This study investigates the state and challenges of serials management for postgraduate research in university libraries in North Central Nigeria with the objective of finding out the state of serials management for postgraduate research,challenges of serialsmanagement and strategiesto overcome the challenges of serial managementfor post graduate research in university libraries in North Central Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive research design. A population 4655 made up of 4646 registered postgraduate students and 9 serial librarians was used for the study while a sample size of 465 respondents was obtained using multi – stage sampling technique. Findings indicate that, serial section is not well stocked with assorted local and international journals and other serial materials, university institutional database has no or little open access journals both local and international for PG students’ research work, Internet network is not adequately available to access online serials, serials titles are not easily accessed. Also from the point of view of the library staff, the study revealed that serials are not well selected using selection tools like ULRICH Serials Directory to encourage PG research, serial section is well stocked with assorted local and international journals and other serial materials to ease PG research among others. It was also found that challenges like inadequate staff to attend to postgraduate students, inability of some staff to satisfy user information needs, mutilation of some serials, inadequate quality and current serials and others are associated with serials management. It was recommended that, employment of more staff, training of available staff to improve their competency, replacement of mutilated serials, acquisition of quality and current (recent) serials, and others should be done to overcome the challenges of serials management in university libraries in North Central Nigeria.
24/7 Support
+234(0)8131007386