LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A CASE STUDY OF ABDULLAHI FODIYO LIBRARY COMPLEX, USMANU DANFODIYO UNIVERSITY, SOKOTO

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study assessed the level of implementation of the Collection Development Policy (CDP) at the Abdullahi Fodiyo Library Complex, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS). Despite the critical role of a formal CDP in guiding the systematic acquisition and management of library resources to support academic excellence, a significant gap often exists between policy formulation and its practical implementation, particularly in resource-constrained environments. The research was guided by three specific objectives: to examine the extent of CDP implementation, identify the challenges hindering its execution, and assess the impact of its implementation on the quality of library services. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 92 respondents, comprising library staff, faculty members, and students, selected via census, purposive, and simple random sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, and mean scores. The findings revealed a pronounced policy-practice gap. While a written CDP exists and is known to library staff (Mean=4.81), its operationalization is critically weak. Key implementation areas such as regular policy review (Mean=2.93), active faculty involvement in material selection (Mean=2.90), systematic weeding of obsolete materials (Mean=2.71), and adequate funding (Mean=2.24) were found to be severely deficient. The most formidable challenges identified were inadequate funding (94.6%), lack of staff training (78.3%), and insufficient technological resources (70.7%). Consequently, while respondents believed in the policy's potential to improve services (Mean=4.15), its current impact on the perceived relevance of the collection, support for research, and overall user satisfaction was only modest. The study concludes that the Abdullahi Fodiyo Library operates with a significant disconnect between its collection development policy and practice, primarily due to systemic barriers. It therefore recommends, among other interventions, increased and strategic funding, regular policy reviews, enhanced stakeholder collaboration, and continuous staff training to bridge the implementation gap and enable the library to fulfill its mission as a vital academic support unit effectively.