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Department

Public Service

Introduction


The Public Services Department is one of the professional departments of the National Library of Nigeria. Section (2) {b) of the National Library decree 1970 provides for the establishment and maintenance of a branch of the National Library in each of the states of the federation. This requirement was designed to bring library services closer to the people. In pursuance of the State Branch Services objectives, presently, there are thirty-three {33) established operational branches located all over the six (6} geo-political zones of the country. The State Branch system is organized into two Divisions: Public Services Department Southern Operations Division and Northern Operations Division. These two divisions have operational units under them for the coordination of the activities of the department.


The department came to being as a result of the merger of State Branch Services and Reference and Users Services Department. Since then, the state branch system has undergone two other significant changes. First, was the splitting up of the department into two (2} departments: The Public Services Department (PSD South} and the Public Services Department (PSD North} - each of the department headed by a Director to oversees, co-ordinates, set targets for annual performance, plan specific projects and supervises the state branches' functional operations. Second was the subsequent merger of the two departments as one but with creation of more divisions and units.


Its CORE functions include:

    Generally, the department receives, assembles and organizes, in classified order, information resources in form of books, film, clips, audio and visuals and make them readily available to offer reference and information services to the public.

     

    Thus, the specific functions of the department are:

    1.   Provision of selected annotated bibliographies as may be required to meet the educational and research needs of users, most of whom are civil servants, government officials, lecturers, professionals of all types and students;

    2.   Protection of the interest of publishers in the library by responding to subpoenas in respect of litigations;

    3.   Mounting of periodic exhibitions and displays on topical national and educational issues;

    4.   Compilation of lists of books, newspapers, journals and rare books for binding;

    5.   Stock taking of the collection ns- Weeding and updating of stock to enrich information services;

    6.   Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI} and other awareness services;

    7.   Photocopying services -To curb theft and mutilation;

    8.   Preservation and conservation of materials in the collection;

    9.   Keeping statistics of work output;

    10.  Maintenance of the public card catalogue;

    11.  Administration/supervision of all Branches;

    12.  Co-Ordination of branch activities for effective library services;

    13.  Provision Professional advisory services at the state level;

    14.  Liaising with state governments, local governments, communities and other libraries on behalf of National Library of Nigeria;

    15.  Collection of legal deposit materials and certification of documents at the state Level;

    16.   Liaising with the Book industry (i.e. on International Publishing Standards) at the State level;

    17.  Assisting  in publicizing  government  current  social policies  through exhibitions and displays;

    18.  Provision of internet services at the branches;

    19.  Consultancies; and

    20. Organization of annual readership promotion campaign.

Division include: