Application Of Information And Communication Technology In The Management Of Nigerian Academic Libraries
[A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC LIBRARY, OWERRI]

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is meant to keep academic libraries (polytechnic library) abreast of the current trends in the use of information and communication technology for easy and accessible means of information retrieval and dissemination.

It will also be a great significant to staff, student and clientele of academic libraries. It will support plan for library development and input to improving services.

This study will also serve as literature/reference materials for research in the future.

1.7 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC OWERRI

The federal polytechnic Owerri formally called college of technology was established by the Imo state Edict N0 16 of 1976, which among other things empowered the polytechnic to erect, provide equipment and maintain the library

The chief librarian was pointed in March 1978 and by this time the polytechnic opens and was still operating at a temporary site at the government technical college Owerri. It was exactly on that time the library started operating with an initial collection of 300 volumes of materials, including serial titles, newspapers, periodicals, etc which were organized and consulted by users in a separate segment of the library. With the 300 volumes of initial collections, the polytechnic moved into its permanent site in November 1980. The library was house on one of the apartment of the school of engineering blocks, but in January 1983, the library move again to a location in the new complex.

In April 1983, the school then known as polytechnic Nekede was taken by the federal government ad consequently renamed “federal polytechnic Nekede, Owerri” when Ben Nwabueze, the secretary minister for education whose ministry when the welcome development off federal polytechnic Nekede, Owerri was made.

Today, the federal polytechnic Nekede purpose and aim have been achieved and a befitting two story academic library was constructed under the regime of the former Rector; Dr. C.L Osuorji who completed it.

Finally, the polytechnic academic library was commissioned on Saturday may 19th, 2001 by Prof. A.B Borishade and the member of Nekede library staff and student. The Nekede library has about 18,500 volumes of materials/books and about 900 journals titles and computers.

1.8 THE DEFINITION OF TERMS/SUMMARY

Application: this refer to as a programme that enable the computer to do specific job in different field of human endeavours (Engr. Timo Duru, 2005)

Information: this means a human being assigns to data by means of the convention applied to that data. (Drubbel, 2003).

Communication: is a means of the flows of information from one place of the sources to another (Drubble, 2003).

Technology: this is the application of science to practical human ends particularly to increase productivity and available of leisure and to improve to quality of life (Evarest .C Madu, 2004).

Services: this refers to as a means of rendering a help or information idea to a person or some thing (Evarest C. Madu, 2002).

Management: is the specific organ of the business enterprises and organ can be define only through their functions (Drucker, 1990).

Academic library: these are the libraries in institution of higher learning such as universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, college of technology (Emmanuel A. Oduagwu, 2002).

Library: is a store or house of document knowledge where professionally selected and acquired knowledge, print and non print materials are processed, and orderly arranged to make for easy location, retrieval and use. (Isaac Nnadimele, 2008).