EXAMINATION OF COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES AT COLLEGE LIBRARIES IN NORTHWEST NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examines collection development practices in college libraries across Northwest
Nigeria, with particular attention to the existence, scope, and efficacy of Collection Development
Policies (CDPs). Adopting a quantitative survey design, structured five-point Likert‐scale
questionnaires were distributed electronically to 48 librarians in purposively selected colleges;
47 valid responses (98 % return rate) were analysed using SPSS for descriptive and inferential
statistics. Results show that although a written CDP is present in most libraries, coverage of
digital and electronic resources is limited, and policy reviews occur irregularly with minimal
staff and stakeholder participation. Nevertheless, respondents affirm the policy‘s relevance in
guiding material selection and ensuring consistency, albeit noting a need for greater flexibility to
accommodate emerging formats. Major impediments to effective CDP implementation include
inadequate funding, low staff awareness, infrequent reviews, and insufficient integration of
digital resources. The study concludes that, while CDPs provide an essential framework for
resource management, their impact is constrained by operational and technological gaps. It
recommends systematic policy revision schedules, explicit inclusion of digital resources,
increased staff training, and improved funding mechanisms to foster responsive, user-centred
collection development. These findings contribute empirical evidence to the discourse on
academic library management in developing countries and offer actionable insights for
enhancing resource provision in Nigerian college libraries.