Resource Sharing In University Libraries

2.3 Resource Sharing

The concept of resource sharing has been used in the developed countries as a means to alleviate the resource inadequacies of individual libraries. There is no doubt that resource sharing programmes have a significant role to play in developing countries, given the problem of scarce resources and if libraries are to continue to meet the demands of other users, increased cooperation and resource sharing are vital. Rosenberg (1993) continues to note that on the ground there is little in the way of resource sharing. The survey (Rosenberg, 2001) of University libraries in Africa found that interlibrary lending (the main, if not the only, form of resource sharing practiced), was minimal, especially in-country and within Africa.

This body acknowledges the significance of addressing fundamental issues of development in universal access, infrastructure, information and communication technologies, literacy, skills and training, E-learning, and E-Agriculture (Ibeun & Obasuyi, 2007). Lack of funding has been a bigger issue among university libraries and has been attributed to lack of understanding of the role of libraries in an institution of higher learning by university and political leaders as it emerged from the Carnegie conference (2004) and mentioned by many other writers (Musoke 2008, Ade Ajayi, Goma & Johnson 1996, Paulos 2008, Rosenberg 2001). The growing number of university students, the increase in study programmes coupled with paradigm shifts in curriculum and research, the increase in research and the rapid ICT developments have all changed the routines of traditional academic librarianship (Musoke, 2008).The demand for information resources has increased, with diminishing budgets, resulting in a poor service to library

• The library management should strive for total application of ICT into their services while providing more books for the library users.

• The libraries should create their own official web site. As it will aid the display and exchange of information resources of books in a wide variety of formats, which will make it easy for librarians and library user to read, copy, download and print information resources of interest to them.

• Libraries should utilize web (www) technology to host and manage electronic information resources for knowledge sharing.

• Librarians should acquire technical skills, IT skills, managerial skills and communication skills to work in digital environment.

• To keep the librarians up-to-date and well aware of the new trends in the profession, continuing education and development programs (CEDP) should be started by Library Associations and LIS