Quality Assurance and the Management of the University Library System: Committee of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (CULNU), National Workshop, 2006
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/07419050610692299 |
| Published date | 01 July 2006 |
| Date | 01 July 2006 |
| Pages | 24-26 |
| Author | Rose B. Okiy |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Quality Assurance and the Management of the
University Library System:
Committee of University Librarians of Nigerian
Universities (CULNU), National Workshop, 2006
Rose B. Okiy
24 LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 6 2006, pp. 24-26, #Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/07419050610692299
The national workshop of t he
Committee of University Librarians of
Nigerian Universities (CULNU), was
held at the National Universities
Commission, Abuja between 3-4 May,
2006. The CULNU is a body which
covers all university libraries in Nigeria.
At the moment, there are various types
of universities under different
proprietors. They are the federal, state
and private universities. The CULNU
was founded 33 years ago in 1973.
Prominent among its objectives are the
formulation of standards for operation
and services of Nigerian university
libraries, promotion of library
cooperation in the country generally and
specifically among university libraries
and to organize seminars, workshops
and conferences in order to enhance the
practice of librarianship and information
service in Nigerian Universities
(CULNU, 1973). Since its inception in
1973, CULNU has made it a point of
duty to meet regularly, bi-annually.
These meetings are rotated amongst all
participating university libraries. It is in
this tradition, that the body decided to
have this workshop on ``Quality
assurance and the management of the
Nigerian university library system.''
Altogether, 39 u niversity librari ans
representing from Federal (14), State
(16), and Private (six), universities
attended theworkshop.
The welcome address was given by
the chairman of CULNU, Michael
Afolabi, University Librarian of the
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
In his address, he expatiated on the
essential theme of the workshop in light
of the present generally poor state of
funding and hence poor state of
university library resources and
services in Nigeria. He hoped that at the
end of this workshop, which was
designed to bring all stakeholders
together, they will be able to come up
with remarkable solutions to the poor
funding situation of university libraries
in Nigeria. He commended the
exceptional contributions of the
National Universities Commission
(NUC), under the leadership of its
executive secretary, Peter Okebukola
for his role in the planning and
execution of this workshop.
The opening address for the occasion
was presented by Abiola Ayimonche,
the chairman, NUC Board of
Management. In her address, she
emphasized the central place of
libraries in the advancement of every
profession and noted the timeliness of
the theme of this workshop hoping
sincerely that the workshop will come
up with useful resolutions for the
progress of university libraries in
Nigeria. The keynote address for the
occasion was delivered by Peter
Okebukola. In his address, he
appreciated the present leadership of
CULNU for choosing this very befitting
theme for this workshop. He observed
that the issue of quality assurance as a
dynamic concept has systemically
percolated the fabrics of the
institutional framework in Nigerian
Universities over the past seven years.
Furthermore, university libraries are
very essential to this framework since
they must contribute significantly to
enhance the quality of academic and
research work in our universities. He
therefore challenged the university
librarians to come up with model
quality assurance systems for Nigerian
university libraries to advance our
university system in Nigeria, meaning a
system that will guarantee the
production of globally competitive
graduates and quality researches
relevant to national development.
After the opening ceremony, papers
were delivered in two separate plenary
sessions. The first paper was delivered
by Placid Njoku, director of Quality
Assurance at the NUC, Abuja. In his
paper, ``Quality assurance and the
management of the Nigerian university
system,'' he highlighted several issues
such as the elements of university
education delivery which include, the
process of equipping learners in the
university system with the desired
knowledge, skills and attitudes to face
the challenges of an actively changing
society. He alsonoted that such elements
refer to those essentials that should be
put in place to enable the university to
carry out its main functions of teaching,
research and community service. He
gave an overview ofquality assurance as
it relates to the university system, noting
that it demonstrates fitness for purpose
and underscores the effectiveness and
efficiency of theapplication of resources
to achieve university mandate.
According to him,the purpose of quality
assurance in university education
include: enhancing quality and
standards, ensuring compliance with
agreed minimum standards, giving
credibility to awards, defining purpose,
benchmarks and threshold standards and
ensuring accountability in respect of the
investment of public funds. In the light
of the foregoing, he suggested that a
focused university management will
ensure that the university library is
indeed a learning center. The academic
library of the institution, should be well
stocked with current books and journals
for learning and research and also
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