Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Document Type
Article
Abstract
The study focused on library services and resource provision to prison inmates in Enugu Maximum Prison Library Enugu State Nigeria. Four (4) research questions were formulated to guide the study. The objectives of the study were to find out the extent of library services provision to the prison inmates, extent of provision of library resources to the inmates, agencies that provide resources and services to the Prison Library, and the problems associated with the provision of library services and resources to meet the inmates’ information needs. Eighty-three (83) respondents comprising eighty prison inmates and three library staff were used as a sample for the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the library staff, while interview test was used to get information from the prison inmates. Descriptive statistics including frequency tables, percentage, and weighted mean were used for data analysis. Major findings showed that library services and resource provision to prison inmates are mainly undertaken by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and not Government Institutions. However, some of the major problems associated with the provision of library services and resources to prison inmates include lack of professional staff, inadequate funding, high level of illiteracy among prison inmates, and high censorship of library materials. The study recommends that the prison authorities should provide adequate library staff both in number and qualification. Such library staff should possess requisite personal characteristics and commitment to operate an efficient service that will meet the information needs of prison inmates.