Acquisition is a means by which books and non book materials are collected in a library. The librarian glossary (2001) defined acquisition as a process of acquiring or the department concerned with acquiring for the library. In chapter one of this research study, there are problems militating against stock acquisition in Alex Ekwueme library such as lack of fund to build up the library stock, there is a problem of staffing and inadequacy of reading space and furniture.

Chapter two of this research study deals with literature review which discusses the following headings: acquisition, acquisition policy, library materials/stocks, types of library stocks, methods of acquisition, problems of stock acquisition and selection tools. Chapter three of this research study is research methodology which the research adopted survey research/designs because survey deals with interview and questionnaires.

Chapter four of this research study discusses presentation and analysis of data which were drawn and gathered from the research questions as follows:

i. What are various methods of acquiring library materials at Alex Ekwueme library?

ii. Are there procedures of book acquisition in the library

iii. What are the needs for stock acquisition in academic libraries?

iv. What types of materials are to be acquired in the library?

Based on the findings, the researcher indicated that the main reason for stock acquisition is for dissemination of information.

Chapter five deals with summary, conclusion, recommendation and suggestion for further study. The researcher recommends that the institution management should not depend on government grant alone but should try to allocate more funds for the acquisition of library stocks/materials.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page i

Approval page ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgement iv

Abstract v

Table of contents vi

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Statement of problem 7

1.3 Objectives of the study 8

1.4 Scope of the study 8

1.5 Significance of the study 9

1.6 Research questions 9

1.7 Definition of terms 10

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature review 14

2.1 Concepts of library and its functions 14

2.2 Acquisition 15

2.3 Acquisition policy 17

2.4 Library materials/stocks 18

2.5 Types of library stock 18

2.6 Methods of acquisition 20

2.7 Problems of acquisition 22

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Research methodology 26

3.1 Research design 26

3.2 Area of study 26

3.3 Population 27

3.4 Sample and sampling technique 27

3.5 Treatment procedure 28

3.6 Validity of instrument 28

3.7 Distribution and retrieval of the instrument 28

3.8 Data analysis technique 28

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Presentation and analysis of data 29

4.1 Presentation and data/findings 29

4.2 Discussion/findings 32

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Summary, Conclusion, Recommendation, Suggestion 33

5.1 Summary 33

5.2 Recommendations 34

5.3 Conclusion 35

5.4 Suggestion for further studies 36

References 37

Appendixes 38

Questionnaires 39

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1 .1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The quality of service provided by any library will be determined by the richness of its collection. According to oxford advanced learner’s dictionary 8^th edition, stock is a supply of something that is available for use. Stock in library terms refers to book and non book materials in a given library.

The term acquisition means different thing to different people. Evans, (2000) defined acquisition as the process of securing materials for the library collection, whether by purchase as gifts or through exchange programs.

Gorman (1998) described acquisition as the procedure which is primarily concerned with ordering, claiming and receipt of materials for the library.

Acquisition according to Bakare (1999) is the means by which books and non book material are collected in a library or group of libraries.

The Librarian Glossary (2001) defined acquisition as the process of acquiring, or the department concerned with acquiring for the library.

Webster part II (1984) defined acquisition as the act of acquiring

According to oxford advanced learner’s dictionary, acquisition is the act of getting something especially knowledge and skills.

Wulfekoetter, (1961): Acquisition is the means by which additions are made to the library; this involves bringing in new materials into the library stock. These materials maybe acquired through direct purchase, gifts, exchanges, donations, inter-library loan cooperation and legal deposit especially if the government designated the library as a legal depository centre.

It is also the process of obtaining library materials, both books and non book materials, which aims at building up a library collection.

Effective acquisition development can only be possible in any library if the functions of that library are quite clear in a policy statement. It has always been impossible for any library to possess every material.

Stock acquisition in Alex Ekwueme library, Federal Polytechnic Oko, involves print and non print material. (Book and non Book materials).

Book acquisition according to Adedibu, L.O (1983) is the procurement of library books whether they are acquired by purchase, gift or through exchange.

BOOKS:

These are monographs, textbooks or set of blank sheet of papers bound along one edge and enclosed within protective covers to form a volume especially a written or printed literary composition presented in this way. Librarian Glossary (1971)

Stocks acquired are usually housed in a library.

LIBRARY:

Webster part II (2004) defined library as a collection of reading materials. Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language (1994) defined library as a place set apart to contain books and other materials for reading, study or reference; as a room, set of rooms or building where books may be read or borrowed.

Kumar (1992) defined library as a public institution or establishment charged with the care of a collection of books, the duty of making them accessible to those who require the use of them and the task of converting every person in its neighborhood into a habitual library gore and reader of books.

According to Okeke (2001) library is an institution meant to collect, organize, preserve and disseminate informational materials to library patrons.

Chukwuma (2004) defined it as a place where professionally selected and acquired books and non book materials are processed and orderly arranged to make for ease of location, retrieval and use.

Hornby (2010) defined library as a building in which collection of books, CDs, newspaper etc are kept for people to read, study or borrow.

Academic library:

According to the Librarians Glossary of terms (1979) academic libraries are those libraries of universities, university colleges, and all other institutions forming part of or associated with institutions of higher education.

Ezamba N.C. (2004).says that an academic library can be defined as a library attached to tertiary institutions. Academic libraries are varied and distinctive as the institutions they serve.

Obodoeze,F.O.(2004) Opines that academic libraries are those libraries that exists in institutions of higher education such as universities, colleges of education, colleges of technology and polytechnics.

Therefore, stock acquisitions in academic libraries are the process or action taken by libraries to build up the library’s collection. Various ways are involved in acquiring library materials such as acquisition by purchase. In purchasing process, there is need for selection before acquisition, acquisition through gifts, exchanges and legal deposit.

Selection involves careful choice of items to be acquired by the library. Selection is based on the needs of user because the library in the polytechnic is primarily set up to support the polytechnic curriculum. Many things are considered during selection and acquisition and they include the objectives of the parent body/institution that is every institution has objectives and materials are acquired in the subject field of the institution’s interest.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ALEX EKWUEME LIBRARY, FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC OKO.

Alex Ekwueme library, Federal Polytechnic, Oko is an academic library made up of a network of three libraries located at Oko, Atani and Ufuma campuses. What is today known as the Alex Ekwueme library, Federal Polytechnic, Oko started in a one (1) room apartment with (400) volumes of books mostly in the field of classic and literature. This was when the Anambra state Government approved the institution as a college of Arts and Science to offer a remedial courses for students at the G.C.E ordinary and advanced level examinations. When the institution was upgraded to college of Arts, Science and Technology on June 28, 1980 more books were acquired to provide information resources to facilitate teaching, learning, research and community services.

The growth of the library was sustained with the unassailable objectives of the library, collection development in Alex Ekwueme library was expectedly dictated by the institutions curricula.

The college was formulized as Anambra State Polytechnic, Oko through Edict no. 12 of 1985. The library was moved from the one room it occupied to its present location and more books were acquired to beef up the collection.

The professional librarian Mr. U.C.U Uchedili was appointed to organize the library in line with established procedure in any academic library. This was during the regime of Professor C. Ezeilo as the rector in 1981. In 1993, the quality of its education programmes, the availability of vital infrastructure and personal initiatives of Professor Ben Nwabueze, the minister of Education. The Polytechnic was taken over by the Federal Government. At the same time, Atani campus of Polytechnic was established as one of the visionary strides of Professor Ben Nwabueze.

The nucleus of Atani campus library was established with 1,272 volumes of books in the field of Computer science, mathematics and Satatistics. The first professional librarian, Mr. Rowland Ofuluo was appointed in 1995 by recommendation of the polytechnic librarian. Dr Obiora Nwosu left the polytechnic for Nnamdi Azikiwe University. The polytechnic was at that capacity until June 2010 when Mr. F.O Obodozie took over as the substantive polytechnic Librarian.

Today, Alex Ekwueme Library, Federal Polytechnic, Oko has benefited from TET fund sponsorship, Federal Government grants and donations from philanthropic individual like Dr Emeka Offor. As a result of these interventions, the library has grown into one of the foremost academic libraries in Nigeria. They have also applied to Ranforly libraries in England to include Alex Ekwueme library in global rating of Academic libraries.

At present they have 220,000 volumes of books with 120,000 titles. It has equally grown in staff strength with (48) forty eight professional and Para professional staff. There is still room for improvement in manpower development.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

It is obvious that diverse problems militate against Alex Ekwueme library in Federal Polytechnic Oko. Recently stock acquisitions in the academic libraries have little or no attention

In many libraries in Nigeria especially academic libraries, there is lack of fund to build up library stock. This is because sometimes Government do not provide enough fund to acquire library materials which aims at building up the library collections. Sometimes when government maps out fund for a particular institution, those in charge will not use it adequately and judiciously.

There is a problem of staffing in the department compared to the number of library users. In most academic libraries, there are few numbers of staff to compare to the number of users they attend to. When you come to the library, there are lots of students seeking for attention of library staff.

Inadequacy of reading space and furniture is also one of the problems in Alex Ekwueme library. When materials are been acquired in the library, there is no reading spaces and furniture for the library users.

The above problems affect stock acquisition in Alex Ekwueme library in Federal Polytechnic, Oko.