CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Collection development is a core function of academic and university
libraries. It refers to the process of selecting, acquiring, organizing,
evaluating, and maintaining library resources (print and digital) so as
to support the teaching, learning, research, and service goals of the
parent institution. Over the past two decades, the landscape of
academic libraries in Nigeria—and globally—has been changing rapidly
due to technological developments, budget constraints, shifts in user
behaviour, and evolving information sources. These changes have
significant implications for how university libraries plan, build, and
maintain their collections. At Alex Ekwueme Federal University,
Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State, like many federal universities in
Nigeria, the library is expected to adapt to these trends, but it also
faces constraints that affect the implementation of best practices in
collection development.
Emerging Trends in Collection Development
Several important trends have been documented in the literature for
academic libraries in Nigeria (and broadly in Sub-Saharan Africa), many
of which are relevant to AE-FUNAI:
1. Shift toward Electronic Resources (e-Resources)
There is increasing acquisition of e-books, e-journals, databases,
institutional repositories, and other digital or online content.
Libraries are seeking remote access, full-text availability, and
broader subject coverage via electronic means rather than
relying solely on print. Studies (e.g. Okogwu & Ekere, 2019) show
that university libraries in Southeast Nigeria are increasingly
investing in e-resources as part of collection development.
2. Use of Collection Development Policies and Formal
Guidelines
The adoption and use of collection development policies—both
for print and for electronic resources—are becoming more
important. Such policies guide selection criteria, vendor
negotiations, licensing, weeding, user input, etc. However, many
libraries still lack formal or fully implemented policies. For
example, “Electronic Resources Collection Development Practices
in Libraries in Nigeria” (Igiamoh & Duro, 2025) showed many
libraries do not have a written e-collection policy, or selection
criteria, or evaluation committees.
3. Resource Sharing and Consortia
To overcome high costs and leverage better pricing, some
libraries are forming consortia or participating in resource-sharing
agreements. This enables them to negotiate better subscription
terms, share digital resources, or pool acquisition efforts. In
contexts where foreign exchange rates and international
subscription costs are high, this becomes especially critical.
Okogwu & Ekere (2019) report that consortial purchases are one
strategy used in Southeast Nigerian university libraries.
4. Focus on User Needs, Usage Data, and Performance
Metrics
Libraries are increasingly using user surveys, usage statistics
(e.g. database downloads, journal usage, borrowing records), and
evaluation metrics to guide what is purchased, what is
maintained, and what is weeded. This assists in making informed
decisions, avoiding redundancy, and improving relevance of
collections. Studies in South-South Nigeria indicate that
knowledge of collection development policy and librarians’ skills
in using it strongly correlate with better management of
electronic information resources.
5. Technological Change and Digital Maturity
The rapid development of ICT infrastructures, improved
bandwidth, adoption of library management systems (LMS / ILS),
institutional repositories, and the potential use of AI tools are
influencing collection development. For example, a recent study
on potentials of Artificial Intelligence in collection development
(Omeluzor & Ojukwu, 2025) highlights predictive tools,
automation, forecasting, and eliminating repetitive tasks.
6. Budget Prioritization and Alternate Funding Strategies
Given the rising cost of materials—especially e-resources,
subscription fees, foreign publishers’ pricing, foreign exchange—
it has become necessary for library leaderships to rethink budget
allocations. Some libraries engage in priority budgeting,
alternative funding (grants, donations), and advocacy with their
parent institutions to secure more reliable funding.
Challenges in Collection Development
Despite the trends, there are persistent challenges that many
university libraries in Nigeria face, many likely relevant to AE-FUNAI:
1. Inadequate or Unreliable Funding
Studies repeatedly cite that inadequate budgets are a primary
constraint. This affects ability to acquire current materials (print
or electronic), renew subscriptions, engage in vendor
negotiations, and maintain recurring costs (e.g., licence fees,
subscriptions). The fluctuating costs, foreign exchange rates,
inflation further exacerbate this.
2. Lack of or Poorly Implemented Policy and Governance
Even where policies exist, many libraries have weak
implementation. Some lack written collection development
policies, e-resource acquisition policies, or formal committees for
selection, licensing, and evaluation. Without proper policy,
selection may be ad hoc, wasteful, or misaligned with institutional
goals.
3. Technological Infrastructure and Connectivity Issues.
Reliable electricity, adequate internet bandwidth, stable ICT
hardware/software, library management systems, access
platforms are not always available or consistent. Digital collection
development suffers when infrastructure is weak.
4. Lack of Skilled Human Resources.
Skills are needed in digital licensing, vendor negotiation,
metadata, ICT tools, usage analytics, copyright/licencing, digital
preservation. Many librarians need training or retraining. Okogwu
& Ekere (2019) among others report staff skill deficits as a
challenge.
5. Licensing, Vendor Relations, and Copyright Issues
Especially for e-resources, problems with license terms,
restrictive access, archiving, vendor support, and negotiating
favourable deals hamper effective use of electronic collections.
Additionally, fluctuating costs and unfavourable contractual terms
can reduce access.
6. Balancing Print vs Digital Collections; Weeding /
Evaluating Collections
Some libraries have difficulty making decisions about what to
retain, when to remove obsolete or unused materials, what print
materials to buy versus digital equivalents. Also, there may be
resistance (institutional or cultural) to removing print materials.
7. User Expectations & Changing Behavior.
Users increasingly want remote access, mobile access,
multimedia, full-text online, and fast turnaround. When libraries
cannot meet those expectations (because of cost, licensing,
infrastructure), user satisfaction drops. The COVID-19 pandemic
revealed many of these gaps.
8. Cost of Electronic Resources
Not just acquisition cost but recurring subscription/licence fees,
foreign exchange, inflation, and maintenance (e.g., platform fees,
software upgrades) pose challenges. In many South-East Nigeria
studies, cost is the highest challenge in developing e-resource
collection.
Context of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike
(AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State
To situate the study, some known facts and issues about AE-FUNAI and
its library must be considered:
Institutional Age and Physical Infrastructure: AE-FUNAI is a
relatively new federal university established under the Federal
Government’s Universities of Agriculture and others, located in
Ikwo, Ebonyi State. Because of its newer status, some
infrastructure (including library facilities) are still developing. For
example, student reports indicate the library facilities are
perceived as inadequate for the students’ population, with space
constraints and insufficient seating especially during peak periods
like examination time.
SWOT Analysis of AE-FUNAI Library: There is a documented
SWOT analysis of the library at AE-FUNAI, which shows both
strengths and weaknesses. The weaknesses include
under-resourced sections of the library, infrastructure deficits,
and challenges related to electronic resources and associated
infrastructure.
User Complaints and Facility Limitations: Reports from
students have raised issues about the size of the library, inability
to accommodate many students, limited furniture/seating, and
perhaps inadequate collections or delays in acquisitions. These
reflect demand exceeding capacity and perhaps limitations in
collection development and maintenance.
Geographic & Regional Challenges: As with other universities
in Southeast Nigeria, AE-FUNAI likely faces many of the same
environmental and structural challenges: unreliable power
supply, inconsistent internet connectivity, issues with foreign
currency payments for subscriptions, budget constraints, etc.
These are common in studies around electronic resource
collection development in Southeast Nigeria.
Statement of the Problem
In the digital age, university libraries are experiencing a fundamental
shift in how collections are developed, managed, and accessed. The
rise of electronic resources, changing user expectations, technological
innovations, and budgetary constraints have transformed traditional
collection development practices. Across the globe, academic libraries
are adapting to these emerging trends by implementing strategic
policies, integrating digital tools, and re-evaluating their acquisition
priorities to meet the dynamic needs of their users.
However, in many Nigerian university libraries—including those in
relatively newer institutions such as Alex Ekwueme Federal University,
Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI)—this transformation has been uneven,
constrained, and under-documented. The challenges facing collection
development are multifaceted and persistent. These include
insufficient funding for resource acquisition, especially electronic
resources; lack of well-defined or effectively implemented collection
development policies; inadequate ICT infrastructure to support digital
collections; limited professional capacity among library staff; and the
complexities of negotiating licensing agreements and managing
subscription renewals.
At AE-FUNAI, anecdotal reports and preliminary observations suggest
that the university library is grappling with some of these issues. There
have been complaints about limited access to up-to-date materials,
inadequate seating space, and insufficient digital resources to support
the growing student population. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical
research examining the nature and extent of these challenges within
the institution, or how emerging trends such as e-resource acquisition,
usage-based selection, open access integration, and consortia
participation are being implemented or resisted.
This knowledge gap is problematic because effective collection
development is essential to supporting teaching, research, and
innovation in any academic institution. Without a clear understanding
of both the emerging opportunities and persistent barriers, the AE-
FUNAI library risks falling behind in fulfilling its mandate as a
knowledge hub. Moreover, the lack of institution-specific studies
prevents the formulation of tailored strategies that could improve the
quality, relevance, and accessibility of library collections.
Therefore, this study is designed to critically examine the emerging
trends and the specific challenges affecting collection development
practices at AE-FUNAI Library. It seeks to uncover the institutional,
infrastructural, and policy-related factors shaping current practices,
and to propose actionable recommendations to improve the library’s
capacity to support academic excellence in a fast-evolving information
environment.
Objectives of the Study
The study aims to:
1. Identify emerging trends in collection development practices in
university libraries in Nigeria, with special reference to AE-FUNAI.
2. Examine the challenges faced by AE-FUNAI Library in its
collection development practices.
3. Assess how AE-FUNAI Library is adapting to technological change
and user needs in collection development.
4. Propose recommendations for improving collection development
practices at AE-FUNAI (and more broadly across similar
institutions).
Research Questions
Some possible research questions include:
1. What are the current trends in collection development (e.g. shift
toward electronic resources, consortia, usage statistics, weeding,
licensing) in Nigerian university libraries?
2. What challenges are experienced in AE-FUNAI with respect to
budget, policy, human resources, infrastructure, vendor relations,
etc.?
3. How effectively is AE-FUNAI deploying collection development
policies, particularly for e-resources?
4. What strategies are being employed to overcome these
challenges, and what are the best practices that could be
adopted?
Significance of the Study
1. Provides a basis for improving library policy and management at
AE-FUNAI.
2. Helps library leadership to better allocate resources and advocate
for support.
3. Contributes to the literature on academic libraries in Nigeria and
Sub-Saharan Africa, especially on digital transformation, policy
implementation, and user-centred collection development.
4. Offers comparative insights for other federal universities facing
similar conditions.
Scope of the Study
This study will cover collection development practices at AE-FUNAI
University Library, focusing on both print and electronic resources. It
will consider policies, processes, challenges, user needs, and
adaptation to emerging technologies. The temporal focus may be the
last 5 years or so (adjust depending on available records).
Definition of Terms
1. Collection Development: Processes involved in selecting,
acquiring, and maintaining library resources.
2. Electronic Resources (E-resources): Digital materials such as
e-journals, databases, e-books, institutional repositories, etc.
3. Policy: Formal written guidelines that inform decision-making in
selecting, acquiring, evaluating, and maintaining resources.