DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN PLATEAU STATE

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to determine disaster management in academic libraries in Plateau State. The study was guided by five research questions covering the types of disasters that have affected these libraries and the extent of damages. It also looked at the disaster management plan, whether there is any in place and who the members of the disaster management committee are. The research design was descriptive survey with a population of 60 librarians and 84 library officers from 21 academic libraries in Plateau State. No sampling was done because the population was small and manageable. The instruments for data collection were questionnaire and interview schedule. The questionnaire was designed in line with four point rating scale. One hundred and forty four (144) copies of the questionnaire were administered of which one hundred and twenty eight (128) were correctly filled and returned showing 88.9% response rate. Data was analysed using mean and standard deviation. The findings of the study revealed that the major disasters that have affected academic libraries in Plateau State were pests, fire, roof leakage and data alteration (these disasters can cause great damages to the library collections, building and personnel). The study also showed that not all libraries were prepared for disaster management (with only a few accepted to have a written disaster management plan).  Furthermore, the findings showed that the libraries have the following as some of the problems militating against disaster management: lack of fire alarms, lack of training of staff on disaster management, lack of budgetary allocation for disaster management and lack of fire fighters. The following recommendations were made to remedy the problems: cordial relationship between library management and library staff, having a disaster management plan in place, regular training of staff, seminars and workshops on disaster management, proper electrical installations in the library, proper foundation of library building and approval by town planning authority. They added that regular updating of disaster plan; insuring the library personnel, building and collections and budgetary allocation for disaster management would also serve as remedies.