INFORMATION RESOURCES

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION *3
CHAPTER 1 4
AN INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION RESOURCES 4
DEFINITION OF TERMS .' 4
CHAPTER 2 6 v PRINT MEDIA „6
MATERIAL RESOURCES-A SUMMARY 15
REVISION QUESTIONS 18
CHAPTER 3 19
' NON-PRINT MEDIA 19
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 19
„ TYPES OF NON-BOOK MEDIA 19
v SELECTION PROCESS 27
- ACQUISITION PROCESS 28
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING MATERIALS RESOURCES 31
REVISION QUESTIONS 34
;iIAPTER4 35
INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES 35
' SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 35
■ INTRODUCTION : 35
t LIBRARIES 35 * ARCHIVES 42
< RECORD CENTRES 44
« DOCUMENTATION CENTRES 44
i PUBLISHER/BOOK SELLER 48
8 ELECTRONIC MEDIA CENTRES , 49
FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN SELECTING INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES 49
HAPTER5 52
HUMAN RESOURCES '. 52
LIBRARIANS. 52 ARCHIVISTS. 53
RECORD MANAGERS : 53
CONSERVATORS 54
DOCUMENTAtiSTS i\
1 BIBLIOGRAPHERS .-. 54
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGISTS 55
| EDITORS '56
OTHER PERSONNEL ASSOCIATED WiTH AUTHORSHIP 56
(
INFORMATION OFFICERS, 58
CURATORS 58
BOOKSHOP ATTENDANTS/ ASSISTANTS 58
I
COMMUNITY SOCIAL WORKERS 59
INFORMATION BROKERS 60
FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN SELECTING HUMAN RESOURCE 61
| REVISION QUESTIONS62

CHAPTER 6 63
THE INTERMEDIARY ROLE OF INFORMATION PERSONNEL 63
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES : b3
INTRODUCTION 63
REVISION QUESTIONS 64
CHAPTER 7 65
INFORMATION SEARCH FROM RESOURCES 65
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 65
CHAPTER 8 66
COMPILING DIRECTORIES 60
PROCEDURE FOR COMPILING DJECTORIES 66
REVISION QUESTIONS 67
. CONCLUSION 68
MODEL PAPER I 69
MODEL PAPER 2 . 70
MODEL PAPER 3 71
MODEL PAPER 4 73
GLOSSARY 75
BIBLIOGRAPHY 77
INDEX 78
 INTRODUCTION
TI information resources manual aims at imparting knowledge, skills and attitudes that will
enable the and diploma students and others who arc pursuing course in library and
information studies.
Selected learning activities and revision questions enable the student to practice and revise
the knowledge he or she has acquired. The information resources manual will locus on
discribing the different library archives and information resources, with the aim of enabling
the reader to appreciate procedures used in identifying various information resources.
In information resources can be classified into three major types;
Material resources
a. Print media
b. Non-print media
institutional resources
a. Libraries
b. Electronic media centres
c. Publishing houses
Human resources
a. Archivists
b. Health officers
c. Social workers

In conclusion the aim of the manual is to enable the reader to acquire knowledge and skills
that can help satisfy users information needs by providing effective information services.
Provision of effective information services can only be achieved if the relevant information
resources are selected and acquired. Constant evaluation of the collection should be done to
ensure that the goals of the information centre are achieved.
CHAPTER1
AN INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION RESOURCES
At the end of this topic, the student should be able to:
a) Define given terms •
b) Differentiate between material, institutional and human resources
c) Identify the various print sources
d) Identify the type of information content found in the different print sources
DEFINITION OF TERMS
INFORMATION
Information is an assemblage of recorded data in a comprehensive form both recorded on
paper or electronics and capable of communication. (Harold's Librarian Glossary)
RESOURCES
This is an available means of support from which an individual gains; it can be a person or a
material.. MEDIA
It is a carrier of a message or a means of communication. It therefore is the linkage between
the message and the recipient referred to as information users" of consumers.
MATER IA L RESOURCES
This refers to tangible sources of information. It incorporates print and non print media .
PRINT MEDIA
The print media came into being around 16th Century through the Chinese who invented
paper. A man called Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. This changed the
history of mankind.
It helped in reading and writing skills and as a result mass production of printed sources e.g.
the textbook and newspaper were developed.
It is the source of information arising in information content in a printed form. This is though
an impression that produces letters, words, and pictures on a paper or any other given surface.
NON-PRINT MEDIA
This is a term referring to those sources of information arising through or from recorded
sounds and images e.g. films, magnetic tapes, drama form disks, slides etc. They are usually
associated with the concept of electronics and even paper-based media e.g photographs and
these are all products of the modern communication technique. It's also a modern
communication media for storage and retrieval of information and intact supplement the print
media in the communication process.
The print and non-print media are important channels of information in a communication
system. Choice of an information channel depends on its availability, accessibility and its
effectiveness (refers to the capability of that information resource to communicate)
Examples of non-print
Audiotapes, filmstrips, microfiche, audiotapes, sound films, the dimensional materials i.e.
real e.g. models, electronics and objects.
INSTITUTION RESOURCES
hey arc available aids that assist information dissemination through provision of certain
functions or services i.e. they give accommodation/house the material resources and conserve
and produce, organize the . ^formation.
Examples include;
Libraries publishing firms, electronic video centres, archival and documentation centre.
HUMAN RESOURCES
These are the personnel providing the information labour force. In the information field
comprise of librarians documentalists. archivists etc and other specialist’s information
providers such as health officers, information brokers etc.
 CHAPTER 2
PRINT MEDIA
1.BIBL10GRAPHIC SOURCES
This is an information sources that hold descriptive information about a work. This
information includes the origin of the work (author, title, imprint, etc.). They also contain
details of non-print media e.g if is a film it will contain the title, producer of the film, date it
was released and its duration.
A bibliographic source links the information seeker to the source of information.
A bibliography facilitates access to published documents to the users.
Indexes
An index is a systematic list of concepts, terms that describe a collection or a document. Its
also a tool , guiding the inquirer to the document. An index is a product of indexing. Indexing
is the process of analysing information or subject knowledge of reported knowledge and
expressing the information in the language of the indexing system.
Indexing involves scanning through a collection/documentation analysing its contents then
selecting the concepts to be indexed and eventually, the item/concepts provided with a
precise location e.g. page number, chapter etc.
An index will generally contain a table of contents, places or persons mentioned in a
collection.
Functions of an index.
It's a guide to specific terms in a collection hence helps searcher locate items effectively and
may • also be used to browse among related entries.
It helps to bring the language of the index and that of the user together. The main purpose is
to provide a mean of locating a particular type of information when needed therefore
minimizes search efforts.
Preparation of an index
Requires accumulation of entries into a cohesive and consistent form.
Establish identifiers, which are effective.
Determine the physical form in which the index is to be published (e g. manual or
computerised) and made available to the public.
Types of index
Author Index: Gives the name of author first (surname"! followed by his works (title,
location in collection as author catalogue can be identified as an author index. .
Title index : Gives the title of (he works.
Subject Index: Gives the subject of a work.
Concordances: Mostly used in a bible. It guides searchers to the words used in a
document; it is derived in the title of a document on (he whole text.
citation index: This provides a list locating earlier references or more recent work.
Abstracts
It is a summary of a larger work. It's defined a fewer word yet retaining some sense. It is a
condensed "form whereby details are omitted but still retaining the original work.
Uses of abstracts
 Are important in the field of translation as they enable an information seeker to still
gel hold of the information. It is translated into a language understood hence
overcoming language barrier between information sources and seeker.
 Abstracting services facilitate selection of documents by the users and information
personnel because it provides essential points about the work.
 In most educational books the nature of the work is contained in the publisher
catalogue, purpose of
 The work which can enable an individual to consider whether or not to choose the
itemfor the collection.
 They act as an aid to the reader or sole-tor in accessing the content of a document: and
its relevance. It substitutes an original document and due to its brevity less time is
used to digest information and hence higher retention. They ai t less expensive than
the original documents.
 If . a tool for literature search and here searching for information is accompanied Ivy
the of an index so as to be able to convey through a vast collection of published
works.
 It facilitates indexing through scanning an abstract and choosing the concepts and
terms to be used in an index.
 They are used in the provision of current awareness services (CAS), which alerts
users about up to date information of their area of interest,
 They facilitate literature review - this is searching for information either in a research
top or assignment.
Qualities of a good abstract
 It must be concise i.e. stick to the point and care should be taken to ensure that long
phrases are replaced oy single words.
 Precision meaning any the expression that is exact and specific should be used
especially summarizing the original document.
 Self-sufficiency - The document should be complete, accurate and easily
understandable hence an abstract must be fully informative.
 There must be no personal interpretation on the part of the person producing an
abstract. The primary, (original) document should be described as it is.
Types of abstracts
1. Informative comprehensive abstracts
These contain significant findings, arguments and even slate the scope. Its main purpose is to
communicate.
2. Indicative/Descriptive abstracts
This ‘is informative but restricted to descriptive statements about the content e.g. it can yivc
the title and a sentence described in the document.
 3. Title only abstracts
This type of abstract describes the documents without elaboration about subject content.
4. Slanted abstracts
These give information or description based on a specific discipline that interests the users.
Functions of Abstracting services
 Abstracting services offer 3 functions:
 Disseminate information
 Selection of information by the end user.
 Retrieval of information

Catalogue
 This is a list information material housed in an information centre giving
systematically arranged information. Its purpose includes;
 It senses as a means of identification of documents and other information materials.
 Location and retrieval tool of the document.
 Helps in administrative work since they are always ready with detailed data that can
prevent duplication. It serves as an inventory.
 It guides information seeker to the shelves for quick and efficient retrieval of
information materials.
There are 2 forms of catalogue:
 Manual catalogue/card catalogue/book catalogue
 Computerized catalogue (recorded on a computer and readable carrier e.g. a diskette)
Types of Catalogue
 Author catalogue
 Subject catalogue
 Geographic catalogue
 Chronological catalogue (publication date and accession number)

Their bibliographic sources include: Guides to literature - references

 Access/retrieval tools mostly in archives Accession lists
Shelf studies
 Calendars etc.
2. ENCYCLOPEDIAS
There are 2 types of encyclopedias:
 General
 Subject (specific)
It's a book giving information on all branches of knowledge or specific subject. Also known
as storehouse of knowledge.
It is a print source commonly used as a reference tool. They are useful in solving research
problems because they answer questions like what, where, when, how an event occurred.
They can be general i.e. covering the variety of a subject encyclopedia, which explores a
particular discipline.
Examples
 Encyclopedia-Americana
 Mcgraw Hill Encyclopedia of science and technology.
The information arrangement of the source type of information content found in the source
3. DICTIONARIES
It contains the words of a language, terms of a subject or professions arranged indefinite
order, Usually an alphabetical one. It gives meanings, spellings, pronunciation,
uses/application and origin-etymology.
It can also be general e.g. oxford dictionary and also specific e.g. law dictionary. Gives terms
in legal profession. It is therefore a compilation of words in a language arranged in
alphabetical order and defined in the same language, it is also a compilation of words in a
language translated into one or more languages.
Electronic dictionaries mainly used in computers
• Glossary: A glossary is a kind of dictionary that translates technical terms of a
language/ discipline used in a field or in a document into an easy to understand words of the
same language, e.g. Harold's librarian glossary.
• Thesaurus dictionary: Consists of a set of controlled terms linked by hierarchical or
associative meaning or relationship. E.g. thesaurus of engineering terms'. |
4. ANNUALS
These are publications published yearly. ALA defines annual as an annual /olumt of current
information in a descriptive or statistical form: sometimes limited -o a specific field.
Almanac
According to ALA glossary an almanac is an annual publication containing a calenda:
frequently accompanied by astronomical data and other information. It can also be restricted
to one specific field or more. It contains useful information like statistics relating to various
countries, personalities and events.
The difference between a almanac and a year book, is that almanacs contains retrospective
(additional) data that didn't occur in that specific years while year book covers one specific
years.
Purposes of annuals/yearbooks
 Recent (up-to-date): Regardless of the form and presentation, a user turns to a /ear
book or almanac for relatively recent information on various issues.
 Brief facts contained: Where single figures or facts are required without benefit
ofexplanation, almanacs are particularly useful.
 Informal indexes: Most almanac give sources of information thus can be used as a
source of guidance to the required information.
 It can provide information on trends in a particular topic e.g. population
 Directory and biographical sources.
DIRECTORIES
It a list of persons organizations, systematically arranged in alphabetical or classed order
giving addresses or telephone numbers. Its a reference source listing information in a way
which best suits or reserves information requirements of the users.
Types of directories
 Telephone directories Postal directories
 Institutional directories
 Trade business directories
 professional directories
Functions
 Gives information about individuals or firms.
 Gives full names of individuals and films.
 Trade directories give particular manufacturers product.
N/B: Some less obvious functions of directories include obtaining limited
biographical, historical information about an individual or firm.
GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCES
This is a source of information that has the ability to transport the viewer of information
seeker to any part of the world/universe.
These are primary graphic presentation, which allow the user to have lull information of a
given region/locality. Most of these sources arc words and provides a type of satisfaction
purely textual approach to knowledge.
Types include •atlases, maps, gazetteers, and globes. These sources are normally very
accurate.
Purpose
They act as location guides i.e. they assist the user in locating terms, roads, airlines,
countries, etc.
• Thematic geographical source serves to answer almost nil geographical query from the
location of specified archaeological site to the mane valley. The distinct advantage of
geographical works of more general reference sources arc:
• They give information for smaller units not found in general works.
• They provide precise information.
• Geographical sources are easy to use as some are limited to one given area.
.• A map can be defined as a representation represents which has an abstraction as well as
simplification. It also represents earth's boundaries on a Hat surface. I here are various kinds
of maps:
• Political map- Give the legal boundaries of a country.
• Climatic maps - weather/climate of area.
• Route maps - showing road, railways and location. *
• Atlas: It is a collection of maps bound in a volume.
Characteristics of maps
 Contains scales which refer/represent on the ground.
 Have colours to enable different classes of data to be related to one another and also
show distinction among details.
 Have a. set of symbols for roads, streams, villages, cities, etc. and these symbols must
be explained.
 They use the grid system to represent latitudes, which are useful for locating a special
place on the map,

• Gazetteers: This is a geographical dictionary of finding lists of cities, mountains,

rivers, population and features in the atlas, e.g. websites geographical dictionaries, time index
gazetteers of the world.
• Travel guides : This is a guidebook usually defined as a handbook for travellers
that gives
information about what to see, where to slay, where to eat and how to reach there. They
provide the librarian or any other user with the vast amount of information about
places.
Other geographical sources like atlases, gazetteers are specific enough about pin-pointing
location yet rarely deal with facts that travellers require e.g. Kenya Airways travel guide, the
American travel series.
• Globes: This is ball-shaped and gives names of continents, oceans, etc. 4
7. HAND BOOKS AND MANUALS
Handbooks are also important reference sources and play a very big role to a library and
information service
It is a compilation of miscellaneous information in a compact handy form. They act as tools
that enable users
to get information needed first and promptly,
Examples are: Handbook for chemistry and physics data, it gives information in short form
and even. employs charts, table in the compilation of information.
A manual is also a current reference source, which can be defined as an instruction book
instructing on
how to do something by means of specific and clear directions
8. SERIALS.
A publication issued in pails and divide into two - irregular serials - issued in a non-specified
time. Periodical serials - they come at a specified time and have a distinct title, which
appears, at stated/regular intervals. Often with prior decision on when the last issue shall
appear. A periodical usually contains articles, stories and other writing by several
contributors.
A general conference of UNESCO held in Paris in November 196-1, and it was agreed that
publication is a periodical if it constitutes one issue in a continuing scries. Published at
regular and irregular interval over an indefinite time. Examples of serials are periodicals,
parents, and drama.
In addition, the individual issue should be dated. A serial includes newspapers, magazines,
conference proceedings etc. Serials constitutes a very important part of the library for the
following reasons:
 Periodicals contain the most accurate information at least in the print form.
 Periodicals contain some ^formation not likely found in the traditional book. e.g.
announcements of conference in the fourth-coming period. Advertisements for recent
position books reviews and death announcements. In most cases the book reviews are
usually found in books which the periodical falls. Some periodicals are published
continuously over a long period of time. It"s therefore possible lo trace through Ihem
the development ofa given subject, ll serves as vehicles of permanent records or
research findings.
• They facilitate anexehange of information between author of the research findings and
readers because they contain up-to.Tdate information.
Periodicals are pop_u_lar with users therefore justifies their purchase centre in acquirii g
them.
• Most periodicals are usually bought or purchased by subscription cither directly from
publishers or out:r countries can be expensive but nevertheless
its beneficial venture.
Test your progress
a) Define the term journal
h) Give the difference between a journal and a magazine
c) State any three characteristics of serials/periodicals

.Factors to consider in acquisition of periodicals

User needs/interests Price

• Accuracy and clarity of the period ical etc.
ovenimcntpublication (official publication): This is printed on a government expense or
published by -uithority of government body or agencies. Various departments of Government
Issue can issue the publication, e.g. judiciary department government ministry department
publish such documents e.g.
inual reports, statistical bulletin or specialist journals. E.g. details in research.

9. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS (OFFICIAL)

hey are P nted at the government's expense or published by authority of government body or
agency, issued by government departments e.g. judiciary dept, ministries eg annual reports,
statistica' bulletins.

Characteristics of government publications

• Majority of the publications arc marked for limited circulation.
• Bibliographic details ahoul their existence are lacking.
• Cam valuable information considered being primary documents.
They aren't obtained in common commercial bookshops and are mostly acquired from the
producing department.

Government publications are useful for provision of following information

• One can acquire statistical records ofa country population or any other statistical
information, vvli in turn can be used for planning/resources allocation.
• Executive publication, which are mostly in paper consignment for the presidential
offices provide research information. In such fields as economics, labour industries or
education.
• Congressional reports/legislative reports: These give information on parliamentary
proceedings; judiciary publications will give information e.g. the courts or supreme courts
decision.

10. BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES

A biography as defined by oxford dictionary is the life history of an individual and most
cases an Influential personality. It provides e.g. achievements of the individual, opinion held
ofa notable Person! si.

\i. PATENTS

It is an official document giving the right of privilege to an inventor for a specified period. It
is therefore granted to a person so as to accord that person protection is to encourage the
individual interested in research to do so. Knowing that their discoveries will be protected
against a person who may claim similar rights.

. yi. STANDARDS
This is a technical specification of documents containing a set ofconditions to be fulfilled.
Standardisation is the setting of an authority or common agreement ofa quality method or unit
of measurement for adaptation as a common example. •^Standards are used to check and
maintain quality of services and products provided e.g. KBS hence standards promote overall
economy of human effort in information handling. Ihe .information centres, standards have
been used as a measure of guiding, establishment of new systems thus helping in checking
uniformity. E.g. The standards of cataloguing, indexing, classification and other practices.
Bodies involved in ensuring uniformity in services in information sector e.g. IFLA, K.LA.
and FID.

13. STATISTICAL SOURCES

These are publications representing information in numeric data or figure. E.g. the population
of a country, government's revenue can be identified. They carry accurate and up-to-date
information and give information in brief hence available information source. E.g. UNESCO
statistical yearbook, almanacs, information can be easily compared. NON-PRINT
MEDIA
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
At the end of this topic, the student should be able to;
a) Identify the different audio, visual or audio- visual materials.
b) Identify the different storage and maintenance measures for different
N.B.M.
c) Describe the selection and acquisition procedures and techniques of
acquiring material resources
d) Explain the criteria of selecting material resources.
This forms the second category of material resources. They are also referred to
as N.B.M or Non Book Materials. Information is transmitted through sound or
images or both.
Non Print Media is also referred to as any material that is not in the print form.

Distinguishing between print and non-print media

1. The form of presentation i.e. print materials use papers while non-print is
found in tapes or discs.
2. The mode of access - in Print Media you use sight and in Non-Print
Media you access through sound, images or both.
3. Non Print Media is very compact. This means that Non Print Media is
able to occupy little space unlike print media e.g. diskette and an
encyctopedia.
4. Portability - you can use it at your own time i.e. carry a diskette in a
pocket, and use it at one's convenient time.
5. Versatility - this means that a non-print media can be (used by many
people at a lime). Non-Book Media is effective because one is able to use
more than one sense, retaining more information.

TYPES OF NON-BOOK MEDIA

1.)AUDIO RECORDINGS

These are usually in the form of cassettes, tapes, reels and are usually in various
lengths or diameter and most of them require equipment in order to access the
information with in.

Advantages
a) An audio recording can substitute a person.
b) Versatility: It can be used by small or large number of people
c) They are portable. i.e. it can be used at any place at one's convenience,
saves time and in addition, operation of the equipment is easy.
d) They can be used to emphasize on a message e.g. lecturers, seminars etc.

Disadvantages
a) These require machinery for accessing the information.
b) They require good storage facilities because information can be easily
destroyed.
c) The play back machines require power or batteries.
d) Although they substitute a person, they can provide only a one-way
communication.

A. Audio tapes
 i. These are reels of magnetic tapes on which sound has been
recorded.
ii. The tape recorder is used to pay the audiotapes.
iii. These tapes are usually made of polyester-base to which oxide of
chromium or iron is attached by magnetization.
iv. A message is recorded on this tape and which can be read or heard
using a playback machine.
v. The usual width is 6.3mm and the tapes arc supplied with magnetic
side on the inner side.
vi. The reels usually vary in size and diameter e.g. big as 13, 18, 16.5
cm in diameter.
vii. The time taken to play the taped depends on its thickness and speed
at which the recording is made.
viii. The tapes are supplied with tape both at beginning and end without
magnetic surface attached.
ix. They come in their own containers. Which are made of hard
cardboard or plastic.
B. Audio Cassettes
i. They were invented around 1916 by Phillips and they are like
audio tapes but with spool/reels contained in a container (plastic)
so as to reduce damage that can be caused by dust or handling.
ii. They are normally thinner and narrower than those in the open
spool machine.
iii. The standard dimension is normally 10.2 x 6.4 mm and the width is
3.8 mm. The cassette
iv. has a magnetic-coated surface on the outer sides.
v. The record player runs at a speed of 4.75 cm per second. Therefore,
the cassettes come with pre-determined playing time.

Storage/maintenance and care of tapes

the audiotapes are supplied in their own plastics or cardboard boxes. This
facilitates Labeling. In this case, they can be integrated with books on the
shelves. Audio cassettes can be stored in plastic racks (containers) which ensure
that the audio tapes are displayed safely. Some libraries store their cassettes in
tockable racks to avoid theft. Some- even keep them under the ctosed-access
system.

The foltowing practices must be adhered to when storing the audio recordings.
i. Tapes must be kept in dust free environment because dust and dirt
can accumulate on and between the layers of the tapes.
ii. Store tapes away from influence of magnetic field because it will
tose its magnetism.
 iii. Tapes must be kept flat and this will ensure that no part of the tape
is bent or twisted.
iv. High humidity causes dampness and as a result fungal growth is
encouraged. In addition, the tapes might tend to stick together,
store tapes in moderate humidity conditions.
v. Tapes should be played periodically because they can tose their
magnetism,
2.)FILMS
a) They substitute for direct experience or demonstration.
b) Altow us to go back into history.
c) Enables us to see an experiment or demonstration and hence are
quite captivating they are also good at captivating the mood, they
can also be used to change attitudes and even changes in nature
that cannot be seen by the human eye. Through films you can make
use of at least 2 senses (sight/hearing). It has been observed that
human acquire knowledge through the senses and in the foltowing
proportions:
 75% through sight
 13% through hearing
 6% through touch
 3% through smell
 3% through taste

Films are available in various measures e.g. 35 mm type of film is mostly used
for Commercial or entertainment, the 16 mm. 8 mm type of film is common
libraries and educational institutions and this type of films 16, 18 mm
comparatively cheap than the 35 mm.

a) Film Strips
These include microfilms, cine films, slides etc.
- An image in a film is created in the emulsion due to the chemical
response to light.
- The holes atong the edge of a film are used to pull the film through the
projector or the camera; the surface of the film is usually dull while the
other part is usually shinny. The dull part is referred to as the base.
- The base is made of cellutose substances and this side has not
photographic properties a. all. The function of the base is to support the
lining of the light sensitive emulsion hence, photographic images arc
registered on the emulsion side.

The 8 mm film will definitely project a smaller image. A film has a sound track,
which is a narrow strip verifying in width and this is where sound is recorded. Il
is usually tocated on the sprocket holes in the opposite sides.
Filmstrips arc a collection of images in a single or double frame. The frame is
passed through the projector for viewing. Most filmstrips are accompanied by
notes or documents, which explain the content of the picture. Film strips
supplied in smaller circular canisters, which have accompanied notes exptoring
the contents of the pictures.

Advantages
a) Filmstrips facilitate sequencing of pictures; the individual pictures can be
held on the. screen as tong as.il is needed for use.
b) The filmstrips can be used atone or in combination with other graphic
material.

Disadvantages
a) They have a fixed sequence
b) They cannot be prepared by information centers and are therefore
confined to commercial producers
c) They require a machine to operate
d) They require power
e) They require dark rooms with curtains for better viewing
f) They are very fragile. Can easily be damaged.

Storage of filmstrips
They are stored in their main plastic or metal containers in which they come in.
They can also be kept in small cabinets to avoid the moving about of containers
and these cabinets can also be divided in to individual compartments. This will
also enhance retrieval. They have accompanying number and notes and this will
help enhance retrieval e.g. the title of the film, accession number, etc. Filmstrips
can also be kept side by side in shaltow shelves or putting the strategically on
pegs together with the canisters. They can also be arranged in a classified order.

b) Cine films
This type of film is whereby the sequence of the images is arranged vertically
which gives the appearance of movement when projected on the screen al the
correct speed.

They appear in different formal e.g. 35 mm, which is popularly used in cinemas,
and the 16 mm is popular for distributing film to schools, business firms or
small clubs.

c) Slides
This is a film transparent within contained in 5.08cm \ 5.08cm frames but in this
case a slide projector is needed to project the information on a wall or any other
surface. It is a single frame of transparency, which is, mounted either by plastic
or cardboard, glass can be used to cover and protect.
Advantages
a) It can he projected in a sequence
b) Slides are cheap and easily available
c) It is possible to duplicate or copy
d) They are portable

slides should be stored in individuals pocket in transparent plastic wallet which

can be made glass and can be suspended vertically in a cabinet. The slide being
a small format of transparency is usually mounted one at a time on slide
projector. To project a slide, light has to be transmitted through it. The slides are
put in a magazine and one by one they are projected onto a screen.

Summary
One can use both audiovisual when using slide (audiovisual presentation). The
only limitation is that they require expertise especially when arranging the
slides in the magazines and that other technical requirements e.g. bulbs have to
be checked and constant power is required.

Care of filmstrips and slides

Different Non Book Media will need different storage environment e.g. film
strips and slides require a • controlled temperature above 70 - 85 and a relative
humidity of above 65 are harmful to slides or film strips. Slides should be stored
in their plastic wallets and filmstrips stored in their container to avoid exposure
to light. Filmstrips and slides can also be convenient in metal film cabinet.

Motion films e.g. the 16 mm film contains materials(chemicals) aside that will
give the film durability. "Nevertheless, it can still turn brittle if there is hot
climate hence the need to control the storage environment. Extreme heat will
affect the chemicals used and humidity encourages the growth of bacteria or
fungi.

Cotour films will require a drier climate that is a dry relative humidity and also
a cool temperature, the more retention of cotour. Heavy films should be stored
fiat not standing and any damages directed should be immediately repaired.
Video (apes

Other Non-book Media like video tapes should also be in their cases or
containers because the life of a video tape will also be protonged when simple
care rules are kept e.g. avoiding dust and heat.

3) MICROFORMS
Microforms fall under projected media i.e. they need a projector to give
informal and microform is a term used for all type micro-production which
includes materials e.g. microfilms, microfiche and ultra-fiche. All these forms
require the use of equipment that will enlarge or display it on the screen.

a) Microfilm
It is a continuous length of film wound onto an open spool or reel and will
require a microfilm reader to magnify the reduced images. This microfilm is
wound from the full spool onto an empty take up spool via the lense system.
After use, the microfilm should be rewound back onto the original spool. They
are normally
applied with their own cardboard boxes.

 A cassette microfilm: It simply consists of an open spool of film and an

empty take up spool enctosed inside a cassette
 Micro card: It is an opaque with reduced images, which must be
magnified on appropriate machine known as micro card reader.

b) Microfiche
This is a flat piece of transparent film containing images greatly reduced in size
and microfiche reader is used read the information.
It is kept in individual envetopes to prevent damage from dust or mishandling
by man through touching with grease or water. They can also be filed in a
drawer.

c) Ultra fiche
It is a refined microfiche with reduction of at least 126 times. Should be stored
away from sunlight to avoid chemical reaction.

care and maintenance

a) Avoid scratching, handling with dirty fingers especially grease marks
because it will distort the information.
b) Keep in dust free area e.g. paper used to cover to cover the paper
materials should be Sulphur free to prevent chemical reaction with the
silver salts oxide in the emulsion.

4) DISKS
They include magnetic disc recording, video discs, optical storage system e.g.
CD ROMS. Disks are used for ling digital data for computers and they are thin
circular plastic sheet covered with a pheric oxide. Most are supplied in card and
plastic covers. These covers should never be removed as they are very fragile.
For magnetic disc each one of them bears a label but care should be taken such
that only the slightest pressure should be used on such a disc e.g. the ftoppy disc
should be stored with protective covers to prevent damage and there is a need to
have a backup copy which should be kept safely, this sometimes are purchased
company document for effective use.

Care and maintenance

a) Do not blend or twist the disc
b) Keep away from dirt, dust, grease
c) Avoid keeping them in high humidity environment as well as strong
sunlight as they are likely to blend.
d) Do not exert pressure on a disc e.g. writing with a ball pen or storing
them tightly together.
e) They should be stored in a vertical position (D Store away from magnetic
fields influence

5) REALIA
 These are information resources that represent an organism, which can be
living or non-living.
 Realia are important information resources used for instructional
purposes. An information seeker is able to visualize, how the real object
tooks like e.g. models can help a learner to see how the heart tooks like,
human skeleton etc.

a) Models
Models help bring the learner into contact with reality hence help the learning
process.
It is a recognizable 3-diinensional object, which is lifeless.
Qualities of a model
i. May represent real things that are too large
ii. They represent real things that are too small e.g. an atom cannot be
seen by naked eyes.
iii. Represent living and non-living things
iv. Most models are for instructional purposes and commercially used
through positive to make them in house
v. They are very useful for the handicapped users and even children.

b) An object
 It can be defined as a real thing complete, while a specimen is a real thing
but not complete.
 Realia helps us to visualize ideas that could be otherwise difficult to
understand if treated only with words. They also help highlight or
 summarize certain information or ideas hence motivate the learning
process.

6) OTHER NON HOOK MEDIA

Include l ho paper-bused materials such as photographs, which should not be
exposed to a tot of light as this will lead to die distortion of the image. Games
and simulations are also effective ways of transmitting information though they
might include human "resources.

SELECTION PROCESS
1. Principles of Selection
a) As information personnel, it is essential to know your users' general and
specific interests.
i. Set up questionnaires
ii. An interview for the users
iii. User's statistics

b) Be familiar with subjects of current interest.

c) Represent in the collection subjects, which are applicable to the interest
of the user.
d) Provide for both actual and potential users. An actual user is one who has
expressed his information needs while a potential user has not expressed
his information needs. This is because one will gear towards satisfying
the existing demand and anticipate the demand brought about by events,
condition or increased use.
e) Avoid selection of non-demand materials and select materials of
permanent value regardless or the ■ potential user.
f) Practice impartiality i.e. do not be biased, no favored hobbies or opinions
should bias one's collection, strive not for a complete collection but for
the best i.e. the best materials on a subject as well as the best materials of
an author.
g) As information personnel, keep abreast of current thoughts, opinion, or
influential, scientific, social or economic work i.e. keep abreast on what
is happening.
h) Maintain as much as possible regular selective and supply of new
materials
Information personnel should therefore know the interest of the users as well as
their age. gender, intellectual ability.

2. A selection policy
A selection policy is a recorded document that provides guidelines on how the
process of selection should be done. This brings about consistency and
uniformity in selection process.
What to put in a selection policy
a) A broad statement of the objectives of the information center and those of
the parent organization.
b) A description of materials necessary to meet this goals, e.g. Non Print
Media, slides, print or print media e.g. Almanacs, yearbooks.
c) There should be a statement indicating the individuals responsible for
selecting materials i.e. is it the librarian atone, a committee, teachers etc.
If it is in a committee state, who are in it.
d) The policy should cover a list of selection aids e.g. publishers, catatogue,
newspapers, journals, book reviews etc. The most popular aid is the
publisher's catatogue.
e) The procedure for the selection i.e. will it involve asking for lists from
various departments and how will the final list be arrived at.
f) The procedure for review and dealing with challenged materials in this
case a use is normally required to fill a form staling the title or author of
the hook and sections and. chapters they disapprove of and why.

Importance of a selection policy

a) Unless the personnel has written selection policy to guide him or her in
the process, there is a danger that the collection will eventually reflect the
interest on the Information personnel (prevent biasness)
b) A selection policy will enable one to clarify the aims and objectives the
information center (forced to think about the objectives).
c) It enables one to justify why certain materials were bought and some left
out.
d) Used by the information personnel to again for more funds from the
funding bodies.
e) A selection policy can be used as a defense tool when an individual
challenge material in the information center or groups e.g. a church.
f) Serves as a basis of agreement and guidance for all involved in the
selection process.
g) By having a selection policy, it serves as an indication of responsibility in
the selection process.

ACQUISITION PROCESS
This is the process by which an information center physically secure materials
through purchase, buying gifts or donation and exchange their items that the
selection personnel has identified as desirable additions to the collection. The
objective of library in acquisition areas include:
a) To devetop knowledge of non-book media trade.
b) To assist in the selection and collection devetopment process.
c) To control the expenditure of the collection devetopment funds.
d) To maintain all required records regarding expenditure of funds.
 e) To process the items that are added into the collection i.e. catatoging,
classification.

a) Role of Acquisition Department

a) It is supposed to collect and disseminate information about book
publishers, the media vendors or producers.
b) To provide information regarding schedule of publishing houses or
any other news service offered in connection with this e.g. binding.
c) To process, request for materials to ensure that information center
is securing the needed materials as quickly and inexpensively as
possible. In this connection a duplicate request will increase cost to
the information center. Therefore, everyone working in acquisition
department should keep an account of material acquired and also
maintain records of expenditure.

b) Internal Goods of Acquisition process

a) Acquire materials as quickly as possible - (b) Maintain high level
of accuracy in all procedures
b) Keep work process simple so as to achieve the towest possible unit
cost
c) Devetop a ctose and friendly relationship between an information
center with the vendors and distributors (i.e. good human relations)
d) When initiating requisitioning one should start with request for
items by users in which details can be filed in a request form.

Information on request form contains:

1. Author and title
2. Imprint
3. The number of copies required
4. Name of the person requesting the materials
5. Department
6. Vendors or distributors. This is important if the material is to be
ordered from an organization.

The foltowing are guidelines to be foltowed in the acquisition process

1. You as information personnel should make preliminary checks, that
the item has not been ordered or the request is not already being held
in the library
2. Ensure that the material does not exist in the collection
3. Ensure that there is a completed request form giving the correct
information required. Bibliographies can aid the librarian or the
acquisition staff to get the required information.

c) Acquisition
After a selection has been done there foltows the actual acquiring of the
material, a process called acquisition. it involves:
1) Ordering: Once a decision has been made to purchase an item, the first
thing to do is to check if the item is not already in the library or in order,
then the material can be ordered on the official order form which can
easily be designed if none exists already Keep a copy of the order form in
the order file and send the original to the supplier of the material.
2) Receiving: Once the materials are received, it is important to check
several things
a) Whether all the materials on the order form have been supplied. In
case there are some that have not been supplied, one can make a
foltow up.
b) Check the materials supplied arc the right ones.
c) Check materials for defects, trimming, poor binding, missing pages,
unclean printing in case of a tape listen to it. Film watch before you
pay once you have made sure that the material once ordered then you
can start by accessioning. Accessioning register is for this purpose. (A
big hard cover book/ register would do.)

The foltowing details can also be included on the register.

a) Cost c) Publisher
b) Order d) Amount

d) Acquisition of Non Book Media

These materials do not require different system for purchasing but due to their
nature they may require specialist acquisition staff to handle the ordering
receiving/or pie-catatoguing procedures.

For most audiovisual materials, a list comparable to "books in print" can be

available though you find that most materials arc purchased directly from the
publishers, producers or distributors. For these reasons, libraries interested in
audiovisual materials can collect and keep a file of these catatogues, which
together can form an in print record.

It will usually cost more to apply for audiovisual materials (ban print materials
because there are fewer vendors selling Non Book Media than print materials.

In addition, distributors would more or less produce or sell specific or particular

type of non-book media.

e) Criteria for selecting equipment for Non Book Media

a) Cost
b) Portability
c) Durability
 d) Quality of image and sound
e) Versatility
f) Compactness - can be stored in a small area
g) Ease of use
h) Does it have a guide or manual?
i) Is it replicable (replaceable)?

Other Factors to consider when acquiring Non Book Media

a) Search for printed sources, which will provide bibliographical
details.
b) Contact individuals or institutions for specialization advise or
source on the whereabouts of such materials.
c) It is important to create criteria for evaluation of the materials.
d) The packaging of the medial should be attractive, easy to handle.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING MATERIALS RESOURCES

a) User Needs
Before an in formal ion material is acquired, it is important to have a precise
knowledge of information needs of potential and actual users. Users are diverse
and their information needs also vary e.g. students, researchers, children,
disabled, and professionals.

User needs can he identified through a survey whereby one can distribute
questionnaires or interview the users.

User studies will yield conclusions, which can be used in the acquisition
process. Knowledge of user needs helps to determine user priorities; they can
also help identify sources of information.

Nevertheless, due to limited resources such as funds, information personnel may

be forced to prioritize the items to be acquired first.

b) Availability of the materials

The material resource to be acquired must be within reach/available. If it is a
document, you can be assured of getting both published and unpublished
documents. In the case of Non Book Material one has to know their availability
too e.g. discs, filmstrips etc.
c) Authoritativeness
By the word authoritative, ii implies that the records or material have been made
by responsible organization, individual or group. It takes into account
authorship and here we took at the author's competence, his qualification and
experience. This is because those elements will add to the reliability and
accuracy of the n format ion content.
The publishers background is also important some publishers specialize in
certain fields hence are very competent in those areas e.g. K.I.E which is very
authoritative for the 844 system. McGraw-Hill in Science technotogy in the
USA.

d) Physical formal of the material

Under format the foltowing details need to be tooked at i.e. the arrangements,
organization and formation in the book.
 For Non-Book Material took at ease of use.
 Are there illustrations or pictures in case of books, how are the design
e.g. subheading and the heading. Typeface i.e. Size of print.
 Binding in a book that will last tong. It is hard covered or soft
covered?

e) The Cost
How much does the material cost? Before a decision is made on whether to
acquire a material, the budget of information center has to be analyzed.
Remember that is an item to be acquired is not within the reach of the
information center, and then it cannot be acquired.

NB: Cost must always be compared to the benefits i.e. the user benefits from
the material. Information content should be able to meet uses to the maximum.

f) Scope (coverage)
The scope of a book is indicated by the table of content (TOC). Scope in history
may be the whole world or as narrow as a particular district. A work of Science
for example may deal with a general science or may treat only one element of
science.
The information context coverage is mostly determined by the needs of the user.

g) Administrative value
Before an item is selected, it will first be evaluated in terms of its worthiness to
the organization in conducting its business transactions. Administrative records
determine the policies and procedures necessary to carry out activities of the
organization, they are therefore useful for planning and executing programmes
and decisions while this include financial reports, budget estimates, minutes,
policy, etc.

h) Legal Value
Legal documents provide evidence about an organization. It can serve as
evidence for properly ownership records provides proof and protection of
individual and group rights e.g. court decisions, contracts, wills, patent, title
deeds etc.
 i) Reference or research value
These are records, which are similar to those of historical value. They provide
information about events that occurred in the past or present hence research
value is a basic criterion for selection and eventual acquiring material after
selection.

j) Uniqueness of the materials

A unique record is unequal in kind, and the more a record is unique the greater
the extent to which the information of the record is duplicated.
k) Rarity or scarcity

l) Type of information

m) Censorship
This is the prohibition of information to circulate in meeting the users’ needs
e.g. church, parent can be censor.

REVISION QUESTIONS
1. Highlight any five differences between print and non-print media.
2. Discuss four advantages and four disadvantages of using audio-
recordings as a media for communication.
3. Describe any hazards to filmstrips and slides.
4. Discuss the principles of selecting print and non-print media.
5. What is the importance of formulating a policy in the selection and
acquisition of material resources.
6. Discuss the criteria of selecting material resources.
 CHAPTER 4
INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
At the end of this topic, the student should be able to:
a) Define the term institutional resources
b) Identify the different types of institutional resources,
c) Describe the roles /functions of institutional resources.

INTRODUCTION
Intuitional resources form the second type of information. They are building.
Institutions or organization that collect or gather process and disseminate
information to end user. They include libraries are hives electronic media
centers and publishing house.

LIBRARIES
TYPES OF LIBRARIES
a) School libraries
 A school library is defined as a place where books are kept. Reading or
study center, a media center as well as information center.
 It can be a communication center, learning laboratory or recreation
center. These are 3 main purposed:
i. To meet information needs of pupil and teachers
ii. To encourage student to learn from the monasteries to
broaden their education.
iii. To devetop the reading habit.

FUNCTIONS
1. To provide a wide-range of learning monasteries e.g. books, cassettes,
Film to both teachers and pupils.
2. Proper organization of the monasteries in the library or ease of retrieval
using the catatogue. indexes, guides.
3. To participate effectively in the school programmes in order to meet the
information needs of the users.
4. To encourage pupils to learn from available materials.
5. Devetop the reading habit.
6. To acquire and disseminate comprehensive information to all staff and
even the pupils.
7. To involve the teaching staff in selection of library monasteries.
8. To conduct user education programmes for teachers and pupils.
9. To provide facilities for every material.

The devetopment of school libraries varies with countries.

A school library requires the foltowing for its success operation.

 Adequate fund
 Qualified staff trained
 Adequate space
 It requires a stock of relevant monasteries
 Support of the teachers

Current State of School Libraries in Kenya

There is a great variation of School libraries in Kenya, well some schools have
well equipped libraries others do not and if they are quite small.
1. There is.no standards set of the estimates of school libraries
2. There is no policy on school libraries.
3. They jack funds i.e. there is no budget altocated for their devetopment.
4. Lack of appropriate and relevant maintenance in tocal tong of instruction.
5. Absence of information on the reading problem of a pupils.
6. Ignorance of teachers, heads of schools, PTA members, board of
governors about the role of libraries.
7. Lack of accommodation designated of the library.
8. Lack of trained staff to run the library.

There are various ways in which these situation, has improved:

1. The head of schools should adopt the harambee method school libraries
2. Kenya National Library Services, which is a body responsible for
promoting and devetoping has taken up the issue of school libraries.
3. Kenya University and Polytechnic, Kenya Library Association and Kenya
National Library Services offer in service courses for school libraries.
4. Ministry of education is doing everything possible to establish a policy
relating to school libraries. E.g. Sessional paper no.6 I99S, Kamunge
report. This report gives guidelines of planning, standards and funding of
school libraries.
5. Kenya National Library Services is opening branches in the country and
there is also intensifying their mobile services in rural areas.
6. The tocal authors are being encouraged in various ways to write relevant
amount.
7. Government can increase funds to school and to educate teachers’ school
heads about the importance of a library through organized workshops.
8. Libraries should be part of the school planning and should be given
priority.
9. User Education should be incorporated in the learning programs and there
is need for a national research to access the situation of school libraries.
10.School libraries should extend, their services to the tocal community if
they except their support in return.
11.There should be inter-library toan services.
 12.To improve infrastructure like roads, electricity, telephone.
13.And also there is need to devetop more publishing houses

b) Academic libraries

These arc libraries that serves institutions of higher learning such as

polytechnics, colleges and universities The main role of these libraries is:
i. To support the teaching and learning
ii. To support research activities of the parent organization.

Functions of Universities Libraries

1. To offer a general collection of monasteries of common interest in
various fields.
2. To provide access to records needed by members of the community.
3. To support the teaching and research taken in parent institution through
acquisition and organization of monasteries and providing effective
services.
4. Altow students to pursue personal independent search for knowledge.
5. To offer user education i.e. teaching users on how to make effective use
of sources and resources.
6. Dissemination of information through catatogues, displays, bibliographic
services etc.
7. In some countries especially devetoping countries universities library
perform some or all functions of national library.
8. Provide services to the public to a small extent.

c) Public Libraries
These are libraries funded wholly or partly from the public fund. The concept of
public libraries dates from I S50's when laws were passed in Europe and
America to ensure the provision of free public libraries to all.
The first national public library in African was found in Ghana in 1950.

The main aim of public libraries is to support personal devetopment of the

individual, contribute to his or her quality of life and also help in his/her
contribution /participation in community and other devetoping programs.

Features

1.It is for the use of all members of the community, on equal terms. >
2. In Kenya the first public library was authorized by the state tow through
legislation and it was Kenya National Library Service established in 1967.
3. Supported from general public funds.
4. Non-profit making body administered for the benefits of its citizens.
Examples of public Libraries
1. Macmillan Memorial library in Kenya
2. Network public Library
. 3. British Council Libraries (With branches in various countries)
Functions
1. Provides print and non-print monasteries to meet the individual and group
needs.

2. To collect, organize and guide the users in the use of these materials.

Nature of Collections
1.The collection should be sufficient in order to make a library a dependable
source for most people at all times.
2.Should be selected on. The basis of the interests, needs and level of the user
i.c. include book and non-materials.'
Services ‘of a Public Library
1.Organizing the materials for case of access and retrieval through catatoging.
2.Lending services i.e. borrowing of books.
3. User Education
4.Promoting the use of materials through publicity, displays, story hours etc.
... ....
5. Providing information services to lytic users either physically in the library or
using the telephones.
6. Sponsoring of cultural programs in the library for children and adults e.g.
drama, music festivals.
7. Collecting special materials of interest to the community.
8. Borrowing materials on inter-library toops.
9.Extending library services to all points of the country as well as giving
computerized services to people' who need them.
10.Providing specialized services to the disabled in the community.
Problem of Public Libraries
1. Increase in urban-pollution i.e. Creating demand for library sources.
2. Shortage of finance.
3. Lack of enough space .
1. Increased leisure lime through early retirement, unemptoyment school
dropouts. >. Lack of qualified staff
).Censorship especially government prohibition of literati re monasteries. '. Lack
of library co-operation.

Trends in Public Libraries

• Public libraries new services are being offered to special groups through
outreach programs e.g. hospitals, prisons and elderly people.
• New services by mail, post office have been started for users. Cable TV is
used for education programmes, story hours and staff training.

3. Quick in formal ion and references are being extended to business and
industry.
4. Provision of continuing education for library staff through workshops,
seminars.
5. Assistance in adults* literary classes.
6. Public libraries have started innovative programmes, art shows films,
music.
7. Library co-operation is increasing.
8. They have started computerization of their services e.g. online services
etc.

d) Special Libraries
These arc libraries that serve a specific group of users or have a collection
covering a specific 25subject field. They are managed by qualified staff and
serve particular users. E.g. K.A.R I. I.L.R.I. I.C.J.P.B. Industrial Libraries
(KBI.)
Definitions
According to ASLIB (Association of Special Libraries)
\ collection of information materials covering a specific subject or a field of
activities, "he foltowing authors define special libraries as foltows:
Ashworth:
Due that is established to obtain and exptoit specialized information for the
private advantage of the organization, which provides for the financial support.
Ridley ;
A collection of information materials, which can be administered by a special
staff and for the service of a united clientele.
Otike
A collection of information service in an organization, which is specifically
arranged to meet the information requirement its specialized clientele in
pursuance of the organization objectives.
e above definitions carry three major characteristics:
(a) Users primary serves a limited number of specialized users e.g. scientists.
Research workers, lawyers, medics etc.
(b) Subject coverage (specific coverage e.g. Agriculture)
(c) Institutional parentage. The library is owned or funded by the parental
institution) That
library exists in meeting the objectives of the parent body.
National Libraries
National libraries arc those libraries that serve the nation with some specific
function. They arc instruments in oral devetopment. Their functions are
compilation of National bibliography, act as custodian of legal deposits .
Examples; British Library in the UK, Library of Congress in the US , Lenin
library in
Asia.

Its functions may include the:

1. Comprehensive collection of publications of a country.
2. Completion and maintenance of national bibliography.

Functions of National Library

They can be divided into five broad categories:
(a) Functions related to lie collection 'of the national literature
(b) Functions related to the bibliographic control of the country's literature
(c) Functions related to central technical services e.g. in CIP
(d) Catatoguing in Publication) Functions related to the services in the field
of librarianship and other information activities
(e) Functions related to readers services

Functions Related to Collection of the Nations Literature

I. The national library acts as lite Central collection unit of the National's
literature.
))• Functions Related to Bibliographic Control of the Country's Literature.
national library acts as a national bibliographic center (keep a record of all a
countries publications). I. It is supposed to have a complete record of all the
materials published in that particular country. -2. It produces national
bibliographic with a complete record of the country's imprint. 3. It also
devetops and maintains a bibliographic database relevant to the country's
imprint. •I. It also produces a national union catatogue.
Functions Related to Technical Service.
1s
1. Administering a programmer for generating catatogues as part ofa
published book e.g. CIP.
2. ' Provide access to the National Library catatogues.
3. Planning and coordinating inter-library lending (co-ordinates activities of
all libraries in agiveii country).
Functions Related to Service in the Field of Libraries and activities of other
information Centres
Formulates national standards of information handling. 1. , Participating in
planning of library services in the country e.g. giving advice Conducts research
on library operations.
Generally a national library provides leadership to the country's activities as
well as acting a s a tocal to other libraries ‘within the country.
-I Provides Professional training e.g. TLS (Tanzania Library Services) which
has set up a diptoma m
library service al Ragamoyo. 5. Provides assistance in information handling
techniques in the area ol methodotogy. sinndards«and
guidelines e.g. indexing articles of the nation periodicals or newspapers.

(c) Functions Related to Reader Services

Roles of Libraries In Society
1. Libraries have a role to play in national devetopment e.g. eradication of
illiteracy and implementation of
recommendation from researchers’ projects.
2. Libraries arc important for storing information i.e. for posterity.
3. Acts as a cultural house
4. Promote a reading habit
5. Serves as recreational centers.
6. They play big role in literacy campaigns.

In conclusion a library is a social instrument created to form a link in the

communication system i.e. It is essential to any society or culture within
communication there can be no society and some form of records and means for
preservation of that record there can be no enduring culture.

ARCHIVES
Historical Devetopment of Archives
No one can say for sure who was responsible for the 1st formal records
management program.
France, whose revolutionary government proclaimed the right of access to
public records, established 1st .
National Archives in 1790.
About 50 years later, in 1838, a center archival institution was established in
England.' I 872 the public Archives of Canada was founded.
1934, during the presidency of Franklin Delano Robert. a national archive was
created in the US.
This archives was established with a threefold mission; -
0 To select ~
ii) To preserve and conserve
iii) To service the archives of the federal government. -

The Archival Profession

An archive it selects, appraises, anil preserves those documents of an institution
that are deemed to have historical and research value.
If materials to he presented arc damaged in any manner, the archivist chooses an
appropriate method for repair.
The archivist also arranges and describes documents so that potential users have
a clear understanding of their ropes and historical background.
us the records manager controls the Creation and the Use of documents, while
the archivist. preserves and .utilized the classification of documents that have
enduring value.

Types of Archives
1. Public archives - that may be accessed by the general public
2. Pro ale archives – that t may be referred to by the company. ...
Justification of Establishing A Business Archive
1. I To preserve the company history posterity
2. To highlight the public image of company by permitting public use of its
archives, to maintain relevant information for legal administrative or
fiscal purposes.
3. To use archival materials for public relations purposes during company
anniversaries.
4. To review techniques used in the past for such activities as new products
devetopment or marketing for
5. possible reuse or to avoid repealing costly mistakes.
6. "What is past; s protogue" - this saying refers to the importance of
understanding the past before we
7. proceed into the future.
8. hardly man did not read or write.' •
9. The only surviving tangible records of his existence consist of fragments
of tools and etchings on walls.
10.In spite of the above deficiency the early man was conscious of his
history and took pains/measures to
ensure that it survived orally. I will Many curb cultures left above responsibility
of preserving the accumulated social memory toose ie functionary such as tribal
elder, a priest, or a board was responsible for remembering and coinntunicali'ii!
a groups past expedience - they used speech, song, chart, dance
Willi the invention of writing, records made possible a more precise account of
the past.
- Dissertation - ll is a shorter thesis
 Newsletter - Document that contain news of organizations or activities in
special fields.
 Journal - Il is a document that consists of number of separate articles
usually by different authors. It may consist of abstracts, reviews,
advertisements etc.

Secondary Documents
These are documents that present a content of primary document in a condensed
form. Secondary document contains information from a primary document e.g.
abstract (summary of the contents in a document).
Documentation center
These are information centers where information is selected, acquired,
processed and disseminated to the users.
Documentation centers provide documents in one or more disciplines (a broad
subject area) to researchers other devetopment workers. They may also prepare
and distribute the bibliographic information.
selection of materials in documentation centre is done by documentalists. The
documentalists should daily make visits to various organizations i.r departments
served by documentation centre. In order to :ss user needs. He should also be an
active participator of the organization and he should attend the
nine or review meetings of the organization. I Ie should also study reports,
manuals and company
tocations in an effort to determine users needs.

Types of Documentation Centers In Kenya

.K A.D.O .C (Kenya Agricultural Documentation Centre).
KADOC was established in 1977 as a unit of the Ministry Agriculture at
Kilimo House. It was established the aim of acquiring documents unpublished
from the fields such as research projects, conference people al reports etc. The
ministry of Agriculture sought assistance from organizations like FAO. In 1972.
a ion comprising of two experts known as Mr. S. Coney and Mrs. S. van
Revisky come to Kenya to study agricultural situations Information. They
recommended that a documentation centre be set up to process rials on
agriculture.
was to involve the tracing of documents, selection analysis and indexing,
computer processing of documents as well as distributing printed users
services.

Functions
• Acquisition of documents related to the Kenya agriculture from Ministries and
research Institutions
(both published and un published document:) -. Preparation of bibliographic
data through indexing and abstracting.
V Microfilming of documents especially those that are rare and deteriorating
-I. Computerization of 'bibliographic data KADOC uses. CD/J.SIS software.
KADOC'.stores bibliographic,data on magnetic
5. Using ilus software KADOC producc'KAA (Kenya Agricultural
Abstracts.
6. Participates in updating the Agricultural research institute and the world
database, which is maintained
by organization known as FAO.
7. Provision of user services. In addition to the normal user services
commonly provided by
documentation centre or Libraries. KADOC makes manual searchers on
demand using its database as well as foreign database e.g. (AH (Commonwealth
Agricultural Bureau).
2.National Documentation And Information Retrieval Services (NDS)
This is a division of Kenya National Archives (KNA) and il was established
thiough the public archives amendment act 1990. It was specifically established
to acquire, preserve, access all government documents produced in the service
i.e. all government ministries department, parastatal bodies. These bodies are
required to deposit 2 copies of documents produced both published and up
published. Il also applies to both open and classified restricted materials. I
tower. KNA maintains their confidentiality. To ensure that NDS gets materials
the foltowing arrangement exists: -
Link centres have been established in the Ministries, government departments,
parastatals Institution:, referred to collecting centres. Also the staff of NDS
more acquisition missions to various places where this records, are bound to
exist.
Uses Of NDS (Role) ... •• ,
1. NDS ensures that government reports and documents are readily
available to planners and _
administrators for policy formation as well as to researchers and scholars.
2. NDS publicizes its collection through the production of the accession lists
which is circulated free of charge to various libraries and institutions.
3. NDS hopes to supplement its activities in the area of bibliographic
control and for it to succeed government officers must recognize and support it.
3,District Information Documentation Centre (DIDC'S)
The establishment of DIDCs conies from the district focus for rural
devetopment strategy, which advocates for all devetopment programmes taking
place in district to be planned and executed at the district'level.
DIDCs is charged with the role and its chaired by the District Commissioner
(DC) and the secretary s Division Officer (D.O). This strategy brought forth the
need to establish information centers thai would provide the DDC (Division
Devetopment Committee) with the assistance in regard to information. The I"
DIDCs in Kenya was established in 1989 and since then over 20 centers have
been established.
Uses of NDS(ROLE)
Ul DCs act as source of reference centre for devetopment of information in the
district In this respect DCs are used by Members of 'DIDC. also other members
of the public such as researchers.
brmsilinii Resources
DIDCs is required to have all documents relating to devetopments of the district
and general reference lerials. The foltowing materials are commonly kept: -
KcporlS and documents on devetopment, statistics in the district of crop
productions, population and trade.
Materials on the general devetopment of the district
Research reports on the district as well as district and national devetopment
plans.
tablishiii" Didc's
lis type of documents centres were initially set up al KNLS libraries or district
information offices wherever sy existed. This is because government did not
have enough resources to full fledged DIDCs. However a misunderstanding
between Ministry of planning and nation development and KNLS brought to an
end this arrangement. Thus presently most DIDCs existin the district
commissioner's buildings.
aimed Library Assistants of the ministry concerned initially ran the DICS's.
They were to provide clerical all"(hat was 10 be sent for library training at
Kenya Polytechnic. The staffs were to be accountable to the C for their daily
transaction. There is some co-ordination with the ministry of planning and
nation development
Co-Ordination of Didc's
he rural planning devetopment department of the ministries of planning of
nation devetopment is the one ^sponsible for the provision of funds to the
DIDCs. It oversees the distribution of vital documents from the ministries to the
DIDCs.
IvcWidoc (Kenya Nation Scientific Information Documentation Centre).
<ENSIDOC was established in 1977 as a nation center for science and
technology. The main objectives of ^ENSIDOC are: -
I) To determine the priorities areas for scientific and technology activities.
2) To device a nation science policy
3) To advice on organization management for scientific activities including
research council or committee.
4) To carryout necessary survey and investigation pertaining to science and
technology.
Purposes of Kensidoc
I. To collect. organize, sore and disseminate information mi research programs
conducted in 1 lie field of science and technology.
2.Operates information referrals services whereby efforts are made to collect
various guides, cats, and abstracts from information centres or agencies in
Kenya.
KENSIDOC acts as a focal point in science and technology and therefore co-
ordinates with other informal, centres in this field. KENSIDOC in
collaboration \\ ith KLA has produced a subject guide to information sources in
Kenya. Il has a listing ouabain 31)0 libraries and informal ion centres arranged
to their subject coverage.
PUBLISHER/ BOOK SELLER
A publisher is the one responsible for converting an author's lexl (manuscript 1
into I he most appropriate co effective format and to find the maximum possible
market for the book.
Publishing houses are a category of information centers that select, process and
distributes information products with the aim of making a profit. (Profit making
institutions")
They usually produce information in large quantities usually to predetermined
clientele. Thc\ are listed amo in formation centres because the) are involved in
selection of suitable manuscripts, processing b\ editing, typesetting and printing
marketing and distributing to the patron.
Examples of publishing houses
1. Tongman
2. Oxford University Press
3. McGraw-Hill publishers (specialist publishers)
5. KLB -
6. Jomo Kenyatta Foundation
7. Kenya Litho
S. K1E
Bookseller
A bookseller provides services to both the publisher and the buyer be it an
individual or a co-operate institutions. The bookseller gives the customers
(readers) what they want by giving them the widest possible selection according
to the specialization on one's bookshop.
Book shops
They choose their collection from both local and foreign publishers e.g. in
Kenya textbook centers has catalogues and other bibliographic sources of the
major publishers in Kenya. Africa and the world.
They allow consumers to browse through their collection. This opportunity is
very important, as it has no restrictions whether buying or not. This helps the
buyer to examine the stock of making commitment to purchase customers and
also order items not within the store the special-order services provided by (he
bookshops.
Booksellers play an important distributive role by exposing publishers' products
to the customers and save him the nuisance (trouble) and cost of the many small
transactions. Booksellers can be cither wholesaler or retailers
GOVERNMENT LIBRARIES.
These are those information centres that arc run by government institutions,
parastatals. They are normally housed within these organizations and are meant
to offer information services to the various sectors of the government. E.g.
Kenya power and lighting Libraries.

ELECTRONIC MEDIA CENTRES

These refer to those information centers that collect and gather information and
disseminate accurate information to audiences at home or through the specific
institutions. They include K.T.N, K.B.C., K.I.E. and K.I.M.C..

Functions of K.I.E.
• The formulation of primary and secondary school syllabus and
curriculum.
• They also publish textbooks to cover the set curriculum.
• Broadcast to school through radio and TV programs.

Functions of K.I.M.C.
1. Training of students in mass communication in areas such as;
• Reporting
• Broadcasting
• Journalism
2. Broadcasting of radio and T.V. programs.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN SELECTING INSTITUTIONAL

RESOURCES.
They are a number of factors to be considered when choosing an institutional
resource. They will range from objectives/policies of an institution to.
a) Design
b) Topography
Major factors will be;
1. Site
2. Location
3. Accessibility
4. Design
5. Policies of an organization
6. Type of institution/ type of information

1. Site
The site is of lined as a place of ground tor building on. Ii also lakes in to
account the prevailing conditions Mini surround the ground on which the
information centre is to be erected or build. (Tongman dictionary)
Assessment should be made to determine its suitability and such conditions
include drainage, altitude, topography) industries, and plants of factories
surrounding the place. Information centers house material resources e.g.
journals, periodicals and non-book materials like film strips computers, and all
these resources are liable to deterioration if exposed to such environmental
hazards e.g. Hoods, insects. ants
It is therefore important that the site on which an institutional resource is to be
situated should be free from hazards 1 hat I hey may damage" the material.
2. Location
The position of an institution resources or an information center in relation to
other information centers, publishing firms, urban centers, schools etc an
information centre should be located at a strategic site so hat communication
and interaction between the sharing information centers do acquire their
materials from publishing houses these materials must have an effective
distribution system.
Transportation means should therefore be efficient. The Centre should also be
located in a region well served by such services as banks, postal services,
hospitals etc in general the centre should be located in a place that is accessible.

3. Accessibility
Information centers are established with the major objectives of meeting the
users’ needs satisfactorily. The • users should therefore exploit the information
resources. It follows then that the information centre should be located within
reach of the client. Accessibility, to the information centre would be improved
through establishing the center in a position that well served by roads and also
should be established in a well-habited place i.e. densely populated i.e. to ensure
that the resources arc maximally exploited.
4. Design
The information center to be selected must have a purposeful planning e.g.
planning with a purpose and be follow in«
factors must be considered.
i) Size
ii) Pertaining of the building i.e. departmentalization
iii) Lighting conditions
iv) Ventilations
The building should be sizeable enough to accommodate the material resources
and must provide adequate. reading space to the readers.
i is important to consider the size in relation 10 the number of users and the
volume of stock. The building should be well lit and well ventilated for free
circulation of air when designing children's library care should be taken on is
designed especially in its pertaining if it’s an archive.
The building should be designed such I hat the strong room should be strong
enough to prevent any act of theft.
Archival buildings should also be built in areas free from strong winds, and
strong light Exposure to building to strong light will have some effect on paper
and other information materials.
5. Policies
he policies of a given organization will clearly describe the nature and type of
building to be established or: acquired for their stock holding.
Many institutions. - have documented policies e.g. KPLC Kenya Power and
lighting that specify the type and the nature building to act as an institutional
resource.
There are certain standards that have been set up by such institutions e.g. IFLA .
KLA etc that a given formation centre must meet in order to qualify as a valid
information centre.
Types of Institution/ Information
The type and the nature of the service offered by a given institution will dictate
its design. Archives e.g. will have a different design from that of a library. This
is because of the nature of the service offered and materials housed.
is therefore of great significance to know the type of institution of information
required so as to select one right building so as to meet the institutions services
and goals.

CHAPTER 5
HUMAN RESOURCES
Specific objectives
At the end of this topic, the student should able to
a) Identify the different types of information personnel and information
providers.
b) Describe the various roles played by the information personnel.
c) Highlight the various factors to be considered when selecting a human
resource.
Introduction.
An Information Personnel is unindividual involved in the acquisition,
processing storage, repackaging, dissemination, marketing and publicity of
information. It therefore follows that, any organization that carries some or all
of the above- names functions qualify to be referred to as an information centre.
Examples 'include Librarians, Archivists, Document lists, and Record managers.
Curators etc. "five various information personnel are covered in the specific
information centers such as Libraries. Archives. Documentation centers.
publishing I . Government institutions. (" consultancy firm and many others.
Librarians.
These are professional personnel who plan administrate and manage the
libraries. They supervise technical operations like classification cataloguing,
acquisition work, reference services and circulation services, specialized
activities that require high intellectual input, like compiling of bibliographies,
abstracting and indexing are the domain of libraries. Library Assistants.
These are the Para professional staff employed in a library. They are the fust-
line managers who oversee ie operations such as the charging and discharging
of books, filing of catalogue cards, writing of overdue articles. filing of
acquisition order forms, among other daily routines performed by library
attendants.
In small libraries, especially in Kenya, the Library Assistants classify,
catalogue, and offer: current awareness services (CAS) and Selective
Dissemination of information (SDI) and reference service. They work under the
direction of Librarians with minimum supervision.
Library Attendants.
This is a non-professional Cadre of staff. They perform clerical duties like
keeping of statistics e.g. of books and perform, other duties, users etc. They
shelve hooks and perform other duties as directed by the library assistants.
Binders
This is the person who is charged with I he binding of books whose binding has
become t
loose. New books in per back can also be taken to the binding for rebinding so
that they can last longer. Minor repairs to be done books are also handled by a
binder.
machine operators/ Reprographic personnel.
is category of staff is to be found in large libraries like the academic libraries.
The machine operators are inked in all Kenya Polytechnic to handle equipment
used for reprography e.g. photocopiers recording machines deo cameras, video
recorders etc.), television sets, computers and so on. They play an important
role in libraries, which cannot be considered to have all personnel without the
machine operators.

Archives and Record Centers.

chives are public records or historical documents kepi in a repository or the
repository itself (building), record centers arc institutions or buildings providing
accommodation for the inexpensive but efficient storage and further processing
of records which are no longer frequently used but which must be preserved,
and for e provision of a reference service. The archives are managers by
archivist while record managers care for e records centre.
Archivists.
Archivists are the professional staff in archives. The Plan, administer and
manage operations that lake place an archive. Their duties include appraisal,
accessioning, preservation, arrangement, description, and reference service and
user education.
Archival Assistants.
s in libraries, archives have Archival Assistants. This group of personnel is
para-profession. They are opposed to work under the direction of archivists.
Their duties are as those of the archivists but activities lac require high
intellectual ability like appraisal are left to the archivists.
Record Managers.
Managers in record centers oversee proper creation and use of documents. They
ensure vital records are protected. It is also their duty to provide effective and
economical procedure systems, personnel and equipment to protect records:
provide guidelines for maintenance, use and control of active, semi - active, on-
active and vital records.
Machines operators.
They are important in archives and record centers. They are engaged in
microfilming of documents and other activities of reprography in archives and
records centers,
Conservators
Conservators are highly technical staff in archives. Their work involves use of
chemicals and physical, coendures in treatment or storage of documents to
restore and preserve the archives (documents).
conservator’s physical procedures of preservation include binding of
documents, framing, in-capsulation. imitation and full pasting. It is therefore not
necessary to have a binder who deals with the physical methods of documents
restoration and preservation.
Documentalists
Documentalist is one who practiced documentation. It is an information officer,
intelligence officer who collect and disseminates knowledge by assembling
information contained in documents together with date from other sources for
form a new compilation. There are various titles that are used to describe the
various specialists in a documentation center
Bibliographers.
These are professionals able to bibliographies according to recognized
principles. Compiling bibliographies using all the principles is very demanding
and specialized exercise. Due to its importance, bibliographic centers exist
especially with national libraries.

Indexers.
The indexers are professional personnel who carry out indexing. Indexing is the
art of compiling indexes, which are location tools for concepts in an information
material.

Abstractors do abstract; which is the act of preparing abstracts - Abstracts are

summaries of a larger work.

Translators.
These are persons who translate documents to other languages as required by
users of a documentation centre.

DATABASES (DATA CENTRES)

These are organizations for acquiring, processing, receiving, storing retrieving
and disseminating data. They are manned various categories of staff as below.
Information Technologists.
Information technologist is a person who collects, stores, uses and semis
information by means of computer- systems and telecommunication.
Database Manager.
This is a person in -charge of approving computing projects.; ensuring
computing equipment is put into the best: by data processing staff. He also
ensures that the department serves the interests of homogenization. Advising the
administration on ways of adopting new technology and implications to the
company.
Programmers.
Programmer writes computer programmes according to the requirements of the
system analyst, he is responsible for writing detailed description on how a
programme works for the others to understand and make changes where
necessary. Also, he is in charge for programme maintenance, which involves
changing programmes from time to lime due to changing requirements and
experience.
operators Managers.
The day to day running of the computer system is the work of and operations
manager. He allocates time to various programmes, arranges for repair and
maintenance of the computer when necessary; allocates work to computer
operators and data preparations staff. The operating of stationary and other
supplies is also his
Systems Analyst
System analyst is a person/individual who performs systems analysis during any
or all of the lifecycle phases of business information system.
Computer system analyst not only analyses business information system
problems but also synthesis new-terns to solve those problems or to meet other
information needs.
toing so the systems analyst works not only with computers, but also must often
manage other information services available to a business.
Computer Operators
Computer Operators keep the computers running by providing papers to the
computers, type and read ructions from the system and produce the computer
tog - This is a record of all records run on the computer .
Data Operations Staff.
These operate the data entry terminals, which keep the computer running.

Computer Technicians
Are staffs skilled in the repair and maintenance of computers and their
peripheral devices e.g. Printers. Keyboard, etc They also offer logistical support
in use of hardware devices like the central terminals.
File librarian (Media librarian)
All magnetic tapes and discs in data centres are care for by file librarians.
Editors-
An editor prepares manuscripts for publication. The preparation involves
making corrections on the manuscripts. Such corrections arc ensuring that facts
are correct, the writings arc legible, consistency in language, accuracy of
grammar, clarity and style and legality of ideas, and propriety i.e. correctness of
social and morals as articulated by the author.
Author.
Without an author, publishers would not have raw material (manuscript) for
what they publish. An author is the creator of intellectual work. Ideas that a
creator (author) has are devetoped and communicated in form of writing,
singing, drawing etc.

OTHER PERSONAE ASSOCIATED WITH AUTHORSHIP.

Illustrator.
An illustrator draws pictures, diagrams, etc for elucidating texts.
Translator
Texts written or explained in languages that are not known to intended users are
translated. For example,. Ngugi wa Thiong'o who now writes in his mother
tongue, Kikuyu, has his books translated into various languages, English,
Kiswahili, etc.

'Compiler.
This is the person who collects or edits material from various sources or from
on or more authors and arranges for publication.

Designers.

A designer looks at details such as size of page, kind and size of typefaces, the
width of margins, arrangement of chapter headings, page numbering; plan of
illustrations and tables: kind of paper used and type of cover. A well-designed
book should be attractive to potential buyers; such that the buyers decide to buy
it.

Printer
A printer receives manuscripts from a publisher composes it. prints and binds
the finished work. Book design which includes type arrangement, page layout,
ink colours and selection of paper, is also the work of a printer
Sales Personnel.
These are the staff that informs the purchasers about new titles. They include
sales representatives who move round a given arc informing institutions such as
schools, colleges, bookshops, etc, about the new publication. After securing an
order, other sales personnel are involved. Such are like accountants who handle
payment matters: warehouse managers who ensure packaging of only ordered
titles.

MEDIA CENTRES.
These are centers are organizations that use radios, television or newspapers for
disseminating information.
Kenya we have Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) for both radio and
television, Kenya Television Network. (KTN) For television: Nation
Newspapers, Standard for daily newspapers, among others.
Different types of personnel work in media centres.

Reporters-

Reporters are the field personnel who gather information as il is created. They
do it by making notes, taking photographs; interviewing people found at points
where information is being collected. A correspondent has: sane meaning with a
reporter.
Editors
These are the persons responsible for the contents of newspaper, journal or
periodical and sometimes its publication.
Producers.
The producers are the equivalent of editors in determining what goes on air
from a radio or television station, broadcasters / Telecasters.
Broadcasters are the people whose voice is heard in a radio reading or
commentating Telecasters' images d voice are seen and heard in a television
Information Officers.

These are senior reporters who assign duties to reporters. . The duties include
the functions to he covered, it to collect news or etc. Information officers are in
the Kenyan context civil servants in charge of the news gathering agency, the
Kenya news agency.

Curators-
These are building or rooms where realia are kept and usually shown to the
public because of their scientific, historical and artistic interest. The persons
who manage museums are known as Curators. Curators superintend activities in
a museum.

Bookshop Attendants/Assistants

Book shops are stores where books are sold. Their proprietors or employees
manage them. Assistants are employed to assist in serving customers.

INFORMATION ANALYSIS CENTERS.

These are highly specialized information centers whose main function is to

collect information. Researchers, decision and policy makers, administrators,
manager's politicians, legislators, industrialists, businessmen, etc use collected
information.

Personnel manning such centers vary from professionals in different fields. The
specialization depends on the information being dealt with. They could as vary
from librarians, scientists, police (security intelligence) to clerical officers.

INFORMATION EVALUATION CENTERS.

The validity-of information derived from experiments is evaluated in

Information Evaluation Centers. Examples information to be evaluated is data
collected by clerical officers, statistics. etc. in the National Bureau of Statistics.
They collect information in the field like population statistics which is later
compiled and evaluated at the headquarters. Researchers in research stations
carry out experiments, which they evaluate. Research stations are such as those
run by Kenya Agricultural Research Institutes. (KARI), Kenya Medical
Research Institute (KEMR.I), etc.

INFORMATION REFERRAL CENTRES.

These are organizations, which refer (direct) researchers for information and
data to appropriate sources such as libraries, documentation centres, etc. They
are manned by appropriately skill personnel, able to know where required
information can be found. #

OTHER INFORMATION PERSONNEL

Community Social Workers
These are people who have specified training skills and engage in providing
well arc services. The purposes of their work (social work) is:

. To enhance the problem solving and coping capacities of people.

To link people with systems that provide them with resources, services and
opportunities. To promote the effective and humane operation of these systems.
To contribute to the development and improvement of social policy. Brieland
Donald. Leta B. Costin and Charles R. Arlherton. Contemporary Social
Welfare. New York: McGraw Mill Book Company, 1980.
In Kenya various groups do various welfare services in various places and to
various people e.g. in Nyumbam lildren's home, there are social workers who
are engaged in activities that assist the orphaned children whose parents have
died as a result of HIV Aids disease. 'They provide services such as counseling
and help in providing basic needs to the children. This helps the children feel
wanted and no different to the other general society.
Agricultural extension officers
a) They provide advisory information to farmers on various issues,
b) Good fanning methods
c) The best pesticides available
d) Ways of increasing yields etc.
Public/District Health Officer
Duties of a public health officer are universally more or less the same. In Kenya
some of the duties include:
• Ensuring that the health standards in the districts are met.
• In cases of diseases outbreaks both human and animal he reports to the
government and relevant health bodies for appropriate health measures are
taken including provision of appropriate drugs and immunization.
• lie/she monitors the state of health in hospitals and prisons and reports to
the appropriate bodies case health conditions in such places are health wise unfit
for human habitation/living.
In cases of outbreak of harmful pests such as locusts which destroy vegetation
and crops, the public the officer is supposed to identify the problem and report
to the government and health organizations kc appropriate prevention measures
such as providing and spraying insecticides to curb the hazard, ion the health
officer’s main duty is to provide information on time to the government and
health bodies on the slate of health in his/her area of jurisdiction.

The following are some of the duties of county health officers as outlined by
the US Legislature Slate.
To exercise, subject to the subject of the county board of health in accordance
with (he health laws of slat, general supervision over the sanitary interests of the
country, and should he discover any cause of the disease or the existence of an)'
condition detrimental to the health of the people, he shall, so far as authorized,
compel the removal or abatement exist. Me shall report the fact to the county
board of health, adding such recommendations as to special action as he may
deem proper.
He shall make personal and thorough investigation of the first case or early
eases of any diseases suspected of being or known.
To visit all jails, whether county or municipal, and to make careful
investigations its respects the drinking water, (clothing and bedding supplied to
prisoners and as to the ventilation, air space, heating and bathing facilities
drainage etc. When the supplies are found to be inadequate in quantity or
deficient in quality or any of said conditions, in sanitary, the county officer shall
make in writing a report thereof to the judge of probate and the county
compassion or the proper municipal authorities as the case may be: where up m
or probate and county commission, shall carry out whatever. Recommendations
are made by the county health officer and said health officer shall forward
duplicates of his reports to the state health officer.
\. To transmit to the stale of health by the tenth day of each month all original
birth, still birth and death certificates and reports received by him from
registrars, hospitals and other institutions for the preceding month, also any
delayed certificates received by him during the month and other weekly and
monthly reports as may be required.
5. To make to the county board of health and county commission ofa
periodic report of activities and
accomplishments.
6. To make all necessary visits required to identify' hazards to public health
and to ensure that appropriate
• control measures are being enforced.
e above is just but a few of the major duties of municipal health officer in US,
which might slightly differ from the duties of health officers in other parts of the
world, but basically they are appropriate duties for health officers universally.
INFORMATION BROKERS
hey provide product, pricing and availability information. Some facilitate
transactions, but their main value is information they provide. Other types of
information brokers arc as follows:
Virtual Storefront
These sell physical goods or services on-line instead of through a physical store
front or retail outlet. Delivery of non-digital goods and services takes place
through traditional means. Targeted customers therefore receive information
about the availability of goods through on-line.
Market place concentrator
Concentrates information about products and services form multiple providers
at one central point. Purchasers can search comparison shop (ie. compare
between prices in different shops) and sometimes complete (he sales
transaction.
Transaction Brokers
Buyers can view rates and terms, but the primary activity is to complete the
transaction, Electronic clearing houses
Provide auction like settings for products where price and availability arc
constantly changing, sometimes in response to customer actions.
Reverse Auction
Consumers submit a bid to multiple sellers to buy goods or services at a buyer
specified price,
Digital product delivery
Sell and deliver software, multimedia, and other digital products over the
Internet

FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN SELECTING HUMAN

RESOURCE
I) Qualifications and competence
2) Experience
3) Cost
4) Availability and reliability
5) Good communication skids
6) Appropriate personality

CHAPTER 6
THE INTERMEDIARY ROLE OF INFORMATION PERSONNEL
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES.
At the end of this Topic, the student should be able to discuss the intermediary
role of information personnel in formation handling.
INTRODUCTION
brutal ion professionals personally play a very significant rule in the
information service process. The categories of duties they perform vary from
one institution to another. But generally they are charged with responsibility of
collecting ' gathering information, processing, storing and eventually
disseminating it to the clients’/information users.
The users here comprise of researchers, teachers and students, professional
practioners, policy, makers and members of the grass root community in the
rural areas etc.
Foresight of users’ needs
I. To begin with the information personnel must have a foresight of what the
users’ needs and want the responsibility of determining the user needs. User
needs assessment is therefore the role played by the information professionals.
This could be determined through formal or informal approaches. A formal
approach involves conducting interviews or administering questionnaires to
potential users in order to obtain their information needs. An informal approach
involves an impromptu interview with actual or potential users of library.
Arrange information materials
l. Organization of resources. Information resources if simply acquired and piled
in a library in information centre will create chaos and disorder. The
information professionals, personnel are duty bound to bring order in the
information centers. This is done for the purpose of making location and access
to such items easier and quicker. Organization of resources is achieved through
bringing of elated items together in a helpful sequence. In order to achieve this a
given specific scheme is used 1 addition they also do the shelving.
Information repackaging
. Information professionals also carry out information repackaging. Because of
information overload due to information explosion, language barrier and the
preventative of information in a context that is outside the user's cultural
framework the information are required to repackage the information to lake it
usable.
Repackaging implies information analysis, which involves reviewing,
consolidating and evaluating knowledge on specific topics. The products of
repackaging information would include: Abstracts, indexes, press cuttings,
posters, translations etc.
Prepare access tools
Preparation of Access tools. Information Centre, have major goals of satisfying
the user needs in the most efficient and effective way. The resources within
centre holdings have to be access to. It therefore implies that the personnel in
charge have to prepare guides to the literature holdings of • "se centers. Access
tools include indexes, catalogues, accession, lists, finding aids, bibliographies -
This leads to indexing, catatoguing, bibliographic compilations etc.
>. Information personnel also play the role of being the link between the mass
of literature and the clients in information users. This is exemplified in
reference and referral service,

6. The reference service involves personal / face-to-face assistance to the

information users in answering
their queries. Referral service is that type of service that entails linking of users
to the information centers / that could best answer their queries.
7. Selection and acquisition of information resources. 1 laving determined
the information needs of its potential users the next step for the personnel is to
select the relevant information sources from the universe of information. After
identification the personnel goes ahead and acquires these resources for the
purpose of collection development
8. Publicity and Promotion: Why promote?
(a) To make users aware of the service / collection existing.
(b) To inform users
(c) Disseminate information e.g. C.A.S
(d) Educate users e.g. user education. To enable clientele to know how to use
the centre materials e.g. catalogues.

One of the mam reasons for user dissatisfaction with services provided by the
libraries to the difficulty they experience when trying to access and retrieve
relevant information. The information sources have to be organized. facilitate
access and retrieval of information sources have to be organized to facilitate
access and retrieval of information.
Organizalion involves cataloguing, classification and assigning subject headings
to documents
Information resources could be effectively organized as follows.
1. Books arranged in shelves according to classification schemes chosen or
adopted by the personnel.
2. Serials particularly periodicals and image lines are often arranged
alphabetically by title and by subject etc.

REVISION QUESTIONS
a) Discuss 5 methods that can be used to promote information resources and
services.
b) Discuss the consequences of lack of access tools in a documentation
centers
c) Describe any 4 processing work performed by information personnel
after materials are received in the information center.
CHAPTER 7

FORMATION SEARCH FROM RESOURCES

•Specific objectives
At the end of this topic, the student should be able to;
Extract and record information from various material resources.
Learning Activity
Select any 2 information materials in library science discipline.
Search for information using the:
i. T.O.C
ii. Index

b. Describe the procedure used in identifying the various topics

c. Record the findings
CHAPTER 8
COMPILING DIRECTORIES
At the end of this topic, the student should be able to
a) Compile directories of various institutional resources,
b) Compile directories of human resources

PROCEDURE FOR COMPILING DIRECTORIES

Establish preliminary decisions such as
a. Geographical coverage. Will the directory cover Nairobi city or the whole
of Kenya?
b. Sector coverage. Will the directory cover institutions directories or public
libraries or professional-directory of librarians
c. Form of entries to be included.
a. Name of individual or company
b. Address of individuals or company
c. Telephone or fax number
d. Establish the arrangement of the entries.
Example:
Kenya school of professional studies
Box 60550
Nairobi.
3255-8
The arrangement of entries should be consistent through the work.
3. Identification of sources to consult. If possible contact them in advance!
for instance if it is a professional directory, one can consult the various
information personnel in the information centers or even an institutional
directory.
4. Design the data input sheet. Which way the data will be recorded.
5. Collection of data and recording it on a searchable medium.
6. Arrangement of entries
7. Writing of preliminary pages. Such as introduction. abbreviations. /toc •
8.Physical production of the directory
9.Binding
10.Organize for revision.