University Library

DR ISAAC OGBONNA (Ag. University Librarian)

Background

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture was established in 1993, following the promulgation of Decree No 48 of 1992, as one of the Federal universities of agriculture in Nigeria. The institution is located at Umudike, Abia State along Umuahia – Ikot – Ekpene Road. The University Library took off in 1994 with the mandate to provide academic support to the university in the areas of teaching / learning, research and community service. At its inception, the library shared facilities, accommodation and library resources with then Federal College of Agriculture, Umudike until the later was relocated to Ishiagu, Ebonyi State in 1995.

It is important to note that the University Library commenced operation with a consultant University Librarian, who later became the first substantive University Librarian of MOUAU. However, prior to the appointment of the consultant University Librarian, the university library had 7 pioneer library staff, the highest ranking of which was a Senior Librarian. Presently, the university library has 26 academic librarians, 17 Library Officers, 58 support staff comprising library assistants, library attendant, porters, bindery and Registry staff. The present University Librarian, is the 4^th in the line, and was among the pioneer library staff engaged by the university at the commencement of the library.

The university library has two major locations. The main university library building is located in the library phase one, which was occupied in 2013, while the second university library building is called the library annex, which was occupied by the university library in 2011. The University library has two divisions and ten departments. The university library also operates a collegiate system with branch libraries in the eleven Colleges of the University in order to engender grassroots library services (taking library services to the faculty and students at their various colleges and departments). This is also in line with National Universities Commission (NUC) requirements / regulations. In addition to College libraries, there is PG School library. Some departments of the university have found it incumbent to establish departmental libraries, which the university library has encouraged by providing information resources, staff and other infrastructural facilities to enhance effective library services in such departments.

Presently, the university library had approximately 4,934 volumes of book and 3863 Journal titles in addition to e-books and e-journals. The library also has the following databases, which users can access for their varied information needs: The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library {TEEAL), EBSCO Host, Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA), Online Access to Research in the Environment (OARE), and Health Inter Network Access Research Initiative (HINARI). In addition, the university library equally assists her users to access the National Universities Commission (NUC) Nigeria Virtual Library, for online electronic resources.

The library as a growing organism continues to expand in information resources, human resources and other infrastructural facilities to the benefit of our teeming and valued users.

Vision

To build a world-class University of Agriculture library that would be a reference point first in the Sub-Sahara region and eventually in the World. The library aims at providing current information needed for generating knowledge through which food production and security will be assured, as stipulated in the university’s Motto: “Knowledge, food and Security”

Mission

The mission of the University Library of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike is to provide access to qualitative, sufficient and current information resources in print and electronic formats, in a pleasant and conducive atmosphere necessary for high quality practical training of students to become competent and confident professionals capable of self -employment.

Academic Activities of the University Library

The university library in providing support for the attainment of excellence in MOUAU academic programmes, engages in a lot of activities. Thus, all the departments of the university library and also the college and departmental libraries are involved in carrying out essential duties through their services, all geared towards actualization of the goal of the university. Some of the services include: Library orientation to freshmen; Education of library users; Lending of books for home use; Providing reference and referral services; Unbiased acquisition of books; Processing of the books for easy accessibility; Indexing and abstracting services; Selective dissemination of information (SDI); Current awareness services (CAS); Exhibition and display of information resources on topical issues; and Inter-library cooperation among others.

Librarians are also engaged in teaching, publication of journal articles and books as well as presentation of papers at local and international conferences. The following academic staff are involved in teaching use of Library in the School of General Studies (SGS) and LIS Courses at the Library and Information Science (LIS) Department:- U. Arua; I. Ogbonna; J.C. Onyenachi; J. O. Akidi; C .A. Okezie; C. O. Onwe, Ogbonnaya Uche; Umebali; C. A Okoro; A. Jude-Iwuoha; N. Onyekweodiri; Umah, Amogu Kalu; J. Onuoha ; Nwauwa, Bola; and F.E. Arisukwu.

Various Departments and Colleges and their activities:

MOUAU Library has ten departments, which are housed in library phase 1 and Library Annex. The library phase one is in a one storey building housing the following departments:

Administrative Department
Circulation Department
Indexing and Documentation
Institutional Repository
Serials Department
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department

The library Annex houses the following departments:

The Reference Department
The Cataloguing and Classification Department
Acquisition Department
Bindery Department

Services Offered by the Various Departments in the Library

Circulation Department: The Circulation department makes available textbooks in different fields of knowledge as is being covered in the curriculum of the university. The department is chiefly responsible for the following: Registration of new users of the library; Issuance of users identity cards and borrowers tickets; Assisting users on locating books from the shelves; Lending of book materials to registered users of the library (charging and discharging of books); Reservation of Books and Clearance of the out-going students.

Indexing and Documentation:

Back issues of newspapers and magazines are made available to user in this department for reference and research works. Indexing of topical issues in newspapers is equally carried out.

Institutional Repository:

Reserves and disseminates in digital form, the intellectual output of academics in an institution for global visibility of the university and her academic staff. The department has become moribund owing to lack of subscription.

Serials Department:

Serials department is one of the departments in the Readers Services Division of the University Library. It houses serial collections like journals, conference proceedings, newspapers, magazines, annual reports, bulletins, inaugural lectures, newsletters, among other serials. The department is therefore responsible for the following:

Receiving and documenting information resources on serial collections; Provision of journals, conference proceedings, newspapers, and magazines, among other serial collections to users;

Publication of journal contents; Generating Kardex cards for the journals, etc; Identifying and downloading relevant e-journals, among others.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department:

The ICT department provides information technology support to the MOUAU library, with over 200 functional computer systems and laptops. Users of the University Library ICT are privileged to access online scholarly resources such as AGORA, OARE, HINARI, ARDI, and numerous other online resources. The department has the latest update of the TEEAL offline database for researchers in agriculture and related disciplines. There is stable wireless internet connectivity, and a sitting capacity for 200 users. The department has computer services like desktop publishing, printing, scanning and photocopying services all at very subsidized rate. The department is poised to make our users research easier through the provision of adequate online resources and databases.

Reference Department:

Reference department is a part of the Readers Services Division of the University Library that houses reference information materials like encyclopaedia, dictionaries, reports, handbooks, projects, theses, dissertations, etc. The department is responsible for maintenance of reference materials and shelves through shelving, and shelf reading as well as book dusting. The department records and catalogues students projects, theses and dissertations received from various Colleges and Departments; issuing referral letters to our students that need to make use of other institutions; answers reference queries; assists users in makes available reference materials like encyclopedia, biographies, atlases, maps, student projects/ theses, government documents etc. gives referral notes to students who may wish to consult resources of other libraries.

Cataloguing and Classification Department:

Cataloguing and Classification department is one of the departments in the Technical services division of the university library. It is the hub of library services and responsible for the organisation/ processing of library information resources. The department is responsible for cataloguing and classification of information resources acquired by the library; production of catalogue cards; book finishing and catalogue maintenance.

Acquisition Department:

The Acquisition department is responsible for selection, ordering and acquiring required information resources. It has the responsibility of liaising with the Colleges and Departments of the university to identify their information need and ensure that such needs are met based of the availability of funds. The department receives acquired information resources, checks to ensure the order was well responded to, records and accessions the books. It is responsible for forwarding acquired book to cataloguing and classification department for further processing. The department has a unit responsible for gifts and exchanges.

Bindery Department:

This department binds students’ projects, theses and dissertations; Binding of worn-out books; Carries out minor repair of books; Spiral binding of documents and Provides photocopying services.

College Libraries:

The College libraries comprise the following: College of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (CEET) library, College of Physical and Applied Sciences (COLPAS) library, College of Natural and Applied Sciences (COLNAS) library, College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) library, College of Natural and Environmental Management (CNREM) library, College of Education (COED) library, College of Applied and Food Science Technology (CAFST) library, College of Agricultural Economics Rural Sociology and Extension (CAERSE) library, College of Crop and Soil Science (CCSS) library, College of Animal Science and Animal Production (CASAP) library, College of Management Sciences (COLMAS) library. These College libraries are headed by librarians and library officers.