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About The Library

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

The University started in 1981 and the first University Librarian was appointed toward the end of 1982; before the Library became fully operational in 1983. The Library started with a book stock of 36,509 volumes (comprising 30,818 books, and 5,691 government documents) and 369 Journal Titles. The initial staff strength of the University Library was 24 members out of which 4 were senior staff and 20 junior staff members. The University Library in its early years of existence, that is, after the appointment of a University Librarian in 1982, witnessed series of movements in search of office accommodation. The first movement was from its makeshift office in the University Guest House at Ikhiro road to a temporary administrative block in then Okpebho Local Government Secretariat.

By November, 1982 the Library moved for the second time to another temporary administrative location of a three bedroom bungalow at Ukpenu along Benin-Auchi Expressway before moving for the third time to Emaudo Campus in December 1982.
Emaudo campus being the formal site provided a befitting crib for the Library to operate satisfactorily. From there in 1987, the Library witnessed another movement being the fourth, to a relatively more congenial academic environment located at Ujemen, the permanent site of the University along Benin-Auchi Expressway. On May 15, 1999, a definitive 2-storey Library building occupying approximately 14,000m was commissioned by the then Head of State – General Abdusalam Abubakar. The library system currently comprises the main Library and some outreach Libraries. The library operates a hybrid library system as it provides print and non-print information resources.

PREVIOUS UNIVERSITY LIBRARIANS

1. Professor Sam E. Ifidon.           1982 – 1997

2. Chief Ojo – Igbinoba J.P.            1997- 2003

3. Dr. (Mrs) Elizabeth I. Ifidon      2004 – 2014

4. Mrs Bosede Amune                    2014 -2016

5. Dr.(Mrs) J. I. Aba                        2016 – 2021

6. Mrs Margret Momodu                 2021-2022

7. Mr. Frederick O. Odion.             2022-2023

8. Dr (Mrs) Oluwatoyin O. Obinyan 2023-2024

9. Mr. Frederick O. Odion               2024 – 2025

10. Dr. Johnson A. Akerele              2025 – Date

OBJECTIVES OF THE LIBRARY

The objectives of the Library are as follows:

  1. Provision of information in support of learning process – that is information for students’ course works, assigned reading as well as background reading for essays, term papers and projects;
  2. Provision of information in general support of research and advanced study by faculty members and researchers;
  3. Assistance to the library user for his own personal self-development;
  4. Meeting the information needs of Edo State in particular and Nigeria in general;
  5. Co-operation with other libraries with a view to developing a network of academic library resources which are at the disposal of staff and students;
  6. To provide and deliver information/ knowledge resources and services to the entire academic community;
  7. To support teaching, research and extra-curricular activities of the University;
  8. To serve as a gateway/ link for global collaboration and knowledge resource sharing among: Global Academic Communities, Scholars and Researchers; and
  9. To serve as institutional repository.

OPENING HOURS

(a)Semester Period:
Monday–Friday: 8:00am-6:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am-1:00pm
Sunday and public holidays:                                                                              Closed

(b)Vacations
Monday–Friday 8am-3:30pm
Saturday, Sunday and public Holidays –                                                          Closed.

SERVICES OFFERED BY THE LIBRARY

The library offers wide range services which include:

  1. Loan transactions including interlibrary loans
  2. Reference services – general and subject
  3. Readers and advisory services
  4. Services to researchers
  5. Binding of books and project Services
  6. Exhibitions
  7. Current awareness services (CAS)
  8. Photocopying Services
  9. Issuance of letters of introduction (Referral services)
  10. Laminating Services
  11. Book Indexing Services
  12. Scanning and Email Services
  13. Printing Services
  14. Downloading Services
  15. Research guidance

MEMBERSHIP
The use of the Library is normally permitted to registered users only. Registration is open to all persons in the following categories:

  1. Full and part-time staff members of the University, teaching and research members , and junior/senior staff members of administration.
  2. Registered research students of the University.
  3. Members of University Governing Council.
  4. Registered full and part-time undergraduates of the University.
  5. Graduates of the University.
  6. Other University employees.

REGISTRATION

Students Registration attracts fee of N1000:00 at inception. Clearance at the end of studies is also N500:00 for registered students and N1500:00 for non-registered students.

Staff registration is free.

BORROWING

  1. No book or any other materials could be removed from the Library without being recorded in the manner prescribed by the University Librarian. The porter in-charge of the exit is authorized to examine books or any other materials being taken out of the Library and readers must present such items for inspection.
  2. The University Librarian may restrict or prohibit the borrowing of any book.
  3. Registered staff may borrow up to four books while students may borrow two books from the library.
  4. All books borrowed by staff must be returned after four weeks while those borrowed by students must be returned after two weeks.
  5. Returned books may be renewed by the library users provided such books are not required by other users.
  6. The University Librarian may recall a book issued to any library user if the book in question is in demand by other library users. In such cases, books must be returned within three days of recall.
  7. Materials of a special nature such as tapes and irreplaceable works may be borrowed only with the permission of the University Librarian.
  8. Periodicals, whether bound or unbound may not be removed from the library except with the permission of the University Librarian.
  9. Library users are at all times responsible for any book which has been issued in their name and this responsibility ends only when the book has been returned to the library and the issue record has been cancelled.
  10. There may be no lending transactions after 5:00pm. From Monday to Friday or after 12:30pm on Saturday when the University is in session or after 3:00pm when the University is on vacation.

PENALTIES FOR VARIOUS LIBRARY OFFENCES

  1. Library users who fail to return any book in accordance with borrowing regulation 4 above will be liable to a fine of N100 per day in respect of open access volume not returned. In the case of books whose issue has been restricted, the overdue fine will be at the rate of N200 for overnight borrowing.
  2. Failure to return a book that is recalled in accordance with borrowing regulation 6 will attract a fine of N100 per day from the fourth day of the recall notice.
  3. Delinquent student borrowers who fail to pay their accumulated fine will be barred from sitting for their sectional or degree examinations. If however they sit for examinations, their results and certificates will be withheld until the fines are paid.
  4. Staff members who refuse to pay their accumulated fines will have the amount involved deducted from their salaries by the Bursary.
  5. Staff members who fail both to return library books and to pay their accumulated fines will have the amounts involved deducted from their salaries by the Bursary. In such cases, the cost of a book will be five times the unit cost of the book.
  6. Library users who mark, deface, damage or mutilate library books will pay for such books. The amount involved will be five times the unit cost of each book.
  7. Those who pilfer any library book will be suspended from using of the library for one Semester. At the end of this suspension period, they will be made to sign an undertaking to be of good behavior for the rest of their stay in the University. If after this they persist in the offence, they will be barred from using library facilities for the rest of their stay in the University.
  8. Consistently delinquent staff borrowers will be suspended from the use of the library. The period of suspension will depend on the nature of the library offence.
  9. Alleged lost books will be paid for. The cost of each of such books will be five times the unit cost.

GENERAL REGULATIONS

  1. All cases of loss of borrower’s cards must be promptly reported at the Circulation Desk. Cost of replacement will be N500.00 per card.
  2. If the book required is out on loan, reservation slip should be filled at the Circulation Desk.
  3. The use of any material obtained through the inter- library loan services is governed at by the regulations of the lending library.
  4. Photocopying services are offered in terms of the Royal Society. “Fair Copying” declaration, in the library.
  5. Smoking, eating and drinking are not allowed in the library.
  6. Children and pets are prohibited from coming into the library to avoid the distraction of readers.
  7. Umbrellas, handbags and personal copies of newspapers and magazines should not be taken into the library. Rather, they are kept in the cloak room at the owners risk, as the library will not take responsibility for any lost items.

TYPES OF AAU LIBRARY COLLECTIONS

Our Library Collections are categorized into seven (7) types. These are:

  1. The Open Access Book Collection
    These are books that are available on regular loans to staff and students. Staff members are entitled to borrow five books for a period of one month. At the end of this period, the book can be renewed for a period of one month provided no other staff members want them. Students are allowed to borrow two books at a time for a period of two weeks each. At the end of this period of two weeks provided no other student is waiting for the books, the student can renew the book(s) if he/she is interested in renewing it.
  2. The Reference Collection
    General and subject reference materials are not borrowable. They can be used only within the library. At the reference desk, the reference librarian handles all the reference questions/queries.
  3. Newspapers/Magazines
    Like reference materials, newspapers are read and left in the Library. Back issues are numbered and are arranged by title and unit of time. These back issues can be accessed and used in the Research Collection and Serials  Department for the purpose of research.
  4. The Periodicals Collection
    This collection is made up of both bound and current periodicals for lecturers and postgraduate students. Access to the collection is completely open but the materials cannot be borrowed. Access is limited for final year undergraduates. Thus, only final year undergraduates may obtain such materials through the library staff in charge of the periodicals collection. Other undergraduates may use the collection in this section on the recommendation of their Heads of Departments.
  5. The Special Collection
    The special collection comprises materials of the old Bendel State (i.e. Edolight collections). The information sources pertaining to the cultural, historical, economic, sport, agricultural activities of Edo state and other neighboring states that shares similar ancestral or cultural/economical heritage. Other materials of research or potential research value are also found in this collection. Examples of such materials are staff publications, theses and the University’s archives.
  6. The United Nations Publications: Ambrose Alli University Library is a depository of United Nations publications. By this, we mean that publications of the United Nations and her agencies are deposited in AAU Library. These materials can also be accessed on-line.
  7. Electronic Information Collections
    These collections consists of Information resources ranging from Music, Thesis/Projects/Dissertations, Text books, Journal articles, Monographs, Pictures etc. They are domiciled in open source online databases such as Jstor, Ebscohost, TEEAL, Bio One, etc, Ambrose Alli University Institutional Repositories, Downloaded online resources etc. Access and use of these online virtual resources is free.

OUTREACH LIBRARIES

These libraries are in different faculties and annexes as follows:

  1. Law library: This is situated at the Faculty of Law. It provides services to the students and staff of the Faculty. The library is also a pre-requisite for both academic and professional accreditations. This library is manned by a senior Academic Librarian.
  2. Agriculture Library and Emuado Annex Library: This is located at the Faculty of Agriculture, Emuado, Ekpoma. This provides services to Faculty of Agriculture, Foundation and Part-Time Degree programmes that are based at the Emuado Annex of the University. This library is manned by a senior Academic Librarian.
  3. Medical Library: This is called Professor T. Bello-Osagie Library. It is situated at the College of Medicine to cater for staff and students of the Faculty of Basic Medical sciences. It is made up of circulation desk where borrowing transactions take place with short term and long term loans to students & staff. It is responsible for the registration of students. This library is manned by a senior Academic Librarian.
  4. Management Sciences Library: The library is composed of Public Administration Library and Accounting library (donated by an ex-student of the two Departments).
  5. Environmental library: This is situated at the faculty of Environmental Studies to cater for the Information needs of staff and students of the faculty.
  6. Clinical Library: This is situated at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences at Irrua close to Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital to provide services to staff and students at the clinical level of the medical training.
  7. Education Library: This is situated at the Faculty of Education in the main campus of the University to cater for the information needs of staff and students in the faculty.
  8. Library and Information Science Library: This is situated in the department of Library and Information Science. It is a departmental library.