YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF LIBERAL STUDIES

DEPT. OF LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE

COURSE CODE

LIS 117

COURSE TITLE

SOCIOLOGY OF LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE

LECTURER

DR. GEORGE, L.A

LECTURE NOTE

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LIS 117 COURSE OUTLINE
Lecture One
Definition of Sociology and its Concept
Lecture Two
Definition of Sociology of Library and Information Science
Lecture Three
The Concept of Library
Lecture Four
Features of Good Library (Attributes)
Qualities of a professional librarian
Lecture Five
Libraries and Social Agencies
(i)Types of Libraries and their Functions
(ii) Relationship Between Library and
-Education -Recreation -Information and Public Enlightenment -Culture - Mass media -
Change Agent.
Lecture Six
Philosophy and Librarianship
Lecture Seven
Role of Libraries and Information Centre in Modern Society
-Library and Society (Importance of Library to the Society)
-Groups and their Examples of Information Seekers
-The Information Society needs of (Urban dwellers and rural dwellers)
-Factor Affecting Reading Habits of User Groups
-Communication System and Library (Definition of Communication System)
-Factor Affecting Communication System
Lecture Eight
Principle of Library Services or five (5) Laws of Library
Lecture Nine
-Culture and Its Functions
-Libraries, Intellectual Freedom, and Censorship
Lecture Ten
Revision and Class Presentation/Quiz

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 LECTURE ONE
DEFINITION OF SOCIOLOGY AND ITS CONCEPT
Introduction

Sociology is the study of social behavior or society including its origin, development
organization, networks and institutions. It is a social science that uses various methods of
empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about order,
disorder and change.
In other word, Sociology is the scientific study of human social behavior, relationships, and
institutions. It examines the development, structure, and functioning of human society,
including the interactions between individuals, groups, and organizations.
Key Areas of Study in Sociology
1. Social structures: Examines the patterns and institutions that shape social behavior, such as
family, education, and economy.
2. Social interactions: Studies how individuals and groups interact with each other, including
communication, cooperation, and conflict.
3. Social inequality: Investigates the ways in which social factors, such as class, race, and
gender, affect opportunities and outcomes.
4. Social change: Analyzes the processes and consequences of social change, including
technological, cultural, and institutional changes.
Importance of Sociology
1. Understanding social issues: Sociology helps us understand and address social problems,
such as poverty, inequality, and social injustice.
2. Informing policy: Sociological research informs policy decisions and interventions aimed
at improving social outcomes.
3. *Promoting critical thinking*: Sociology encourages critical thinking and analysis of
social phenomena, helping us to better understand the world around us.
Applications of Sociology
1. Education: Sociology informs education policy and practice, helping to improve
educational outcomes.
2. Healthcare: Sociological research contributes to our understanding of health disparities and
the social determinants of health.
3. Social work: Sociology provides a foundation for social work practice, helping
professionals to understand and address social problems.

By studying sociology, we can gain a deeper understanding of human social behavior and
relationships, and develop effective strategies for addressing social issues and promoting
positive social change.
Basic concepts of Sociology
Library
A library or information resource Centre has been described as a place or complex and
trusted with various responsibilities such as selection, acquisition, processing, arrangement
or organization, preservation, storage, conservation, retrieval and dissemination of data,
record and information by professional and supportive staff to the right users at the right
time and place.

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Consequently, libraries all over the world are trying to play a wide array of roles for
satisfying their clients and making themselves more relevant in the society.
Libraries are no longer considered only a storehouse of knowledge where the information
seekers find their required information; rather, today‟s libraries are being considered as a
gateway (and a platform) from where information seekers could undertake their quest for
knowledge from myriad sources.
Culture
It is commonly used in three basic senses: in the define art and humanity, an integrated
pattern of human knowledge, believe and behavior that depends upon or capacity of symbols.
The thought and social learning as well as the set of shared values, attitude, goods and
practices that arises from an institution that is organized and grouped. Culture has being
described as active force holding society together, it could be used in the wildest sense to
include the learned habit, the total way of life of a social group or a group social heritage.
Culture is popularly defined as a way of life of a people.
There are two types of culture
(1) Material culture
(2) Non material culture
Material culture: is those artifacts that can be physically seen such as hoes, knives, dress,
Food etc.
Non material culture cannot be seen physically abut appear in the form of behavior or
attitude display by man/woman, such as the believe system.
Culture is a common perception held by the organization‟s members; a system of shared
meaning. It is the set of norms and values held by members of an organization which
significantly influence their behavior. The expected behavior, actions and values that are
shared by people in an organization.
The commonly held and relatively stable belief, attitudes and values that exist within an
organization. Organizational culture usually derives from the history and traditions of an
organization.

Information
Information is a powerful tool. In today‟s world, information plays a critical role in our
everyday decision making as well as the progress and development of the society. IFLA
(2011) posits that the core mission of library and information professionals is to facilitate
access to information for all, for personal development, education, cultural enrichment,
economic activity and informed participation in an enhancement of democracy.
Providing people with their desired information is the first and foremost duty of the
information professionals. In other words, the mission of information professionals is
essentially to provide people with access to the information that they need.
Definition of Information
Information is a term that is difficult to define because it has several dimensions.
Information means many things to different people. For instance, to some people:

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 1. Information means news, while others see it as facts or just data. There are those
who perceive information as bits and data.

2. The librarians see information as recorded knowledge etc. Information is used

interchangeable as news, facts, data and knowledge. Below are some definitions
of Information.
a) Information is a body of knowledge
b) It is physical surrogate of knowledge
c) It is all published and unpublished knowledge about any given subject.

3. Buckland (1991) discussed three meaning of information from Oxford English

dictionary:
a) Information: as a process: when is informed what they know is change. In
this change, information is the act of information; communication of the
knowledge or news of some fact or occurrence; the action of telling or fact
of being told of something.
b) Information as a knowledge: Information is also used to denote that which
is perceived in information as a process - the knowledge communicated
concerning some particular fact, subject or event that of which one is
appraised to hold, intelligence, news
c) Information as a thing: Information becomes tangible when it is a thing,
that is a physical object such data, document that are referred as
information because they are regarded as being information, as having the
quality or imparting knowledge or communicating information;
instructive.
4. Faibisoff and Ely: Information is that which reduces uncertainty. It assists in
decision making. It may exist in data, books, computers, people, files etc. They
sources have to be considered raw data until they are used to resolve uncertainties.
5. Information according to Aina, Mutula and Taimiyu (2000) is a meaningful
communication symbols that are transferred between any two points in human
communication or machine networks

6. What we call information is a random of collection of data which does not

become information until is used by someone to achieve a specific purpose.
7. Information is a symbol or a set of symbols which has the potential for meaning.
8. It is the communication of knowledge about an event of a given condition or the
spread of knowledge derived from observation, study, experience or instruction.
Types of Information
Information comes in different types. It depends on the user to choose/which-ever that will
suit the information needs.
According to Buck (1983), the following are useful classification or types of information that
can be displayed to users:

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  Instructions: Instructions refer to information that guides behavior in a particular way.
In other words, it supports performance to carry out a task by prompting on what to
do and when to do it. A simple sign telling people to enter or not enter a door would
be one example of instructions.
 Command. These are information that give a very straightforward statement on what
is or what is not permitted. Examples of command messages are: do not enter, do not
smoke, do not eat or drink. Command messages are simple sentences that are focused
or refer to high priority items.
 Advisory: Advisory information/messages are somewhat watered-down versions of
command messages. In some cases, these will be recommendations to avoid a
situation, at other times they would be information allowing for the preparation or
planning of particular activities. For example, one might be advised that his/her train
is late by a spoken message and be given an accurate time estimate for when the train
will be available.

 Answers: Answers are information that may be provided in response to a particular

enquiry that has been made. This is typical of an interactive information-handling
situation, where people have a particular question in mind or degree of uncertainty. In
this case, one can seek information from a source with regard to removing that. For
instance, if people want to know what the time of day is, they look at their watches
and clocks to find the answer. If people want to know what speed they are doing in
their cars, they just look at the speedometer gauge.
 Historical: This is an information that is used to look back at the state of a variable
over a period of minutes, hours, days or even years. For instance, a graphical
representation of road accidents over the last century would be a historical display of
information. Historical information makes it easier and enables people to see if there
is a trend of events in information.
 Predictive: This category of information enables examination of the current value
and indicates any likely change in the future.

Ellis (2016) also added the following types of information:

1. Factual Information: This kind of information is just for the facts. This could be
located in sources such as dictionaries. Example of factual information is what is
the temperature in Lagos, Nigeria today?
2. Analytical Information: This is more for interpretations, analysis, and criticism. For
instance, one analyzes/examines critically, so as to bring out the essential elements or
give the essence of a point. Examples of sources that contain analytical information
are Books, Articles in journals and Subject Encyclopedias Interpretations.
3. Objective Information: These are information without bias or non-judgmental.
They are not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudices; based on
fact. Examples of sources that contain objective information are Encyclopedias,
Subject Dictionaries.

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 4. Subjective Information: These are information in relation to opinions, evaluations.
Examples of sources that may contain subjective information are Books, Periodicals,
Classmates, Instructors, Friends, Media and Internet.
5. Primary information: This is information in its original form. These are information
that have not been translated by anyone else and have not been published elsewhere.
An example could be a research article on the discovery of a new virus. Examples of
primary information sources that may contain primary information are Research
journals, Firsthand accounts; Newspapers or television, Diaries, and original artwork.
6. Secondary information: These are kinds of information/tools that lead to primary
sources. They are information that have been repacked like examination, restatement
or interpretation of primary information. Examples of secondary information sources
are Bibliography, Documentary, Review Articles.

Society
The term society applies to all human communities whether organized or unorganized.
Society is an association of human beings and suggest the whole complex of the relation of
man to his fellow. A society can also be defined as a collectively whose members share a
sense of oneness, cultural pattern and a whole network of relationship which defines roles
and obligation among members. It is a unity that consist of institution and cultural patterns
which are exclusively to a group of people. Every society as it culture and the library
facilitate of any society is a product of the people‟s cultural norms.
Society creates culture and culture leads to library development. This is because the way
people behave, dress, talk and educate, religious, life, food birth and burial ceremony are
society based and are seen as the people culture.
Information society is a society where all people without distinction should have the
opportunity and the right to access and use information through the application of digital
technologies.
A social structure based on the free creation, distribution, access and use of information and
knowledge the globalization of various fields of life.

Communication
Communication is a process whereby information is endorsed in a packaged and is channeled
by a receiver through some medium. It refers to the transfer of exchange of information from
one person to person or from one place to another. When produce a reaction whether positive
or negative communication as a taken place.
Communication is a process, a transfer of information, ideas, talks and messages it involves a
sender, a receiver a code and a language that is understood by both the sender and receivers.
Communication is a process involving messages through the use of symbols which or parties
In the communication encounter understanding it involves the exchange of ideas, fact,
opinion, attitude and believes between people.
Sociology
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Sociology studies relationships among individuals and formal/informal groups; issues of
communication, group dynamics, leadership, organizational structures, groups,
organizational change etc.
Sociology is the study of society; it is the study of human social behavior especially the study
of human social behavior, or especially the study of origins organization institution and
development of human society. It can also be seen as the analysis of the social instruction or
a segment of the society either as a self-contain entity or a relation to society as a whole. It is
the study of nature and development of society as well as social behavior of citizens, it uses
various method of research investigation and cristae analysis to develop and refine a body of
knowledge about human social activity with the goal applying such knowledge to be pursuit
of a social welfare.

LECTURE TWO
Definition of Sociology of Library and information Science
It can be defined as the scientific analysis of the social process and patterns involved in
library and information system.
The sociology of library and information science examines the social context and
implications of libraries and information systems. It explores how social factors, such as
culture, power, and inequality, shape the creation, dissemination, and use of information.
Key Areas of Study
1. Information access and inequality: How social factors, such as socioeconomic status and
geographic location, affect
access to information and libraries.
2. User studies: Understanding the information needs and behaviors of different user groups,
including marginalized communities.
3. Library as a social institution: Examining the role of libraries in promoting social
cohesion, education, and community development.
4. Information policy and governance: Analyzing the social and political factors that shape
information policy and governance.
Importance of sociology of library and library science
1. Understanding information needs: Recognizing the diverse information needs of different
communities and user groups.
2. Promoting information equity: Addressing information inequality and promoting access to
information for all.
3. Informing library practice: Providing insights that can inform library collection
development, programming, and services.
Applications
1. Library services: Developing library services that meet the needs of diverse user groups.
2. Information policy: Informing information policy and governance to promote access to
information and knowledge.
3. Community outreach: Building partnerships with community organizations to promote
information access and literacy.
By applying sociological perspectives to library and information science, we can better
understand the complex relationships between information, society, and individuals.
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Sociology of Library and information Science can be seen has the study of the nature, status,
development, relevant and relationship of LIS to a given society. It seeks to examine issues
such as:
(1) The nature and purpose of LIS in the society
(2) The role of library and information on seeking behavior of different class‟s categories
of the
society.
(3) The information needs and information seeking behavior of different class‟s
categories of the
society.
(4) The characteristics, attitude and patterns of relationship of members of the society to
LIS
profession in the society.
(5) The factors that influence (both positive and negative) library and information
services as well
as librarianship profession in the society.
LECTURE THREE
THE CONCEPT OF LIBRARY
Definition of Library
A library or information resource Centre has been described as a place or complex and
trusted with various responsibilities such as selection, acquisition, processing, arrangement
or organization, preservation, storage, conservation, retrieval and dissemination of data,
record and information by professional and supportive staff to the right users at the right
time and place.
According to Americana Encyclopedia, the word “Library” derives its meaning from the
Latin word LIBER meaning BOOKS. This definition sees library as synonymous with
books.
Library can be defined as collection of prints and non-prints materials kept for reading,
studying and consultation.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines library as a place where books are kept for reading,
study or reference.
The Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science defines the term “Library” as “an
organization or system designed to preserve and facilitate the use of graphic records” A
common trend in these definitions is the emphasis on the word BOOK, even though libraries
have been existence before the advent of the written word.
A more acceptable definition of the concept sees the library as “a repository or storehouse of
books and other materials containing information organized for use”. One interesting
development of the 21st century is that a Library may or may not have walls; it no longer has
boarders in terms of collections especially with the Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) that drives the Virtual Library. On the other hand, a library can be
described as an organised collection of information materials housed in a suitable and

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conducive accommodation for ease of access and use by users under the supervision of
professional qualified personnel.
Historical Background of Library
There are diverse opinions with regard to the beginning of what is known as the library
today. While some scholars attribute its emergence to the advent of the written word, other
asserts that it started during the oral tradition era. To the latter category of Scholars, the
human brain as a store house of knowledge/information was exclusively the library of that
era. Information was passed from one person to another through the word of mouth. The
obvious limitations in this mode of storing and transmitting knowledge are:
1. There is a limit to what one individual can store
2. A whole body of knowledge is lost with the demise/death of the sole repository.
These aforementioned limitations led to the invention of the written word wherein knowledge
was stored in a permanent form. In this permanent nature, records were kept to provide
information at the right time. Hence, the records of government, business, warfare, religious
activities, etc. written on clay tablet, papyrus sheets and skin parchments are kept in temples
and palaces of kings and Queens of ancient empires as examples of libraries of those eras
when libraries were originally the preserve of the aristocracy
Over the last 4000 years, libraries have moved from „exclusive‟ to „inclusive‟, and the role
of the library and information professional has expanded from the confines of collection
management and preservation including knowledge management, information retrieval,
search, IT and learning support, program and event management among others. The advent
of printing in 16th -18th century A.D. brought about a revolution in the written word as books
became the chief sources of storing and preserving knowledge, therefore some see the library
as “a collection of books….” Libraries are now designed for universal access at any location
through digital devise.
Advance in science and technology brought in vogue what is generally known as information
explosion thereby making it increasingly difficult to keep pace with the avalanche of
information that is generated daily. The advent of printing was followed by the advent of the
computer which can be aptly described as Library because of its very high information
storing and dissemination capacities.
Recent developments in technology and especially communication have extended the scope
of the concept of Library to both Virtual Libraries and Library without walls and or Digital
Libraries or Paperless Libraries.
Departments and Units in the Library
The library as a unit is segmented into smaller administrative sections to make for easy
running of the entire library.
 Administrative Unit (The Administrative Head of the Library i.e., the
University/Polytechnic Librarian’s Office): This is the administrative Centre of the
library where all activities and services are coordinated, controlled and directed. The
polytechnic librarian‟s office serves as intermediary between the institution
management team and library staff and users.

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 Technical Services Department: This is the engine room of the library where all
activities of processing library collections take place. Such activity includes sourcing,
acquiring, processing and disseminating all library materials as well as repairs of all
mutilated or defective library materials like books, journals and e-materials done
manually and electronically with the aid of library tools like library of congress
classification scheme (LC) and other software to help putting the books at the right
place for easy retrieval and use by clients.
Sub-sections under Technical Department are:
 Acquisition section: This department purchases materials and is often
combined with cataloging or serials since the workflow is compatible with
both
 Cataloguing and Classification section: This department is responsible for
deciding where in the collection to put the material through identifying and
bringing out the bibliographic details of the material such as Author, Title,
Place of Publication, Publisher, ISBN et cetera. This section also assigns
the call number to books.
 Bindery section: The bindery section does the binding of newly cataloged,
unbound monographs; retrospective collections; and for unbound serial
issues cumulated and processed by the various custodial divisions.
 Readers’ Services Department: This is Human/Public relations unit of the library.
They are responsible for the registration of all library users both staff/students,
charging and discharging of books to library users, shelving and shelf reading of
library books, taking daily statistics of books borrowed/consulted and the library
users. Keeping and maintaining physical and e-reference sources, audio-visual
materials among others. Readers Services Department also ensures maintenance of
library utilities and clearance of all library users‟ indebtedness to the library both at
the point of collection of certificate and retirement for any staff.
Sub sections under Readers Department are:
 Circulation unit: this department manages the collection. Circulation
maintains the shelves and checks out and checks in the materials.
 Reference section: this department answers questions and assists patrons
with research materials and strategies. Reference skills and tools are used
in multiple public service departments.
 Audio-visual section: This section manages the audio-visual collection of
the library which usually includes both online resources and multimedia
items for borrowing and use. It also provides facilities for students to
watch video and DVDs, listen to sound recording and view microfiches
and microfilms. Students and teachers can also watch live streaming and
recorded TV programs online by use of TV.
 Serials Department: This department is a mini library on its own, where activities of
sourcing, acquiring, processing and disseminating both physical and electronic
periodicals to patrons. Examples of materials found in serials department are;
Journals, newspapers, magazines, newsletter, reports, conference proceedings,
bulletins, monogram etc.
 Information and communication Technology Department: This department is in
charge of computerization of library operations. The ICT department is responsible

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 for managing all the computers on Local Area Network in the library. It also uses
Software package to carry out its automation functions. The department oversees the
computer Laboratory (E-Resource‟s Centre) equipped with flat screen desktop
computer systems. This Laboratory is used by staff and students for lecture and
research. The unit also networked all other departments in the library in carrying out
their automated/online services to users.

Archives, Research and Documentation Department: This is the advanced research

section of the library by virtue of its collections. The unit acquires, organizes, process,
preserves, and makes these rare documents available and easily accessible to users. It also
assists in the research works of staff and students. Keeps Gazettes, Editorials, Legal
documents, building plans, Convocation speeches, Lectures, Seminar papers, past and
present project.

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 LECTURE FOUR
Attributes/Features of a good library
Many people in Nigeria abuse the use of the term, “Library” often, one notices that norms or
personal offices in Nigeria schools or other public organizations are labeled “libraries”
simply because of few books or serials, no matter how old and irrespective of whether or not
they are needed by anybody within the school or organization are kept there.
The following are attributes of a good library;
1. There must be a convenient space or accommodation set aside for no other purpose
but for library operations.
2. There must be a dynamic collection of books, serials and other ephemeral materials in
the space.
3. The materials must be systematically organized in a useful order, stored preserved for
posterity.
4. Only a person who has undergone formal education and training in librarianship
(Librarian, Library officer, teacher-Librarian) must be in charge of the library and
5. People(users) must be allowed to use the library at stipulated time by the library
management.
Keeping a collection, no matter the quantity and quality out of the reach of prospective users
negates the concept of library. Libraries have a common objective of acquiring information
materials such as books, serials, reference sources, audio- visual materials and other forms
records containing useful/relevant information. These are systematically organized,
processed, preserved and disseminated to users in order to meet their educational research,
information and recreational needs.
Qualities of a professional librarian

 Approachability
 Good communication skill
 Honesty/unbiased
 Love for Knowledge
 Good educational background
 Computer competence
 Friendly

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 LECTURE FIVE
Libraries and Social Agencies
Library can be described as a collection record of human culture in diverse format and
language preserved, organized and interpreted to meet broad and varying need of individual
for information, knowledge, recreation and aesthetic enjoyment.
Library can also be defined as a social institution for the exploitation of knowledge contained
in published matter. Each type of library is unique and performs gives roles.
Types of Libraries
1. National library
2. Public library
3. School library
4. Academic library
5. Special library
6. Private library
1. National libraries: These are the library owned by a sovereign nation or state. It caters
for the information need of the country and has legal deposit right: right to acquire all the
publication made by individual and organization within the country, no matter the
subject and all publication about Nigeria made by individual or organization overseas, no
matter their nationally. national libraries do not lend books and other materials to
individual. However, they could lend material to organization like universities or other
serious bodies in the country no long term basic. Examples of national libraries is the
national library of Nigeria, national of Uganda and the library of congress of the United
States.
2. Public libraries: Public libraries are owned by state and local government to cater for
the information, educational and recreational needs of the habitants. As the name
suggest, everybody is allowed to make use of public library resources subject to local
regulation. Public libraries also serve the interest of nursery and primary school children.
3. School libraries: School libraries are set up in nursery, primary and secondary schools
to cater for the teaching and learning interest of the pupils, student and their teachers.
The modern trend is to established school media resources centers. The media resources
center integrates the print and non-print materials to facilitate Individual well as group
learning by the school pupils. The furniture and materials in school media resources
center are specially designed to suit children. The entire environment is made attractive.
4. Academic libraries: Academic libraries are libraries of tertiary institution like
universities, polytechnics, colleges, of education, mono technology, major seminaries
and comparable theological colleges, colleges of agriculture. College of forestry,
colleges of fisheries and so on. Academic libraries are primarily established to provide
literature support to the programmes of their parent institution. For examples if s tertiary
institution is offering degree. Diploma and certificate courses. The library is expected to
provide educational research and information materials in the relevant subjects to suit
each level of the institution academic programmes.
5. Special libraries: special libraries are also referred to as research libraries. The special
library service the internet of research institution and people working in an organization

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 with specified subject interest which is usually narrow in space. Other times, special
libraries serve the interest for the public on a narrow discipline.
Therefore, for there to be a special library it is either that, the user is special or the
material are special. Examples of special libraries are the Nigeria institute of
international affairs‟ library Lagos, federal institution of industrial research Oshodi
library Nigeria institute for social and economic research library, Ibadan, the
international institute of tropical agriculture library, Ibadan, and the maps and
manuscripts library, Lagos [an arm of the national library of Nigeria, Lagos.]
6. Private libraries: Private libraries are owned by individual or organizations like
churches. The owner‟s educational, political or economic activities or out of the desire
to offer services to the public on a commercial basis.
private libraries, belonging to organization, including evangelization. Examples include
ministry libraries and the late CHIEF OBA-FEMI AWOLOWO at his Ikenne residence.
Importance of Library to the people
1. Libraries are portal to all the world knowledge.
2. The information kept in libraries help everybody people start their own small
business, which helps growth economy
3. Libraries offer service and products that the intellectual playing field. That means
that they allow people of any income level or background to access high-quality
information, to use computer or to borrow what they want.
4. Libraries changes lives in fact, they do it so well and so often that there has been an
annual library changes life.
5. Libraries serve a vital social service by helping bridge the gap between the have and
the have notes, especially when it comes to literacy and computer skill training.
6. Libraries have actually saved lives by providing information to doctor who dealing
with difficult cases.

The nature and purpose of library and information science

Purposes of Library and Information Science
(1) A library is built and organized for used and maintained by a public body and
institution. A co-
operation or a private individual.
(2) A library is to be able to provide a material that know individual can reasonable
expected to
have.
(3) A library should be able to provide a professional assistance to researcher‟s staff
and users or
students.
(4) Libraries should provide surety area for study and they should also provide
common area to
facilitate group study and collaboration.
(5) Libraries provide public facilities to access to their electronic resources and the
internet
(6) Library and information center should be a place to get unrestricted access to
information in
many formal and from many sources.
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 (7) A library should provide resources for teaching and learning.
(8) A library should serve as a department of all publication in the community it
serves.
Functions of Library
(i) Functions of the library in provision of information
(ii) Functions of the library in mass literacy
(iii) Functions of the library in formal education
Functions of the library in provision of information
The library is an information and communication system that provide different kinds offers.
The information needs of different classes of social members. The information may be
specialization nature as provided by special libraries for its users are sportive of status, age,
gender or race, geared towards facilitating teaching, learning and community services as
provided by academic library. Within the boundaries of law, the libraries are duty bound to
provide every citizen free access in provision information must ascertain the authority of the
resources, the linguistics understanding and relevance of information to the different levels
and knowledge interest of the society.
Functions of library in formal education
The fundamental role of the library is educational. All types of libraries, academic, school,
public, national, private, and special perform important, educational functions. Libraries and
information centers play educational roles in the provision of information resources (both
prints and delight) to support learning, research, community service and the enlighten of
citizens academic. Library feeds the intellect of the student and faculty producing
information entities to support teaching, learning and generate research. Public librarians
assembled preserved and administer books related to education materials in organized form
in other to promote guidance and the enlighten of the citizenship as well as the enactment of
the personal life‟s school libraries provide background materials to support circulation
developed reading habits skills to public and to supplement class-room teaching.
Function of the library in mass literacy
Mass literacy and non-formed education encourages all forms of functional education given
to youth and adult outside the formal school system, such as functional education given to
youth and adult outside the formal school system, such as literacy, remedial and vocational
education. To attain the goals of mass literacy, the federal government established the
national commission for mass literacy. Adult and non-formal educational. Public libraries,
rural and mobile libraries are information resources as well as information serves to different
class of individuals engaged in mass literacy, adult and non- formal education.
Function of the library to culture
Library serves as centers for the documentation of traditional values, norms and ways of life
of people. They are all agencies for the promotion of emerging literature the national library
occupies a unique position by virtue of the assigned functions and legal deposit privileges to
promote the culture of people. Public libraries provide accommodation for holding meetings,

16
staging drama, organizing debates and film shows of cultural relevance. These activities help
in cultural heritage.
Functions of the library in facilitating recreation
Libraries such as national, academic, and public through education orientated also ensure that
light reading materials such as newspapers and magazines are made available for leisure.
Libraries in developed countries perform these functions easily, but in developing countries
like Nigeria, Rwanda, Angola, they lack of reading culture makes users consult those
libraries only for the sake of examination and improvement of technical skills. Also, public
libraries encourage recreation and constructive use of leisure time.
Functions of the library in extension service
Library extension services are part of the efforts Aleve a balanced and economic
development of community are to persuade people that by their living conditions by the wise
and rage individuals to participate in information generation, transforming, repackaging,
utilization, and organizing ad to develop reading culture, adult literacy and social welfare in
which library is one of it. This is necessary in order to maintain the increase in productive
capacity.
Relationship Between Library and:
1. Education: it is very difficult to separate the education from the information role of
libraries and the mass media. The same medium or facilities as the case maybe are
used simultaneously to inform and educate the people. Education could be formal or
informal. All education publication and broadcast by the media could be acquired by
libraries and used for the same purpose in this regard. Libraries and the mass media
play complementary roles in formal education of the citizenly.
2. Recreation: The library is also a center where people have facilities and materials for
mental recreation. Similarly, the mass provides recreation through entertainment
programmes like media. Sport and newspaper and magazines publish cartoon and
word puzzle poem and folk tales to provide recreation for the reading public.
All the output of the media for recreation ends up in libraries either in printed forms
or as recorded video and tapes. These provide recreation for the library user in
addition to other related library resources and programme.
3. Information and public enlighten: The role of libraries as information organ has
already been discussed the mass media are regarded as in evitable persuasive
instruments in the social aspects of man‟s struggle for survival and self-liberation.
The mass media inform the public about local, state, national and international events.
The media publish or broadcast a number of defiled statistics and sometimes, facts
and stories about what is happening in their local environments. Information provided
by these agencies helps their listeners or readers plan their lives more effectively.
Newspapers in libraries are preserved as bound volumes, mouth or are stored in
boxes. They are, in many libraries, indeed, and abstracted to facilitate their
consultation by users. The same applies to magazines.
4. Culture: Culture is the way of life of a particular people, nature, race and so on it is. It
is used in the broadcast sense to include local crafts, technology, beliefs, marriage

17
 practices funeral rites, dances, drama etc. the media highlights various aspects of the
people‟s culture while the library acquires materials, including products of the media
for organization, storage, preservation and use libraries ensure that they are
transmitted from generation to generation. This important role to society by the mass
media and libraries will ensure that local culture and so completely forgotten.
5. Mass Media: Libraries and the mass media share the same main tasks and hires of
activity and in some countries come under the same programme and plans for the
development of the national economy. Their relationship is symbiotic. Newspapers
gather part of their material from libraries and when the newspaper are published, the
published material materials find their way back into libraries for future reference
……. as newspaper gather material to perform the function of informing, education
and entertaining the readers, they invariably generate information which library find
valuable to preserve for the purpose of meeting the need of their patrons.
6. Changes agent: change agent includes agricultural extension offices, health official
education official etc. activities of these agency are designed to bring about positive
change to the society. Agricultural extension officer visits the rural area to educate
and enlighten the people on modern method of farming, high yielding pest control
etc. how to apply fertilizer and so on usually they print poster hand bills and pamphlet
to convey their message to the people. Many of these information materials are in
variably kept in the library for future use. Also, library could then repackage the
information provided by change agent into vernacular for better understanding.

18
 LECTURE SIX
PHILOSOPHY AND LIBRARIANSHIP
Definitions of philosophy
1. Philosophy is defined as the study of all learning exclusive of technical precepts and
practical arts.
2. Philosophy is science and liberal arts exclusive of medicine, law, and theology.
3. It can also be defined as a discipline comprising as its core logic,
aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics and epistemology.
Philosophy of library and information science
librarianship is the profession that deals with knowledge organization. Libraries organized
knowledge for an easy retriever and use the various method use for this purpose are
categorizing, classification, and indexing, abstracting, bibliography, record, management and
knowledge management. The advertisement in technology especially the internet, world wide
web (WWW) and prevailing web 2.0 have made an impact on knowledge organization it has
changed the role of library from store house to information resource center and the role of
librarian from conservation to disseminator and collaborator of knowledge.
Philosophy of librarian through ages, man, the most important living being of the world as
continuously made progress with time and today all kind of achieve made progress with time
and today all kind of achievement are the result of his continuous effort. In the early ages he
was a wonder slopped again and again from one place to another to meet his basic needs of
life, like water, foods and cannot living separately. With the passage of time if develop
himself formed societies and started civilized life the changing philosophy of librarianship
from conversation and social dissertation and then to make social approach of collaboration
and dissemination as changed the all except of library from a mere store as to library 20 and
the role of libraries from conservation & custodian to disseminate and collaborate or in
knowledge building and sharing.
The philosophy of librarianship is not an immediate phenomenon. It has long history and
may be classified into four phrases as follows:
1 Librarianship in the early period before (1,500)
2 Librarianship in the early mother period (1,500 to 1,900)
3 Librarianship in 20 health country.
4 Librarianship in the contemporary age
In 1934 to Lankes in 2011 it is clear that librarianship should be a reflective and intentional
practice.
“The philosophy of librarianship, then, is the theoretical integration of library practice as a
unity, the encompassing understanding of the meaning of the profession. Through a method
that is at once critical and reflective, it attempts to form a synthetic whole out of the disparate
facets of librarianship to better direct its application.” Instead of searching for a unified
philosophy of librarianship, we should move from having a practice of librarianship to a
praxis of librarianship. To cultivate praxis is to remain curious about our practice and engage

19
with it. It is to want to know internally and externally what is changing and what is steadfast
in our profession. It is to think critically about our greater purpose and current goals when we
make decisions. Praxis brings philosophical underpinnings to our daily routines and
professional decision-making. On a day-to-day level moving from practice to praxis will
mean a shift in thinking. For example,
during discussions and decision-making processes, we may consider moving from one
vendor to another. In practice we may choose to partner with a vendor who‟s pricing better
reflects our budgetary constraints. In praxis, we may choose to partner with a vendor whose
mission better aligns with our own, despite higher pricing. This seems simple enough.
However, praxis manifests in the process of decision-making, not in the end result. To come
to this decision, this fictional team of librarians had to weigh their options through a critical
lens. They did not ask themselves, “What is our budgetary bottom line?” Instead, they asked
themselves, “how will this decision/vendor align with our mission and goals?” Had these
librarians not critically engaged with why they do what they do, they most likely would have
partnered with a vendor with lower pricing.
The Library Association has issued as Occasional Papers No. 3 the address " The Creed of a
Librarian- No Politics, No Religion, No Morals"-given by D.J. Foskett at a meeting of the
North Western Group, Reference, Special and Information Section in Manchester last
March*. Mr. Foskett directed attention to the fact that the attitude of the professional man to
the body of knowledge and technique that constitutes professional equipment is coloured by
a sense of purpose, and the ordering of that knowledge in the professional mind is inspired
and directed by the end for which it is acquired. The formulation of a profession al creed is
bound up with professional education, and it is in the formation
of an attitude of mind that we can distinguish between education and m ere training. For the
basis of a librarian's philosophy, he believed, one must look to the ideas of Mr. Raymond
Smith that a library is part of a social organization and that librarianship is a social process
inextricably bound up with the life of a community.
It was in special libraries that the place of the active information service in the progress of
knowledge could be most clearly seen-the library playing its part alongside the other
members of the organization, to promote the welfare of the organization by implementing its
policy through books. Librarianship, he pointed out, like all processes, was a dynamic
continuum, and the refinement of • Library Association: North Western Group. Reference,
Special and Information Section. Occasional Papers, No. 3: The Creed of a Librarian-No
Politic I, No ReHf1i on, No Morals. By D. J. Foskett. (London: The Library Association,
1962.) 3s. 6d. techniques, such as classification and indexing to provide a better service, was
being done mainly by special librarians. The most sustained attempt to work out a philosophy
of librarianship was that of Dr. Ranganathan, and his few basic laws expressed in a few short
phrases the philosophy of Raymond Smith, that knowledge increases, the people need
knowledge, and that the function of the library is to see that they get it. Librarians, Mr.
Foskett. argues, are the key figures in the process of organizing through flow of information
from producer to user, because they deal directly with the reader. However, if they were to
provide readers with the sort of reading that they wanted, some close knowledge of readers
was necessary, although bringing readers and their material together remained basically a
matter of organization. In reference service the librarian should be the reader's alter ego,

20
immersed in his politics, his religion, his morals. He must have the ability to participate in
the reader 's enthusiasms and to devote himself wholly and whole -heartedly to whatever
cause the reader has at the time of his inquiry. This involves also looking ahead and trying to
correlate the new information pouring daily into the library with the known requirements of
its users. Furthermore, one of the most useful functions the librarian could perform to-day is
that of taking a broad view, of seeing those factors that are common to many fields, of
widening the horizon of the reader, and assisting the cross-fertilization of ideas. A librarian,
too, should have strong personal convictions and to be efficient must be dedicated.
Major purpose of the philosophy of librarianship
a. To serve as a comprehensive and specialized tool for information and knowledge
b. To express its local obligation for social services, and
c. To provide a base for research and scholarship (Makherjee,1960)

21
 LECTURE SEVEN
LIBRARY AND THE SOCIETY

The role of libraries and information centres to the society. The library also plays the
following roles:
a) place of wide-eyed discovery,
b) tool for life-long learning,
c) support for political and social enquiry,
d) bank of ideas and inspiration,
e) source of answers to factual questions,
f) place to acquire new skills,
g) community centre,
h) local studies resource, and

I. a place of sheer pleasure and enjoyment

Definition of society
Society can be defined as a group of people with shared values, beliefs, symbols, patterns, of
behavior and territory. Or it may be defined as a large-scale human grouping that possesses a
comprehensive social system including all of those social institution required to meet basic
human needs.
As various defined by king & power [1981] is the act of informing as a noun. Information
can also be defined as the content of a message that is conveyed and is assimilated by the
person who receives the message such conveyed information usually result in some decision
action and behavioral change or add to one‟s knowledge which is the total sum of what is
known by person in the field of knowledge.
As society or community is made up of people of varying status occupation and educational
background are distributed all over the society.
The urban center and sub-urban have a mixed population. Four groups can be identified
form the population.
What is a Group?
A group can be defined as two or more people unite together for a common goal or aim.
Examples are : football team community course mate church or mosques.
The four groups of information seekers
1. The indigenes
2. The traders and artisan
3. Public servants, industrialist and expatriates.
4. Pupils and students.

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 1. The indigenes: These are people who inhabited the town or city when it was not yet
developed. Such people can be found in state capitals and other town and semi-urban
centers in the country. This group of people constitutes a high percentage of the
illiterates in that town or city. They are mainly traders, farmers, fisherman and
artisans.
2. The traders and artisans: This group of city dweller are itinerant traders. They migrate
from older-cities and the rural areas to new towns where they settle trade. They are
largely semi-literate and often complete with the aborigines in small and medium-
scale trading. To keep their trade going some members of this group venture into
inter-city and intra-city transportation. This group also controls petty traders and
services like barbing, photography, sewing, carpenter, welding, and so on,
3. Public servant, industrials and expatriates: This group of people are made up of
urban-dispellers is made up of public servant [ in chiding government officials the
army and the police], employees of the private sector for example, [ factory workers,
staff of banks and other financial institutions and so –on] industrialist and expatriates
include embassy staff, foreign expert staff of international organizational like
UNESCO, UNICOF and the world bank. most members of this group have had good
education and many are professional.
4. Public and student: These are children in nursery, primary, secondary and student in
trade school [ for examples fashion designing, catering secretarial studies] and student
in tertiary institution such as college of education, polytechnics, agricultural colleges,
universities and so on member of this group have very high opinion of themselves
and could be both in quotative and restive. They are regards as “the leader of
tomorrow” and so treated with caution.

The Information society needs of urban dwellers are as follows:

1. Information about the population of their environment.
2. Information about government activities.
3. Information about employment opportunity.
4. Information about the activities of private sectors. Eg industries, factories, hospitals,
private school, farm etc.
5. Activities about international about health
6. Information about health
7. Information about political programmes information on tourism.

The information needs of rural dwellers

1. Information for meeting personal needs e.g., employment, taxation, money matter.
2. Information for lifelong learning for example registration of school children transfer
of pupils, formal education, o level and adult literature
3. Information needs about organization e.g., PHCN, water corporation, professional
bodies, religious, organization.
4. Information about government programmes political parties, election and local
government council.
5. Information needs about information purpose; all these can be met through library
services.

23
Identifying the components of the community or society a library will serve
The users of libraries are as varied type of libraries. While some users are relatively
homogenous as in academic, school and special libraries, they could be heterogeneous in
national and public libraries. However, in order for libraries to specially provide services that
will meet the needs of their users, there is a need to delineate the various groups of library
and informers into specific homogenous groups such as:
6. Children: These are essentially pre-primary school children. It is important that they
are introduced at an early stage to place where they can entertain and educate
themselves. Children need graphics and audio-visual materials consisting mainly of
photographs, drawings, pictures and paintings. These group of users will also be
interested in storytelling.
7. Pupils: These are children and youth in primary and secondary schools for the
purpose of obtaining formal education. They are generally teenagers, thus apart from
using the library for educational purposes, they are used for recreational and other
activities.
8. Students: These are primarily those studying at ideologies, polytechnics, Universities
and other tertiary institution. They require the library to serve their learning purpose.
They use the library for recreational and cultural activities.
9. Adults: This group of users could be young adults for the elderly, employed or
unemployed. Most of these group generally have visible means of livelihood some of
them could be pursuing informal education such as distance learning in order to
improve their educational qualification.
10 Professionals: These are highly educated men and women who have expertise in
various area. They are highly skilled and many of them have gone beyond secondary
education. They are the engines of growth in the society.
11 Researchers & Lecturers: These are highly educated users with advanced degrees in
their subject of specialization. They work in universities and other tertiary institution,
research institute, government agencies etc. they patronize mainly academic and
special libraries.
12 Policy makers & planners: These are mainly politicians and top government and
private sectors officials they occupy various positions such as ministers, permanent
secretaries, heads of parastatals etc. they formulate policies. They are used mainly by
special librarians and occasionally by public literacies.
13 Artisans: (urban and rural based) these are people equipped mainly with vocational
education. This may be acquired formally or informally. In most cases, they serve as
apprentices before they become adopt in their vocation. There are involved in any
kinds of occupation e.g. plumbers, electrician, bricklayers etc. this group of people is
served by the public libraries.
14 Hearing & visually handicapped users: These are users of libraries who are either
fully or partially deaf and those that are fully or partially blind. They cut across all the
above groups, in order to use the library service effectively they require special
equipment which must be provided by the library for which can be used by those that
are visually impaired. Similarly, audio-cassette or compact disk should be purchased
for hearing- impaired users.

24
 15 Physically handicapped: This are users include wheelchair carrying users. Because
they cannot stand on their feet, it may be different for such users to browse the stacks/
the shelve many libraries have provision for such users in ensuring that they make use
of the library with little hindrance. Also included tis group of people who are
immobile and generally stays in their services. Public and special libraries usually
provide services for these group of people.
Library users makes use of the library for a variety of reasons some use the library for
specific reading, especially those preparing for examinations, undergoing formal
education and professional development, research and related needs. Others use the
library for recreation and entertainment, and yet a large number for meeting their current
awareness needs or solving personal information problems.
Information needs often understood as an individual organization desire to locate and
obtain information to satisfy a conscious and un-conscious need.
It is generally known that every individual, whether literate or not has information needs.
The information could be for recreation, pleasure or meeting task that are considered
critical to survival or information they could meet day-to-day activities, or even
information that is necessary for the neighboring, community and the nation in general.
Perhaps the most important information need is information that will enable the
individual to resolve uncertainties and problems, or that will help in decision making.
These libraries are expected to provide resources that will meet most of the needs of the
users.
It is known, however that the different information users‟ categories have different
information needs which a library must strive to meet children and adult generally need
for recreation and leisure. For pupils, students, professional and specialist, their
immediate information needs Centre around information that will support their learning,
teaching and professional development. This services to be provided by the library must
include all kinds of materials that will further their educational, professional and career
advancement. On the hand, artisans and rural dwellers needs information mainly for
survival, hence, any information that will improve their productively and attract more
customers will be critical to their survival, libraries have provision for such users in
ensuring that make use of the library with little hindrance. Also include this group are
users who are imprisons and hospitals, amending people who are immobile and generally
stays in their home. They cannot physically go to the library to use their services. Public
and special libraries usually provide services for these group of people.
Identifying the reading habits of users
Reading is an attempt to absorb the thought of an author and know what the author is
conveying. It is principally through reading that people obtain knowledge. Reading habit is
the use of reading as a regular activity. It is the cultivation of attitude and possession of skills
that makes reading habit is identified as the single most important determinant of a student
success in education and in our modern complex society.
Possessing reading culture requires a process of building up positive reading among student
and children over a period. When an individual habitually and regularly read books and other

25
information materials that are not necessarily required for him/her to advance in his
profession or career, he is said to have a reading culture.
Reading habits, on the other hand is the kind of habit that imbibes reading and studying as
the basic of growth and development. It is the type that sees continuous and dedicated
reading of information resources by pupils, children, student and adults for knowledge
acquisition which will be applied practically for development. Reading habit can also be
identified as how often, how much what readers read.
Factors Affecting Reading Habit of User Groups
1. Non-challant attitude to reading books or lack of interest
2. Limiting reading to one area
3. Failure to plan what to read or reading anyhow.
4. Source see it as not benefitting to them rather, they preferred was football match they
can see.
5. Same people do not read at all
6. Lack of fund is another factor
7. Scarcity of adequate book for libraries local.
8. low level of reading habit and reading culture among Nigerians has been ascribed to
multi-varied factors are:
9. Changed in Nigeria‟s valued system: The quest for material wealth has eroded
interest for the search of knowledge. Users now involve into all kinds of fraudulent
act to search for material wealth and ignore searching for knowledge.
10 Economic hardship: This is prevalent in many homes parent barely mange to pay
their children school fee talk less of easily getting or buying books for them.
11 Astronomical crisis of Books & other information materials: It has put books and
other relevant materials out the reach of the masses
12 Poor availability of indigenous books: This means that lot of authors are not being
encouraged to write books.
13 High cost of publishing books: This means that indigenous writers are not motivated
as they may not be able to finance the high cost of book publishing.
Factors affecting library and information services
1. Social factor: Library have vital role to play in enhancing the social well-being of
Nigerians in various ways. Some of the social roles of libraries in child providing
materials for educational advancement and substance. In libraries, are finds adequate
information on the health condition of the people at any given time. This type of
information is vital to government in taking decision on how to ideal the effective
health care delivery population information could help government plan its
population policy and to review it when necessary, libraries provides avenues for
recreation to workers and other members of the society who use the library.
2. Economic factor: The main pillar of economic growth and development includes
adequate skilled manpower, a predominantly literate populace appropriate technology
to explore and exploit the various natural resources of the country and also a
conducive political and social atmosphere. Relevant information and data must be
generated locally and disseminated rapidly to key functionaries of the enterprises.

26
 In Nigeria, a few business firms have set up special libraries to provide their
information needs. Such libraries include central bank of Nigeria library. Lagos
FIIRO library, Lagos cocoa research institute of Nigeria library, Ibadan; union bank
library, Lagos. However, many more firm are expected to set up their own libraries
especially in this information age. The community ability to remain in the forefront of
such industries in the world markets will increasing depend on the availability and
use of high-quality information services.
3. Political factors: Political leaders need information to make informal decisions about
community needs. Government agencies and parastatals have increased in number
and scope and systematic management of information is crucial to their effectiveness,
their decision-making process should depend on the use of appropriate information
made available by an efficient internal information system.
The political business of government could be discussed within the context of the
executive, the judiciary and the legislative. Information is an essential factor in
decision-making. To make a sound decision on any subject, at level and in any
circumstances, there must be appropriate information to guide the decision on any
subject. Available of appropriate information for sound decision- making becomes
more crucial in public affairs. Government policy formulation and in decision making
laws at local state, federal or national or international levels. This is because such
policies and laws affect the lives and fortunes of many people.
DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION
Communication is the process by which information is transferred between individual
and organizations by means of previously agreed symbols.
Communication is a process and as a process it is dynamic. It involves mutual
exchange of ideas and opinions, feeling, yearning, aspirations and goals.
Factors Affecting Communication
The following factors are as follows:
1. Noise: This factor is regarded as the most significant of all other barriers to good
communication. An environment that is noisy is capable of hindering the process
of development clear thought.
2. Language: language, if not well handled, many constitute barriers to the free flow
of communication. If words used are in appropriate, sentence structure and
general ideals not properly organized and there are omissions and lack of
coherence, there is bound to be communication setbacks.
3. Halo effect: This is a lack of communication between two or more people in a
society. Occasionally, we are prone to agree with a speaker because of the
confidence and trust we have in him or her, but the reversal could be the case
sometimes and on such occasion what we hear is totality ignored or treated with
the utmost caution.
4. Psychological climate: This is a significant communication have psychological
contents and are capable state of being speechless hindering effective
communication e.g., a person who has just be given a Mercedes Benz many find it
very hard to any speech.
5. Distraction: To achieve maximum result. The receiver is expected to listen very
well to the message. If, however there is distraction due to physical or
psychological factors effective communication will be loss.

27
6. Attentiveness: The frame of mind of the recipient in a communication situation
could affect the understanding of the message communicate.
7. Clarity: Another factor in effective communication is clarity. No matter the
language used; communication cannot be effective if the message is not clear.
8. Shortness of the message: The rule and effective communication is kept in short.
The message has to be very short, more likely it is to be distorted. Whenever one
wants to communication, one should do so directly and avoid unnecessary
rigmarole.

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 LECTURE EIGHT
Principles of library service or five laws of library
A famous Indian librarian and information scientist, DR. S. N Ranganathan, contributed
greatly to the development of librarianship especially through the guiding principles of
library science.
These five laws are as follows:
1. Books are for use
2. Every user his book
3. Every book is user
4. Don‟t waste the time of the library users.
5. The library is a growing organism. These five laws have become the basic principles
guiding library practice all over the world. The laws have far reached implications to
technical and reader‟s services in the library as stated below:
1. Books are for use: Books and other materials containing information in the library are
meant to be consulted by users. The books and other materials may not use unless the
right ones have been provided for the appropriate users. For example, if a group of
people are interested in medical science or geography ones such materials provided,
cannot meet the information need of medical science researchers. Consequently, the
materials on computer sciences and geography so provided will lie on the library
shelves unutilized. Acquisition of the wrong books for the medial scientist invariably
amount to a wastage of science library acquisition resources.
2. Every user his book: if many books are stocked by the library without being
systematically organized, users would not easily locate the book which they need.
They will find some other people all together. Not the person whose information need
is different. This is in spite of the fact that every book needed by the disturbed use is
available in the library.
3. Every book its users: This has application similar to that of the second law already
discussed. Only those interested in a specific book will collect the needed book for
use. Book are not found by the process of trial and error
4. Do not waste the time of the library users: A library user is often in a haste to collect
information. Its time will not be wasted if he can find what material he wants with
minimum delay. This is why libraries provide public catalogues. The library public
catalogue is a directory of all the holidays of a particular library. The library public
catalogue is a directory of all the holiday of a particular library. It tells the user what
materials are available for use that library and their specific locations on the shelves.
5. The library is a growing organism: This implies that the library is expected to be
everlasting. No one opens a library only to close it down after some time. Instead, the
sizes of the library‟s stock and other resources are supposed to be increasing or
expanding with time. New materials (for instance latest edition of an existing library)
should be acquired from time to time boost the library‟s collection.

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 LECTURE NINE
Definition of culture : This can be defined as the totality way evolved by people in their
attempts to meet the challenges of living in their environment. This gives order and meaning
to their social, political, economics, aesthetic and religion norms and mode of organization.
The various aspects of culture are:
1. The material aspect: Artifacts in its broadest form [tools, clothing, food, medicine,
utensils, housing, so on.
2. The institution aspect: Political, social, legal, and economic structure created to help
achieve material and spiritual objective.
3. The philosophical aspect: Concerned with ideas, belief and values and
4. The creative aspect: This concern with the people literature [oral or written] as well as
their visual and performing arts which are normally mounded by as well as help mold
other aspect of culture.
Functions of culture: 1. It serves to adapt man as a species to his physical environment
2.Man finds in culture the pattern for adjusting to his social group and belong to a
personality of a human being.
3. Culture contributes to order and harmony in a society and to its survival as an ending
and unified group.
Characteristic of culture: Culture is learnt: Culture is neither instinctive nor innate; it is not
part of the biological equipment of man. Culture is acquired by man by virtue of his
membership in human groups. Culture’s Functions Culture performs a number of functions
within an organization.
1 First, it has a boundary-defining role; that is, it creates distinctions between one
organization and others. Second, it conveys a sense of identity for organization
members. Third, culture facilitates the generation of commitment to something larger
than one‟s individual self-interest. Fourth, it enhances social system stability.
2 Culture is the social glue that helps hold the organization together by providing
appropriate standards for what employees should say and do. Finally, culture serves
as a sense-making a control mechanism that guides and shapes the attitudes and
behavior of employees. It is this last function that is of particular interest to us, as the
following quote makes clear, culture defines the rules of the game:
3 Culture by definition is elusive, intangible, implicit, and taken for granted. But every
organization develops a core set of assumptions, understandings, and implicit rules
that govern day-to-day behavior in the workplace. Until newcomers learn the rules,
they are not accepted as full-fledged members of the organization. Transgressions of
the rules on the part of high-level executives or front-line employees result in
universal disapproval and powerful penalties. Conformity to the rules becomes the
primary basis for reward and upward mobility. The role of culture in influencing
employee behavior appears to be increasingly important in the 1990s. As
organizations have widened spans of control, flattened structures, introduced teams,
reduced formalization, and empowered employees, the shared meaning provided by a
strong culture ensures that everyone is pointed in the same direction.
REVISION AND CLASS PRESENTATION/QUIZ

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