Study Of Additional Sources Of Funding To Public Libraries

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
A public library is not only publicly owned but is also open to use by every citizen who desire to use it. It charges minimal fees for registration and the law stipulates its functions and also establishes a Board that overseas its affairs (Opara, 2007). Public libraries are libraries set up to provide free but traditional services to everyone and is generally referred to as a layman library or university
Finance is the bedrock of every organization, including the public libraries. For libraries to actualize the basic objectives for which they were established, it implies that adequate funding should be made available. Without funds, it would be difficult to maintain or carryout any form of library operations and services. No wonder (Igbo and Dike, 2006) quoting (Anafulu, 1996) opine that “Procurement and processing of materials, hiring of personnel, purchase and maintenance of equipment are made through money. According to them, where finance is inadequate, the efficiency of the service of the library is bound to be adversely affected.
In the view of (Akintola, 2006) the dwindling funds being allocated to the public libraries have resulted in poor provision of facilities and materials in most of our libraries, she went further to reveal that library shelves are now filled with obsolete books, subscription to foreign journals are reduced to almost zero, reading rooms have become gloomy with poor lighting facilities, the moral of librarians working in these environment are low and therefore make some of them not to function effectively all because of inadequate funding of the libraries.
According to (Oduagwu, 2006) “Libraries are organic” This is to say that they grow or shrink with time depending on how much life (money) is injected or infused into them. Fund, according to Oduagwu, is needed to provide for the libraries in Nigeria.
From the foregoing, it would be right to establish that finance is an indispensable tool for the achievement of the objectives of any organization, this view is in line with (Igbo and Dike’s 2006) opinion when they quote (Anafulu, 1996) saying that without adequate financial support the library cannot effectively play the role of organization and administration of collection, staff maintenance, procurement of equipment, satisfaction of user expectation and evaluation of services” (Okiy, 2005) reveals that government funding of libraries and information centres has been poor thereby requiring libraries to look for alternative sources of income in order to meet the increasingly sophisticated demand of library users for electronic information services, according to her, several methods for generating income have been identified, explored by many libraries and discussed in library literature, but have yielded little in the way of additional funding in public libraries in Nigeria.
(Adeyoyin, 2006) citing Rosenberg, Opines”…. That there’s a movement away from total reliance on government funding toward additional sources for library income and this is akin to the fundraising that many other libraries do around the world”

1.2 BACKGROUND OF IMO STATE LIBRARY BOARD
Imo State library Board came out from Eastern Regional Library Board, it was later part of the East central state library with the creation of twelve states in Nigeria on 3rd February 1976, the former East central states. The states were Imo and Anambra, based on this development the then east central state library board was replaced by the Anambra and Imo state library boards.
However, the Imo State library board continued its operations from Enugu until September 1976. This was as a result of the non-readiness of the building in Owerri which was initiated by the East central states library board. The structure being in the state capital was use as the nucleolus of the Imo state central library and head-quarters. The state central library was opened to the public on 12th November, 1976.
The official law establishing it was passed in 1977 and amended in 1982. The law stipulated the function, membership of the board, staffing and ways of funding the library etc. Imo library presently has eleven (11) branches namely Okigwe, Orlu, Aboh-Mbaise, Obowo, Isu, Isiala-Mbano. Nkwere, Orodo, Afara in MBaitoli, Umuhu Okabia, Owerri Akokwa ant the headquarters situated at Owerri.
The Imo state library has many sections like Nigeriana section, children’s section, Technical section and reprographic services.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION
The study is intended to answer the following questions
– Does library sources for additional funding?
– What are the specific sources for generating additional funding to public libraries in Nigeria?
– Of what impact is the additional funding to the services being rendered by your library?

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The research work will be of great relevance to administrators of public libraries, as this work will explore the concept of additional funding in public libraries in Nigeria, problems associated with it and the possible solution. In other words, the research result will help library administration to improve on additional funding as a means of facilitating effective library services.
This work also will be of immense value to future researchers and information seeker who may want to carryout further research on this area of study. In other words it will act as a reference sources.

1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY
This research work will be limited to Imo State library board which is the case study area.
However, the areas of coverage is additional funding in public libraries in Nigeria. This research will therefore cover the concept of funding, additional funding as well as sources of additional funding for public libraries in Nigeria