of the library card
catalogue. They are hospital to new records but not always easy to search, and cards have to be
withdrawn for updating with the risk of re-filing errors.
ii. Rotating drum file
This consists of files vertically hinged to a revolving drum such that the array of
files can rotate while being consulted. It is easy to search and cannot be
disorganized since all cards are securely locked in and fall for writing or reading as
the drum is turned.
iii. Visible Stripe Index
This is probably the most widely used system today. Cards are securely hinged into the sides of
a shallow tray so that they lay flat, one upon the other. Each is displaced relative to the card
beneath it to reveal about 1cm of the bottom edge of the lower card- the visible strip which
bears the entry term. A standard size of cabinet holds 18trays, each containing 70 records. Cards
are easy to locate, new ones may be inserted quickly and they are easy to writer on.
A disadvantage of the system is that two people cannot use one cabinet simultaneously; so one
person can block 1,200 or so records.
The visible stripe may be a separate piece (often coloured ) sliding may also carry data codes
and a sliding marker to indicate when action (for example, receipt of a part ) is due.

NEWSPAPER INDEXING IN LIBRARIES

Indexing is the systematic process of arranging of entries designed to enable information users
to locate items in a document. It is a process fixed at providing a guide to the information and
knowledge contained in documents. Subject terms or heading and descriptors which described
the intellectual content or cover the main theme of documents are carefully chosen in indexing.
Indexes are indicators or locators that assist one to find information. They do more than just
locate, indexes are systematic guides to location of words, concepts and other information items
in books, periodicals or other publications. An index consists of series of entries appearing in
alphabetical order to enable users find information with references to show where each item is
located.
Newspaper indexing is essential for all libraries that store newspaper for use. Without a good
newspaper index, library users will spend too much time hopelessly in search for the volumes of
newspaper back files.
Information is data processed for useful purpose. It can only be useful if made available to the
right user at the right time. Newspaper indexing help users retrieve desired information very
expeditiously from current and back files of newspapers. Practically, a newspaper index lists the
important content of newspapers and provides adequate page reference to facilitate access to
the contents.

REPROGRAPHY
The term reprography was coined and introduced as “office printing” at the First International
Congress on Reprography (1963) in Cologne, Germany.
Reprography is the process of reproducing, reprinting, or copying graphic material especially by
mechanical, photographic, or electronic means. Reproduction of written or printed materials,
documents, drawings, etc. by mechanical or xerographic processes. It is the reproduction,
reprinting and copying of graphics, especially using electromechanical or photographic methods
As of today, it broadly includes multiple content reproduction methods, such as scanning,
photography, xerography and digital printing of documents and images in both physical (hard
copy) and digital (soft copy) formats.
On one hand, photocopying has helped many libraries provide users better access to literary
materials, allowing students to reproduce required material from books and newspapers.