Enhancing The Availability And Accessibility Of Library Materials To Students Through Reprographic Services In Academic Libraries

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Academic libraries all over the world are established to provide literature to support the teaching, learning and research activities of their parent institutions as may be applicable.
According to Nwabo (2008) academic libraries acquire information resources in diverse media, organize, preserve and disseminate them to users through a plethora and user oriented services which can be summed up as circulation, reference services and reprographic services. Today, reprography is a past and cheap means of disseminating information and as a major activity in modern library (EZE 2004).
There is no doubt that reprography has become an indispensable tool in the generation and dissemination if information to different libraies and information centres. Reprography which according to Lal and Ikvmar (2005) means to produce a fresh copy of the document is now taking the central stage in library services. Reprography as rightly noted by Eze (2004) is a fast and cheap means of disseminating information and to him is now becoming a major activity in modern library practices.
Reprography as explained by Anyanwu (2008) is a term that is now used in place of photo duplicating, photocopying, duplicating, printing, document reproduction or documentary reproduction. Reprography serves many roles in libraries and these roles amongst others includes dissemination of information on a large scale among libraries and between libraries and their patrons, reproduction and catalogue preservation of records, security, storage of important documents, securing the protection of information in rare and important texts, extensive republications of information of unique collection of data, out of print books, manuscript, backruns of volumes of periodicals and saving of space in the library.
The importance of reprography in library and information services includes ensures speedy access and processes in acquiring an original work and all elimination of time lag as well as saving space in the library through the redirection of bruky materials into formats like microfilm, microfictic and others. Reprography therefore helps ensuring effective service delivery in any from of libraries.
In the face of global economic recession, where libraries are grossly under funded, reprographic services has come to play a significant role academic library services. With reprography in place one can get an exact copy of the original documents.
Apparently, reprography has enhanced the use of library materials. Users can now have access to copies of materials even in situation where somebody is using the original; photocopies could be made for others.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Having adequate resources in libraries is not an indication of a good or well organized library, because the availability of resources do not guarantee accessibility. It is interesting to really note that while we are carrying that our libraries are inner stocked, it is always difficult for users to libraries to enhance availability and accessibility of library materials to students. Many times, users of academic libraries do find a difficult to effectively exploit the available resources. It is against this backdrop that this study is being carried with a view of investigating how reprography can enhance availability and accessibility of library materials to students in academic libraries.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The specific objectives of the study are as follow:
1) To establish if reprographic services are carried out in the library under study
2) To determine if the reprographic services has in any way enhanced availability of library materials.
3) To ascertain the impact of reprographic services on accessibility of library materials.
4) To determine the extent to which reprographic services are carried out in libraries.
5) To identify the problems limiting availability and accessibility of materials in libraries through reprography.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were formed line with the objectives of the study:
I. Is reprographic services carried out in Alvan Ikoku federal College of Education (AIFCE)?
II. Has reprographic services in any was enhanced accessibility and availability if library materials in AIFCE?
III. To what extent is reprographic services carried out in Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education?
IV. What are the problems limiting effectiveness of reprographic services?
V. What are the solution to the identified problems?

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is centered on enhancing the availability and accessibility of library materials to students through reprographic services with particular references to Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education.
Through other documentary services, the following areas, concept of reprographic services, relevance of reprographic in library services among other sub-heading will be fully explored.

1.6 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The study are limited by many factors such as unavailability of resources relating to the subject matter in the library as well as the high cost of downloading materials from the internet were critical factors limiting the extensiveness of this research.
The information bearing resources to be used for this study is limited to library subject-based text books, online journals etc.

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be of great significant in many ways. Firstly, it will contribute to existing literatures in the subject matter of reprographic services thereby serving as a reference documents to future researcher.
Secondly, library administrators will benefit from the findings of this study because it will help them to appreciate the scenario will help to create any services in academic libraries.
Thirdly, the findings of the study will help in identifying the need in the enhancement of availability and accessibility of library materials to students.