Perception of Academic Librarians of Cataloguing and Classification Routines in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike Library

Abstract

This study investigated the perception of librarians of cataloguing and classification routines in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU) Library. The analytical research design was adopted for the study. The interpretivist approach to analysis was used to analyse the data collected. The census sampling technique was implemented by studying the entire population of 26 librarians working in MOUAU Library. Seven questions were asked and duly answered using data collected from a structured interview schedule and an opinionnaire. From the results obtained, librarians were part of the staff of Cataloguing and Classification Department in MOUAU Library and admitted to be responsible for core cataloguing and classification routines in their library (namely determining of subject headings, subject cataloguing and assigning of class marks), excepting descriptive cataloguing which para-professionals performed. Furthermore, the study showed that all the librarians studied perceived cataloguing and classification routines as challenging aspects of library practice and thus, disliked working in the Cataloguing and Classification Department of MOUAU Library. Consequent on the findings, the study made seven recommendations which included the need to provide cataloguing and classification librarians with relevant personal protective equipment (PPE) such as eye glasses, special reader-lenses, and computer screen shields to avert eye problems which librarians attributed to cataloguing and cataloguing routines.