STRATEGIES IN COMBATING BOOK THEFT AND VANDALISM IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A CASE STUDY OF BAYELSA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, YENAGOA

Abstract

This study investigates the strategic measures for addressing book theft and vandalism at the Bayelsa Medical University (BMU) Library, Yenagoa. As a specialized institution, the library serves as a critical repository for expensive and rare medical literature, yet it faces significant security challenges that threaten its academic mission. The research adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 500 students and 50 staff amounting to 550 registered library users, while the sample size was 150 respondents selected randomly. The instrument for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire titled: “Library Theft and Vandalism Questionnaire (LTVQ)”. Method of data analysis adopted was Frequency count, simple percentage and Mean score (SPSS-style), presented on tables. Findings reveal that theft and vandalism are prevalent, primarily driven by the high cost of foreign medical books (x=3.0) and inadequate multiple copies (x=3.1) available for the growing student population. The study identified a critical gap in security infrastructure: while security guards are present in 80% of the facility, modern electronic surveillance such as CCTV and RFID covers only 30% and 10% of the library, respectively. The resulting loss of materials (x=3.4) significantly reduces access to vital clinical information, leading to "user frustration" and potential long term impacts on medical accreditation. Strategic findings show a strong stakeholder consensus (90%) for the urgent installation of CCTV surveillance and the institutionalization of mandatory user education (85%). The study concludes that manual security is insufficient to protect high-value medical collections in a volatile economic climate. Key recommendations include the immediate transition to a digital-first acquisition policy for textbooks, the deployment of RFID-enabled security gates, and the strict adherence to the 10% budgetary allocation for library funding to ensure the sustainability of medical education resources.

Keywords: Academic Libraries, Bayelsa Medical University, Book Theft, Vandalism, Library Security Strategies, CCTV Surveillance