Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
2013
Document Type
Article
Abstract
The spate of library crime in Nigerian academic libraries is presently alarming. This paper, therefore, is designed to dissect the patterns and trends of this crime using sociological tenets and social dynamics. Through the literature review, the major causes, dimensions and implications of library crime were unravelled. Dearth of knowledge-enhancing, sought-after and expensive reading materials, environmental nature (physical and structural arrangements) of libraries, and economic hardship are some of the causes of library crime, which manifests in various forms: theft, pilfering, mutilation, and fraud. This paper revealed that library crimes have deleterious effects on individual users, library staff, academic community and society in its entirety. The central policy implication of the study is that electronic security system should be installed in all academic libraries inNigeriaand sufficient volumes of current, sought-after and expensive reading materials stuffed in the library.