INTRODUCTION
At the Normal Meeting of UNESCO held in Paris on 19th November, 1964, it was agreed that “a publication is a periodical if it constituted one particular problem in a continual series underneath the exact same title” (Norman, 2008). Supporting this idea, a periodical literature is printed at frequent intervals over an indefinite time period, unique concerns in the series getting unnumbered. On this take note, a periodical literature is a publication with a distinct title which appears at stated or regular intervals without prior final decision as to when the very last problem shall surface. It has content articles, stories, or other writings by quite a few contributors. Periodical literature is utilized in its narrower sense as indicating transactions and percentages of societies, each day newspapers publications, scholarly journals, trade journals, critique journals. Like most underdeveloped and developing international locations in the entire world insufficient funding of bigger schooling libraries in Sierra Leone displays on improperly designed periodical literature selection and as a final result ineffective info services is delivered to the dissatisfaction of end users. Based mostly on the value for investigate get the job done in the academia, handling periodical literature in higher education and learning libraries in Sierra Leone really should be the require for a selection of typical periodical literature in academic libraries is vital.
Better Academic Institutions IN SIERRA LEONE
Sierra Leone operates a 6-3-3-4 method of training are subdivided into six(6) decades at the most important stage, a few(3) years at the Junior Secondary degree, 3(3) at the Senior Secondary amount, and a minimal of four(4) yrs at the tertiary stage. This sub-division allows the implementation of curriculum that normally takes account of the distinctive pupils a lot more thoroughly. The normal intention of education and learning coverage in Sierra Leone is to give every single little one with an education which requires absolutely into an account: character progress: his interest potential and aptitude his emotional, psychological and actual physical well-becoming the manpower requirements of the country the equal value of both equally academic and non-tutorial education the have to have for a literature and numerate populace. the economic means of the point out, so that his schooling can be of use to the country and at the same time present opportunities for him to be effective in lifestyle.
Increased schooling is put up-secondary instruction presented in a college, faculty or polytechnique and is the phase of specialisation. The objectives of bigger training change according to the establishment and course of analyze but generally incorporate the acquisition bodily and mental abilities needed for the improvement of equally the person and his modern society. In Sierra Leone, greater educational establishments variety the basis of academic advancement following the completion of secondary schooling. Higher instruction is the most effective implies altering the outlook of people via the broadening of their horizon. Societal development to a large extent is dependent on the human source empowerment and advancement. From this background, increased academic establishments perform a pivotal function in developing the human source to contribute positively and meaningfully to the socio-economic, political and educational enhancement of Sierra Leone.
Increased educational establishments in Sierra Leone are the College of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma College and Njala University which are state owned and College of Makeni and Limkonwong University which are private owned. The constituent faculties beneath the University of Sierra Leone include things like Fourah Bay University(FBC), Institute of General public Administration and Management(IPAM) and Faculty of Medicine and Allied Health and fitness Science(COMAHS) Bo Campus and Njala College. The greater academic establishments of collegiate standing include Milton Margai Faculty of Training and Know-how Jap Polytechnigue Bonthe Polytechnique Freetown Trainer. Port Loko Lecturers University and these offer you classes foremost to the award of diplomas and Certification. On the opposite, the point out-owned and personal -owned universities supply Certificates, Diploma, Undergraduate and postgraduate diploma classes in numerous disciplines in the faculty of their respective institutions. The curricula differs from establishment to institution and curricula and programmes that demand the use of periodical literature involve medication, law, engineering, education and learning, agriculture, arts and humanities, social sciences, pure and used sciences, technological know-how, administration and administration. To a increased extent, the Central Govt, by means of subventions money for increased instructional establishments to enrich their easy-managing, even however some donor businesses do render monetary help to these establishments in addition to inside cash created by them.
Higher Training LIBRARIES IN SIERRA LEONE
Libraries are storage of information and facts and info is these types of a precious commodity that its enormous contribution to national development are not able to be underestimated. Increased instruction libraries are the nerve centres of all academic actions. This just indicates that these libraries contribute to the instructing/understanding and investigation programmes of the parent establishments by offering the wanted info providers for undergraduate and postgraduate learners, educating team, scientists, administrative and complex employees. Helpful academic get the job done is dependent on high quality details service and the library performs a substantial role in this regard. According to Frederick Ken Nicol information is an critical resource used by organisations to deliver ideal item or services to shoppers(2011 p.64). In this vein, larger schooling libraries regulate info to satisfactorily satisfy the require of their clientele. Therefore, information and facts desires to be prepared for in the identical way that human and fiscal sources are prepared to assure elevated productiveness and efficient service supply. Consequently, academic libraries like all other organisations that have considered out and systematic data arranging procedure stand out to benefit much more all those that do not. Very well-prepared and organised information and facts enhances helpful assistance delivery.
Larger training libraries in Sierra Leone help study function, group progress and complement the educating/studying procedures in their respective parent institutions. In this regard, superior management of greater education libraries is the organisations and maintenance of a very well-well balanced and lively selection in making sure that the data requires of buyers are satisfactorily satisfied. The different collections stocked in these establishments include but not constrained to common e-book assortment on all disciplines to loan by end users out of the library creating, specialised assortment, reference assortment and periodical literature and the quantum of their contents is dependent on the sizing of the library and its readership. Establishing and keeping a very well-stocked selection as nicely as recruiting and empowering proficient and capable team is mainly dependent on the monetary power of the library. Therefore academic libraries require to be prioritised by their guardian bodies when it arrives to annual budget acceptance and allocations for their effective functions.
Controlling academic libraries could be linked with the solutions they present. Considering the fact that the operations of educational libraries are gear in direction of the provision of efficient solutions, this is only actualised by buying many copies of textbooks, modern journals and a superior collection of proposed texts for qualifications looking at to acquire and organise an educational library for powerful tutorial function.
PERIODICAL LITERATURE IN Bigger Instruction LIBRARIES AND Administration
The provision of larger instruction libraries is important in complementing the educating/learning approach and for productive research do the job. In this regard, top quality must be set on the administration of periodical literature in bigger instruction libraries using into account their importance in furnishing existing and researchable data.
Since periodical literature varieties component of the assortment of an tutorial library, a massive percentage of its price range allotted must be utilised for the invest in of existing and popular journals. The periodicals to be acquired should really be titles proposed by school associates in collaboration with the periodical Librarian throughout disciplines made available in the establishment this sort of as Library Quarterly Journal of Sociology Chemical, Abstracts Soils Science Journal Worldwide Journal of Administration Clinical Science Quarterly. It is significant to note that organising and retaining periodicals in increased schooling libraries differ from institution to establishment.
In the beginning, periodicals were revealed to permit philosophers and Scientist to converse their new suggestions and considered to many others intrigued in the very same or very similar subjects. Currently, periodicals are principal media for publishing original realized papers and the condition-of-the-artwork evaluations. They are increasingly significant as they can be useful for both of those latest and retrospective facts desired by teachers.
Lawson(2014) opined that the significance attached to periodical literature necessitates the improvement of a strong periodical literature collection as component of the library inventory. The author of this write-up, however exposed that periodicals are of great importance in larger instruction libraries in that:
- new subject areas new discoveries and systems are normally launched in articles or blog posts in periodicals
- they supply generally the most up-to-date achievable info on a offered subjects
- they are frequently the purely supply of products on new topics
- they supply a certain article to a reader who has found it cited in a book or an additional journal and
- they deliver an overview of the state of a given self-discipline at a specific time.
Also periodical post may remain priceless information and facts resources for a era or in truth for a more time period of time. Periodical articles or blog posts are generally reasonably concise, frequently very trusted and routinely perfectly-illustrated. A point to observe is that periodical have recent facts on most disciplines.
Additional importance of periodical literature in larger schooling libraries as asserted is that they are major supply of new facts, whether it be the result of investigate, information products, statistical details, announcement, correspondence, commercials about a items and solutions or regardless of what. Every single form of periodical is essential to at least a team of individuals in academia, relating to their operate, or leisure pursuits some have ephemera existence other people may be helpful for a lot of a long time, even indefinitely. Taking into the thought the importance of periodical literature in better education and learning libraries, their choice and acquisition possibly by membership, donation or exchange really should be a collaborative exertion amongst the libraries and staff members of the many faculties and universities.
Periodical literature in bigger training libraries in Sierra Leone consist of journals, indexes, abstracts, publications, serials and their organisations and management differs from library to library. Problems of all gained periodical literature are recorded on a kardex and any lacking challenge need to be claimed from the publisher. Ahead of displaying and shelving them, all recorded issues are claimed with the ex libri stamp of the library in issue. When all the concerns to full a quantity are been given, they are then place collectively to be sent to bindery or conservation unit for possibly tricky protect binding or stitching. Consumers of periodical literature in these establishments include things like college students, lecturers and researchers. Periodical literatures are to be utilised in the walls of the Periodical Department. Having said that, people are permitted to acquire them out to photocopy the expected webpages immediately after signing for them. Lecturers are supplied conception to financial loan them on quick time period basis and loan data are retained to recall overdue troubles. The routine maintenance of periodical literature is as significance as the other collections of the library.
Problems
The important obstacle higher education libraries in Sierra Leone encounter is funding. These libraries are inadequately funded by their mother or father bodies to a level that the sleek-jogging of their operations in ensuring successful facts support shipping and delivery is greatly hampered. For an academic library to develop and preserve a vibrant periodical literature assortment rely on how very well it is funded. Selection growth in increased education libraries in Sierra Leone has confronted troubles of fulfilling the demand of their clientele with an expanding scarcity of cash to cope with the superior charge of periodical publications. As the outcome of the regulation finances allotted to operate these libraries, subscribing to the expected journal title poses a serious problem for the Acquisition Librarian. Some volumes are incomplete missing issues are really hard to switch and the acquire of kardexes on which received journal problems are recorded is not pretty possible since the library operates in just a minimal money means.
In effectively working increased training libraries, both of those the human and money things really should be balanced as these two are inseparable in achieving the wished-for objective of an organisation. Towards this track record, colleges and universities in Sierra Leone with the assistance of the Ministry of Complex and higher Training should really re-defined their respective libraries so that top quality could be positioned on the membership of suitable journal titles as nicely as declaring missing issues from publishers and their brokers.
Another obstacle greater education libraries in Sierra Leone faced in running their periodical literature assortment is that of storage area. Most of these libraries with the exception of Fourah Bay Higher education(FBC) library which has a separate Periodical Department, do not have adequate area for freshly obtained titles. The storage problems these libraries confronted potential customers to the frequent weeding of periodical literature to create house for subsequent troubles.
The price tag associated in conserving and preserving periodical volumes and challenges is another problem in managing periodical literature in higher education and learning libraries. Unbound, unstitched troubles can be conveniently snatched absent specially for those in large demand. Completing the difficulties are these of hefty use of confined copies. Opening hrs of periodical literature assortment and bank loan procedure inadequate workers scenario and ability creating for personnel to proficiently manage periodical literature assortment which indicates that recruited staff must be trained academically and skillfully to improve their competence and effectiveness misuse and abuse of periodicals in conditions of theft mutilation of significant posts thereby depriving other users and rough handling that causes destruction which simply just means insecurity digitisation of periodical literature collection as a way of modernising it in this data Age whereby facts is processed, preserved and retrieve electronically in ensuring velocity and accuracy unavailability of on the net copies and photocopiers using into account the developing number of periodical literature.
Any procedure of assortment improvement in greater schooling libraries are unable to afford to neglect the question of periodicals which can be seen as a challenge. As valued sources of current and reputable information and facts for researchers and lecturers, periodicals are of fantastic significance. The role they engage in for the advancement of knowledge to beat illiteracy simply cannot be underestimated. Periodical literature stays important resources of information for a generational period of time. Higher schooling librarians may possibly not be equipped to judge the intrinsic benefit of periodicals but ought to know a thing about their worth to the institution in issue and pattern of use which are critical standards for judging their worth.
Periodical literature can be of excellent significance in bigger schooling libraries in Sierra Leone and so their effective administration ought to be of worry to the librarians and college authorities. In creating periodical literature collections in educational libraries make certain balanced assortment of existing journal titles in topic spots appropriate to the curriculum, librarian-college collaboration is essential. The adequacy of periodical literature selection rely on journal titles chosen and obtained to be additional to the existing stock to fulfill the wants of the curriculum of the institution and individuals of buyers. In see of these challenges, the authorities of higher instruction libraries in Sierra Leone need to see the need to have to solicit sufficient cash by means of lobbying the Authorities, NGOs, parastatals and philanthropists to render economic aid for the helpful cooperation of their libraries. Advocating by librarians for very good spending plan allocation is quite in spot and the stage in the suitable course.
Conclusion
Higher instruction libraries in Sierra Leone need to build and taken care of lively periodical literature collections but this is dependent on how sufficiently they are funded by their respective dad or mum establishments. Hence, there is a want for an boost in the price range allocation of these libraries so that they can obtain their desired ambitions. A stage-truly worth noting is that the appointment of skilled and competent staff members in functioning the periodical selection of these libraries must be taken into keen thing to consider as each the human and fiscal factors ought to be perfectly balanced in maximizing powerful support supply. Ability creating of the recruited staff to a large extent is basic for productive functionality guarantees their upward mobility which is witnessed as a motivational component. Personnel of the periodical literature assortment ought to be security-conscious to avoid the misuse and abuse of periodicals. The use of periodical ought to be carefully monitored by workers so that web pages are not mutilated and heavily used challenges are not taken absent by customers whereby other folks are deprived. Photocopying amenities should really be delivered inside of the library, so that desired webpages are photocopied by users on ask for. The availability of ample resources boosts the digitisation of periodical literature collection thereby making sure the availability of on the internet copies which can make the administration of periodical literature in increased education libraries in Sierra Leone advantageous. The librarians of these establishments ought to endeavour to revisit the opening hours of their periodical literature collections as extensive hours could allow financially rewarding use of the time of users.
REFERENCES
Donaldson, Frank H. (2010). Running periodicals in educational libraries. New York: Prentice Corridor.
Findlay, Jane Rose (2011). How to build and operate a periodical collection in a university library? London: ELM Publications.
Lawson, Eric J.(2014). What is a periodical and its significance for scientists? Cambridge: Cambridge University Push.
Nicol, Frederick Ken(2011). How to purchase and handle periodical publications in investigation libraries? New York: Educational Push.
Norman, Betty Ann(2008). The use of periodicals in higher education libraries. London: Clive Bingley.
