Medical Librarianship in Nigeria-A Review of the Literature and Comments on Some Problems and Prospects BY GODFREY S. BELLE H, Acting Medical Librarian College ofMedicine University of Lagos Lagos, Nigeria
expand and increase their student admissions. Amosu has already reported expansion of the The literature of medical librarianship in Nigeria is Ibadan (3). The reviewed. The staff structure of Nigerian university University College Hospital, of recent call on state General Gowon's head libraries and, in particular, of the medical libraries attached to them is restrictive, unprogressive, and the Lagos College of Medicine to expand its unconducive to the development of medical librarian- admissions to take in about a thousand students ship in Nigeria. These medical libraries should cease to per session is further evidence of the pressure be administered and regarded as just unavoidable appendages of the main university libraries. They for expansion (4), and although this call does should be independent, full-fledged libraries of their not seem to be within the possibility of own, recognized as full academic departments of their immediate realization, it underscores the narespective colleges or faculties, with their heads being tion's dire need for a vastly increased number in no way inferior in status to other heads of academic of medical doctors, and is a pointer that departments. The granting of faculty status to Nigerian university librarians should go the whole way expansion of existing schools is imperative if and let the principle of multiple professorships be the national need is to be met. applied to the staff structure of university libraries. With a doctor population ratio of 1 per Efforts are being made to effect bibliographic organi- 37,000 (1963 census), which is a far cry from zation of Nigerian medical literature. A national library of medicine for Nigeria, however humble its the envied Russian figure of 1 per 345 (5), the need for increased production of medical beginning, should be established. doctors is understandable. Good health provides a sound basis for the production of THERE are at present only seven medical efficient and effective manpower for nationlibraries (veterinary medical libraries excluded) building. The nation's good health, however, in Nigeria. The Central Medical Library, cannot be attained without the provision of founded in 1945 (1), is the oldest; the hospitals and other medical facilities manned youngest, the Library of the Nigerian Medical by sufficient and adequately trained profesResearch Council, grew out of the old West sional personnel. African Medical Research Council Library. Any increase or expansion that eventually Of the seven, five are libraries of the facul- takes place, however, must be reflected in the ties or colleges of medicine of Nigeria's six number and size of medical libraries. Apart universities. The University of Ife, with a from supporting the nation's program for the Faculty of Health Sciences, has yet to establish production of medical doctors, more and larger a separate medical branch library. There is, medical libraries will have to provide much however, hope that the number of medical needed service for medical research into local libraries in the country will increase in the near conditions (Nigeria's particular health probfuture. The Federal Military Government pro- lems), calls for which have been made freposes to establish at least three more univer- quently in the press and through other media. Medical libraries therefore certainly have a sities in the next development plan period, 1975-80 (2), and these are most likely to future of greater contribution to the progress of include schools of medicine. Moreover, existing Nigeria. With their number increased and their medical schools are under constant pressure to services expanded in response to the national ABSTRACT
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need, these libraries will employ many more professionally qualified librarians who, to effectively play the role expected of them, will have to trade information, share experiences, and come together for concerted action in finding solutions to their common problems. In anticipation of this greater and busier future for medical libraries, an attempt is made here to discuss a few problems and prospects of medical libraries and medical librarians, which even at this early stage in the development of medical libraries, appear to be of great significance for the future of medical librarianship in the country. Because the history of medical libraries dates back only about three decades, not much literature has been written on the subject. Even so, it is not too early to review the literature on the subject for two reasons: first, to bring together for the first time all that has been written, albeit little, on the subject up to now, and second, to provide a background for the discussion of the few problems and prospects which form the subject matter of this paper.
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Two accounts of the development of medical library facilities in Nigeria were given by Cannon (6) and Clark (7) in 1954, while in the same year Harris (8) gave an account of medical facilities in the library of the University College, Ibadan. The Ibadan University College was the only university in the country at that time, and the medical collection of its library was one of the only two medical libraries worthy of any note; the other was the Central Medical Library, Yaba, Lagos. The account of medical library development at Ibadan was updated by Amosu in 1974 (9). A highlight of this account is the "building of a carefully designed medical library as part of phase one of a large expansion of the medical school at Ibadan University, which also includes a clinical research block and two large new lecture theatres." This account also supplements Oluwakuyide's paper in 1972 (10) which examined the Nigerian medical library service and gave general coverage to some of the problems facing medical libraries in the country. Problems of acquisitions, including budgetary control, unavailability of desired literature, transport delays, and postal hazards; of reference services
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and interlibrary cooperation, and of the organizational structure of Nigerian university medical libraries are discussed in the publication, while a brief comment on the Nigerian library scene forms the introduction of the paper. Problems of interlibrary cooperation among Nigerian medical libraries were also discussed by Seriki in 1973 (1 1). Falayi's (12) much earlier paper (1969) discussing the problems of medical libraries offered some note-worthy proposals for the solution of these problems. Some of the proposals are in respect to aid from the developed countries, including the role of the World Health Organization, organizational structure of medical libraries, library computerization, and the establishment of MEDLARS substations in the main regions of Africa. Falayi's two previous works dealt exclusively with book organization problems in Nigeria (13) and gave an outline of the history of medical organization in Nigeria (14). Library service to patients in hospitals (hospital library service) in Nigeria was considered by Fayiga in 1970 (15), while library orientation of medical students in the Lagos College of Medicine library is the subject of a recent paper by Oluwakuyide (16). The organization of a collection of journals for use in a medical library has been discussed by Amosu (17). Bibliographic aids so far compiled include Carroll Reynold's union catalogue of serials (18) which is long overdue for revision; Amosu's index of Nigerian theses (19); and, recently, a bibliography of publications by the staff of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, from its inception to November 1973 (20). Oyesola (21) conducted a "pilot survey" of library catalogue use by readers in the University of Lagos libraries, including the medical library. From a review of the literature, two facts emerge. First, though many medical library problems have been discussed, discussion has been mainly of a general nature and therefore some problems may need to be treated in greater detail in future. Second, some problems have not so far been examined, e.g., the staff structure in Nigerian university medical libraries, the bibliographic organization of Nigerian medical literature, and the prospects of a national library of medicine for Nigeria. These three problem aspects are therefore discussed in the following paragraphs of this paper, while a Bull. Mea. Libr. Assoc. 63(2) April 1975
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fourth problem-subject cataloging problems in Nigerian medical libraries-is the subject of another paper (22). PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS As has been shown above, although the organizational structure of medical libraries has been the subject of previous papers, the very important problem of staff structure has been neglected. Yet an ideal staff structure is most desired not only to retain existing medical library staff and keep morale high, but also to create the necessary attraction for new entrants into the profession. Staff structure therefore has a direct relevance to the future of medical librarianship in the country. Reference services have been examined; the use made of Index Medicus for literature searches and the advantages of MEDLARS services for information retrieval have been highlighted. One baffling problem in reference experience has, however, been passed over; how does the medical librarian cope with the need for retrieval of information not contained in Index Medicus or MEDLARS? A vast amount of literature pertaining to Nigerian health problems has been published, and, as has been pointed out elsewhere (23), a great part of this literature-appearing in the form of government documents, conference papers, chapters in monographs, unpublished reports, and articles in local journals-is not indexed in the internationally recognized reference tools. Yet such material is invaluable for research into local conditions. Bibliographic organization of Nigerian medical literature is therefore a sine qua non for the retrieval of such information and calls for creative efforts by Nigerian medical librarians. What attempts, if any, have been made at this much needed bibliographic organization? The new Library of the Nigerian Medical Research Council, anticipated by Amosu (24), has been established. What role is this library expected to play in the Nigerian medical library scene? Is there a need to organize medical library service on a national scale in Nigeria? In other words, does Nigeria now need a National Library of Medicine? And to what extent does Nigeria's National Library at present cater to the needs of medical library service and medical research in the country? Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(2) April 1975
Efforts need to be made and in some cases are currently being made to solve these problems. These efforts and proposals put forward for solution of the problems constitute the prospects of medical librarianship in Nigeria. STAFF STRUCTURE Logically, the organizational structure of Nigerian medical libraries is determined by the structural peculiarities of the locations in which they occur. The Central Medical Library, Yaba, for example being a department of the Federal Ministry of Health, has a staff structure that follows the pattern established for the Federal Civil Service; the Library of the Medical Research Council, as proposed, is to be a major department within the Council, having its own head of department in no way inferior in status to other heads of departments (25). A detailed discussion of the staff structures of these two libraries is not considered necessary here in view of developments envisaged for both libraries (26). Medical libraries in Nigerian universities conform to either of two patterns of organizational structure: the centralized and decentralized, the merits and demerits of which have been discussed above by Oluwakuyide and others. Irrespective of the type of organizational structure, however, the staff structure in all Nigerian university medical libraries is the same: the Medical Librarian-the head librarian of each medical library-is of the substantive rank of Senior Librarian (formerly Senior Sub-Librarian) which is the equivalent of Senior Lecturer in the staff gradings of university teachers in other academic departments of the university. Appendix 1 shows the staff structure of the medical library vis-a-vis the staff structure of the main university library and other academic (teaching) departments. The Ibadan University Medical Library, the. oldest university medical library, fostered this pattern of staff structure and younger medical libraries have, in most cases, followed the Ibadan example without question. One exception, though, is the Ahmadu Bello University Medical Library whose Medical Librarian is accorded a Reader's status (27). If silence means consent, both university library administrators and medical librarians themselves have accepted the above staff
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structure without question, for up to now, both have been silent on the issue of staff structure in the medical libraries. In fact, elsewhere (28) it was said of the Nigerian university library staff: "Librarians here have all, however, been accepted into the pampered and privileged group of senior staff . . . it will be observed then that university library staff in Nigeria have little to complain about in terms of salary structure and fringe benefits because they have been classified as senior staff which itself carries a high status in our social context." The struggle by librarians the world over to gain recognition for the profession and in particular to gain faculty status for academic librarians is a continuous and winning battle, by now too common knowledge to be belabored here. The Association of College and Research Libraries and the Medical Library Association of the United States have even endorsed standards for faculty status for college and university librarians (29). In the Nigerian context, faculty status has been granted academic librarians, thanks to the Elliot Commission Report (30). But have Nigerian university library staff really nothing to complain about in terms of status and staff structure? In particular, how satisfied are medical librarians with their status and with the staff structure in Nigerian university medical libraries? Has the granting of faculty status to Nigerian academic librarians gone the whole way, or does it, so far, amount to just an indulgence granted us which we are only too glad to accept? Any contentment with the existing staff structure of Nigerian university libraries is belied, however, by recent developments in Ibadan and Lagos. It is understood that in Ibadan University, efforts are being made to create the post of a second Deputy Librarian, while in Lagos, recommendations for expanding the library staff structure have been put forward. The complacence with which academic librarians have hitherto accepted the degree of faculty status accorded them is understandable. Members of Nigerian university senior staff have traditionally come to be divided into two groups: the academic staff group on the one hand and the administrative and technical on the other. Compelled to choose between the two, librarians have gladly opted for the academic group, because, apart from the af-
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finity of function in the jobs of the librarian and the university teacher, association with other academics is both dignifying and flattering to the ego of the academic librarian. Besides, the thought of constituting themselves into a third group is unattractive to librarians, possibly through fear of lack of recognition for the profession and of ineffectiveness as a pressure group in making demands. Acceptance into the academic group, however, exposes the academic librarian to the rigors and hazards of the university teacher's occupation, without bestowing on the academic librarian all the rights and benefits that are due the university teacher. Thus, the academic librarian, just as the university teacher, must earn his appointment or promotion to a higher position mainly on evidence of scholarly research and the publication of scholarly papers. Very little emphasis is placed on the librarian's professional competence. The insistence on scholastic ability, however, is not peculiar to the University of Lagos and other Nigerian universities. Katz's study (3 1) shows correlation of faculty salaries and promotions to scholastic productivity in a large American university. Scholastic work and ability of the academic librarian is emphasized by Moriarty (32), director of libraries in a large university whose librarians have "full academic status." In the Nigerian context, the university teacher is well rewarded for his rigors: he can aspire according to his ability to reach the very top of his career. By application of the principle of "multiple professorships" or "multichair disciplines," a single academic department of a faculty or college of a university can create and accommodate as many professorships as possible for deserving university teachers. For instance, in Lagos, in the Department of Surgery there are three full professorships, while in the Faculty of Arts there are four full professorships, and five full professorships in the Faculty of Science (33). As of now, the same principle is not applied to the staff structure of the library as an academic unit (even though it is considered equivalent to a department or a faculty) in a Nigerian university. Whether in a coordinated library system, as in Lagos, or in an integrated and centralized university library system as in Ibadan, only the University Librarian is accorded professorial status. Next to him is the Deputy University Librarian on associate proBull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(2) April 1975
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fessorial status; no other professional library staff, not even college and faculty librarians, can rise beyond the Senior Librarian (Senior Lecturer) grade. If academic librarians must be assessed exactly as their teaching counterparts in other academic departments, it is only equitable that academic librarians should be allowed the same scope for development as university teachers; multiple professorships and associate professorships should be created forthwith in the staff structure of Nigerian university libraries. Unless this is done, many academic librarians will be faced with the choice of either quitting university library service or staying on in frustration. Anxiety has already been expressed over the drain of staff from some Nigerian university libraries (34). This drain is attributable, in part, at least, to the rigid staff structure which leaves very little room at the top for staff aspirations. A library staff structure providing room for staff growth and incentive for hard work is essential if Adelabu's vision (35) of the librarian scholar of future African university libraries is to become a reality. There have been two factors militating against this demand for equity by librarians. First, other academic teaching staff are reluctant to see librarians share their privileges. They argue that librarians are "not on all fours" with their teaching counterparts. Second, librarians have been against themselves, some not pushing the idea simply from feelings of diffidence or just conservative thinking; others argue that the profession of librarianship is comparatively young and will only in time mature to qualify for benefits denied it now. One thing is clear, though: with the army of young graduates in the profession all working for higher qualifications, the movement for creating more room for librarians at the top may gather such momentum that it may yet be unstoppable. All the foregoing has a direct bearing on the staff structure of university medical libraries. Whether or not the principle of "multiple professorships" is applied to the entire university library staff structure, medical libraries should cease to be considered henceforth as subdepartments or semiautonomous branches of main university libraries. Medical libraries should be left free to grow on their own to full height, with a complete hierarchy of stafffrom the medical librarian, on professorial status at the top, to the assistant librarian, Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(2) April 1975
equivalent to assistant lecturer, at the bottom. Appendix 2 shows the proposed staff structure with equivalent staff ranks in other academic departments within a college or faculty of medicine. Professorial status and emoluments have been jointly recommended for college librarians by the Association of University Teachers and the Library Association of the United Kingdom (36). By always tying the medical libraries to the main university libraries, university library administrations have always restricted the scope of growth of the medical libraries. In ten years of experience in the College of Medicine, Lagos, out of a single Department of Physiology, two other fullfledged departments-Biochemistry and Pharmacology-have grown. In effect, in place of one department there are now three full departments, each with a professor and head of department, and provisions for more professorships as necessary. In the same sense, why can't the medical library grow to its full height and away from the main university library? Why should the medical library, the "heart" of the college of medicine and part of the infrastructure for academic work in the college remain static and stunted in its staff structure, while the academic program of the college expands? All other academic departments grow and even the library stock and service have to grow to meet needs. Is this subdepartment status of medical libraries maintained because of the empire building ambitions of university library administrators or because we librarians are a professional group of second-raters (37) too shy to take even what is our due? After all, these medical libraries are special libraries, only they occur in the university environment. And just as public librarianship has been successfully organized with adequate and attractive staff structure (the state library services are examples) so should special librarianship (medical librarianship), even within a university, be allowed to develop. Besides, it is usually argued that library development is not a priority in government planning for national development in developing countries. Understandable. But the nation's health is one of the priorities in planning, and if so, why should medical libraries, so inevitable for the national health manpower training program, not be allowed to benefit from their association with health? In the 1974/75 budget (38) of the 203
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Lagos College of Medicine, the library was allocated 5% of the total college subvention as against 2.3% for the Department of Community Health, 3.6% for the Department of Pathology, and 1.3% for the Department of Pharmacology, to quote a few examples. The Medical Librarian is one of the chief officers of the college and sits on all important committees. Yet, anomalously, the Medical Librarian lacks the status and full remuneration enjoyed by all other heads of departments. This is the position because the medical library, by way of organizational structure, is a subdepartment of the main university library. The usual arguments against independence of medical libraries are the cost of duplication, the physical size of a medical library, the size of its collection and of its clientele in comparison with those of the main university library. These arguments are, in general terms, inequitable and professionally untenable. Inequitable because there is no stipulation that academic departments must be of the same size: for instance, there may be more students studying medicine than dentistry, or more students studying law than English, just as one academic department may have more staff than another. Professionally untenable because the evaluation of the contribution and service of any given library is both quantitative and qualitative and in the case of special libraries, and medical libraries are special libraries, the qualitative yardstick is much preferred. A piece of information given at the correct moment to save the life of a dying patient is obviously more useful than a collection of 200 volumes on archaeology which are seldom consulted. It is, therefore, strongly suggested here that medical libraries in university schools of medicine should be full libraries in their own right and also full academic departments with appropriate status and staff structure, within their respective colleges or faculties of medicine. No longer should a medical school library be an unavoidable appendage of the main university library. Brandon (39) in an American survey in 1970, reported: "In three new medical schools, the library is considered an academic department, and other schools are considering such designation." The survey further revealed that in twelve institutions, salaries of librarians are on a par with other medical school faculty. It is recognized, of course, that, as argued by Brandon, "It is the responsibility of the medical
,)(4
school librarian to merit faculty rank on a basis with other teaching faculty." In the Nigerian context, this responsibility is already being discharged, in the sense that in almost all Nigerian universities, librarians-including medical school librarians-are required to do research and publish scholarly papers in order to merit advancement to higher grades. Besides, and happily too, opportunities for further training and for attaining higher qualifications now abound for university librarians. Unless this suggested favorable organizational and staff situation is created, experienced medical librarians will always desert their specialization to seek higher positions in more general libraries. Those not having an immediate opportunity elsewhere will remain in frustration, which, in any case, has never been a helpful ingredient of personnel management. A national library service for the health sciences is desirable but this can only be created and maintained by an adequate staff of librarians experienced in medical librarianship. A favorable staff structure in existing medical libraries will not only ensure retention of existing staff but will also afford necessary attraction for new entrants into the profession. BIBLIOGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION OF NIGERIAN MEDICAL LITERATURE
Nigeria, like any other country, has its peculiarities of geography and climate, culture, diet, political and economic conditions, etc.the sum total of which has a direct bearing on the health of its people. The problem of sickle-cell anemia, of anemia in pregnancy in Nigerian women, the occurrence of lassa fever, of malnutrition in Nigerian children-these are some examples of health problems facing our country. To find solutions to these health problems is in the national interest and it is not surprising that research efforts, financed by the government, should be directed towards these health problems, with a view to improving the overall manpower situation for nation-building. Neither does anyone need be reminded that the colonial masters of Nigeria had their share of the general health problems of settling in the "Dark Continent." A testimony to their effort to combat these problems is the literature they left behind. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc.
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A considerable amount of literature on Nigerian medical problems has therefore grown, from the days of British settlement to the present, and there is urgent need for bibliographic organization of this literature. Apart from the amount of literature already in existence, Nigerian medical literature has the potential for rapid growth in the future, in the light of the enthusiasm and excitement with which research into Nigerian medicine is now pursued. Besides, there is at present an everincreasing quest for Nigerian medical literature, for the purposes of treatment, teaching, and research. How can this quest be satisfied without bibliographic organization-without reference tools in which materials can be located? As already stated, a vast amount of existing medical literature is not indexed in internationally organized reference tools. The result has been that while the literature contained in Index Medicus or MEDLARS is retrieved with comparative ease and certainty, retrieval of unorganized Nigerian medical literature has proved haphazard, tedious, and sometimes frustrating. Creative efforts are being made to meet this need for bibliographic organization. The Medical Library, University College Hospital, Ibadan University, recently published 25 Years of Medical Research, 1948-1973 (40). This is a list of papers published by past and present members of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ibadan from its foundation to November 1973. Arranged by broad subject headings, this bibliography has both a subject and an author index. On a wider scale, an attempt is being made to compile a comprehensive Nigerian Medical Index (41). When completed, this index will list all literature pertaining to medicine in Nigeria, irrespective of nationality of authorship. It is hoped that a preliminary edition of this work will be published soon. Preferably, however, such a national bibliography should be based at the National Library or some other selected library and kept up to date indefinitely.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE FOR NIGERIA It has been stated that two aspects of the "paramount interest and aim" of the National Library of Nigeria are the following: (1) "to achieve a comprehensive collection of books Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(2) April 1975
relating to Nigeria and the Nigerian people, for present and future use as part of the national heritage," (2) "to maintain and keep a rich collection of books representing the best results of the thought and experience of peoples and nations elsewhere in the world" (42). And in the words of Kwame Nkrumah "a good national library is at once the repository of a nation's culture and wisdom and an intellectual
stimulant" (43). Medicine is part of the national heritage; it is part of the nation's culture and wisdom, and medical works, just as works in other fields of human endeavour, need to be conserved and exploited for the national good. Nigerian medical literature, as already explained above, has grown considerably and has the potential for much faster growth in the future. The National Library of Nigeria has, however, so far not concerned itself with the conservation and organization of Nigerian medical literature. It seems to have left to university medical libraries the role of repository of Nigerian medical literature. Viewed in the light of Bowden's explanation (44), the inability or unconcern of the National Library is understandable. Besides, if the national library organizational patterns of the United Kingdom and the United States are to be followed, a national library of medicine for Nigeria should be separate from the National Library of Nigeria. There is a definite need for a national library of medicine for Nigeria. The existing university medical libraries are too small in size, too poor in funds, and too specialized in purpose to be able to organize medical library service on a national scale. In fact, these university medical libraries need the support of a national library of medicine to be quite effective in their respective areas. As Amosu has pointed out (45), university medical libraries are able, with limited funds, to subscribe only to core journals and some extra titles. What about the vast number of medical journals to which they cannot subscribe and yet are now and again required for research purposes? At present, the medical libraries depend on overseas sources for such materials but a national library of medicine would have made these journals immediately available locally. In 1972, the library of the Lagos College of Medicine turned down an invitation (46) and 205
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lost an opportunity to serve as a MEDLARS center for Nigeria and West Africa. And today "scientific centers or biomedical libraries in Australia, Brazil, France, Sweden and the United Kingdom are making MEDLINE available in their countries as a part of an international telecommunications-based health information network" (47). A national library of medicine would be best placed and equipped to establish Nigeria as part of such a network. The need for a national medical bibliography has been stressed and the Creation and maintenance of such a bibliography belongs naturally to a national library of medicine. Some beginning, no matter how humble, therefore needs to be made at the establishment of a national library of medicine for Nigeria. The story of the humble beginnings of the U. Se National Library of Medicine is by now a familiar one (48). With the National Library of Nigeria too busy and perhaps too young to think of medicine, some other possibility should be considered for the function of a national library of medicine. It is envisaged that the newly established Nigerian Medical Research Council Library will be merged with the old Central Medical Library, Yaba, to form the nucleus of a national library of medicine for Nigeria. This proposition will certainly serve the best interests of the nation. The NMRC Library, concerned with all aspects of medical research, including veterinary medicine, is well placed both to conserve and to organize Nigerian medical literature, and besides, such a merger will, as Mrs. Amosu remarked (49), rescue the Central Medical Library, with its unique collections of government and official documents, from imminent collapse as a result of a serious shortage of funds and overabundance of bureaucracy.
CONCLUSION
Bibliographic organization of Nigerian medical literature is in progress. A beginning, no matter how humble, should be made at establishing a national library of medicine for Nigeria, which in years to come will serve as the pivot for the nation's library service for the health sciences. The staff structures of Nigerian university medical libraries, at present stunted and unprogressive, should be expanded to create room for staff development, with a view 206
both to retaining existing medical library staff and also attracting new entrants into medical
librarianship. One cannot agree more with Mr. Bowden, summing up the prospects of librarianship in Nigeria, when he says: Without any doubt they [prospects] are bright. The country is rich with oil money and the importance of libraries in helping to achieve development objectives is fully appreciated. However librarians need to think carefully about how they can attract more of that money into library development (50).
We certainly can attract more money into library development; more libraries will be
established as needs arise, but another way of attracting more money into library development would be the justifiable expansion of existing libraries in terms of stock, services, and staff. Specialization within university library systems should be encouraged, without prejudice to cooperation and coordination of library services within the systems. Academic librarianship in Nigeria loses nothing if university medical libraries are allowed to grow unhampered, with an expanded staff structure. In fact, there is everything to gain both in terms of service to the nation and of the interests of librarians as a professional group. To a great extent, our fate as librarians in Nigeria lies in our own hands. REFERENCES 1. OLWAKUYIDE, AKIN. An examination of Nigerian medical library service and problems. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 60: 315-318, Apr. 1972. 2. ADEDEJI, ADEBAYO. An address by the Federal Commissioner for Economic Development and Reconstruction. Daily Times (Nigeria) March 8, 1974. 3. AMOSU, MARGARET. Medical library development at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 62: 49-51, Jan. 1974. 4. Address by the Head of State, His Excellency General Yakubu Gowon, on the occasion of the opening of the new buildings of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, in May 1974. 5. OYEDIRAN, MURIEL. Personal communication. Oct. 1974. 6. CANNON, D. A. The development of medical library facilities in Nigeria. Libri 3: 184-187, 1954. 7. CLARK, HILDA. The development of medical library facilities in Nigeria. Libri 3: 183, 1954. 8. HARRIS, JOHN. Medical facilities in the Library of University College, Ibadan. Libri 3: 188-190, 1954.
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9. AMOSU, MARGARET. Op. cit. 10. OLUWAKUYIDE, AKIN. Op. cit. 11. SERIKI, T. A. B. Problems of interlibrary cooperation among Nigerian medical libraries. Special Libraries 64: 566-570, Dec. 1973. 12. FALAYI, S. 0. Problems of medical information systems and centres in developing countries: survey of work done in Africa. Proceedings of the Third International Congress on Medical Llbrarianship, May 1969. p. 452461. 13. FALAYI, S. 0. Book Organization Problems in Nigeria. 1963 (Typescript). 14. FALAYI, S. 0. History of Medical Organization in Nigeria. 1959 (Typescript). 15. FAYIGA, H. M. Hospital library Service in Nigeria. 1972 (Typescript). 16. OLUWAKUYIDE, AKIN. Library Orientation for Freshmen: Experience in the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (In press). 17. AMOSU, MARGARET. Juniors, readers and journals. Nigerian Libraries 7: 53-57, Apr./Aug. 1971. 18. REYNOLDS, C. F. Union List of Biomedical Serials in Selected Libraries in Nigeria. Ibadan, 1964 (Typescript). 19. AMOSU, MARGARET. Index of Nigerian Theses. Ibadan, 1965. 20. Ibadan. University Medical Library. 25 Years of Medical Research, 1948-1973. Ibadan, Medical Library, 1973 (mimeographed). 21. OYESOLA, S. 0. Library Catalogue Use-a Pilot Survey in the University of Lagos and College Libraries (a research work), 1972. 22. BELLEH, G. S. Subject Cataloguing: Experience in the Library, College of Medicine of University of Lagos (In preparation). 23. BELLEH, G. S. Medical Nigeriana; An Index of Medical Literature Pertaining to Nigeria (In
preparation). 24. AMOSU, MARGARET. Op. cit. 25. View expressed by Prof. A. 0. Lucas at the interview held for the appointment of the Librarian of the Nigerian Medical Research Council. 26. Prof. A. 0. Chairman of the Interviewing Panel for the Appointment of the Librarian of the Nigerian Research Council, told the Panel that it is part of the ultimate plan for the development of the library of the NMRC to merge it with the Central Medical Library (Yaba) to form the nucleus of a National Library of Medicine for Nigeria.
27. GREY-THERIOT, J. M. M. Personal communication with the Medical Librarian, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos. 1970. 28. DIPEOLU, J. 0. Status and classification of university library staff. Paper presented at the S.C.A.U.L. Western Area Conference, University of Lagos, Nigeria. April 1972. 29. Standards for faculty status for college and university librarians. Coll. Res. Libr. News 5: 112-1 14, May 1974. 30. DIPEOLU, J. 0. Op. cit. 31. KATZ, DAVID A. Faculty salaries, promotions and productivity at a large university. Amer. Econ. Rev. 63: 469477, June 1973. 32. MORIARTY, J. H. Academic in deed. Coll. Res. Libr. 31: 14-17, Jan. 1970. 33. University of Lagos Calendar 1973/74. 34. ADELABU, ADEDEJI. Professional staff of tomorrow's future in African university libraries: some postulates and proposals. Int. Libr. Rev. 6: 299-308, July 1974. 35. Ibid. 36. Salary scales in university libraries. Libr. Assoc. Rec. 74: 239, Dec. 1972. 37. SMITH, ELDRED. Academic status for college and university librarians-problems and prospects. Coll. Res. Libr. 31: 7-13, Jan. 1970. 38. MAKINWA, S. A. (Chief Accountant, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos). Personal communication, 1974. 39. BRANDON, ALFRED N. Academic status for medical school librarians. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 58: 1-6, Jan. 1970. 40. IBADAN. University Medical Library. Op. cit. 41. BELLEH, G. S. Op. cit. 42. ADEGOKE, ADEKUNBI. The evolution of libraries in Nigeria. Int. Libr. Rev. 5: 407452, Oct. 1973. 43. AGUOLU, CHRISTIAN C. Bibliographic problems in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Int. Libr. Rev. 5: 199-207, April, 1973. 44. BOWDEN, RUSSELL. The recovery: Nigerian library developments, 1970-1973. J. Librarianship 6: 179-202, July 1974. 45. AMOSU, MARGARET. Op. cit. 46. HARLEY, A. J. Personal communication. 1972. 47. TAINE, SEYMOUR I. MEDLINE descriptive information sheet, 1974. 48. U. S. National Library of Medicine. Brochure. 1971. 49. AMOSU, MARGARET. Op. cit. 50. BOWDEN, RUSSELL. Op. cit.
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APPENDIX 1
STAFF STRUCTURE OF MEDICAL LIBRARY VIS-A-VIS THAT OF MAIN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, WITH EQUIVALENT STAFF POSITIONS IN TEACHING (ACADEMIC) DEPARTMENTS. (UNIVERSITIES OF IBADAN AND LAGOS ARE EXAMPLES OF THIS STRUCTURE). Library Posts
Equivalent Teaching (Academic) Posts
University Librarian
Professor
Deputy University Librarian
Associate Professor
Medical Librarian
Senior Librarian
Senior Lecturer
Librarian Gr. I
Librarian Gr. I
Lecturer Gr. I
Librarian Gr. II
Librarian Gr. II
Lecturer Gr. II
Assistant Librarian
Assistant Librarian
Assistant Lecturer
APPENDIX 2 PROPOSED STAFF STRUCTURE OF MEDICAL LIBRARY VIS-A-VIS STAFF STRUCTURE OF MAIN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, WITH EQUIVALENT STAFF POSITIONS IN TEACHING (ACADEMIC) DEPARTMENTS. Library Posts
Equivalent Teaching (Academic) Posts
Medical Library
Main University Library
Medical Librarian
University Librarian
Professor
Deputy Medical Librarian
Deputy University Librarian
Associate Professor
Senior Librarian
Senior Librarian
Senior Lecturer
Librarian Gr. I
Librarian Gr. I
Lecturer Gr. I
Librarian Gr. II
Librarian Gr. II
Lecturer Gr. II
Assistant Librarian
Assistant Librarian
Assistant Lecturer
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expand and increase their student admissions. Amosu has already reported expansion of the The literature of medical librarianship in Nigeria is Ibadan (3). The reviewed. The staff structure of Nigerian university University College Hospital, of recent call on state General Gowon's head libraries and, in particular, of the medical libraries attached to them is restrictive, unprogressive, and the Lagos College of Medicine to expand its unconducive to the development of medical librarian- admissions to take in about a thousand students ship in Nigeria. These medical libraries should cease to per session is further evidence of the pressure be administered and regarded as just unavoidable appendages of the main university libraries. They for expansion (4), and although this call does should be independent, full-fledged libraries of their not seem to be within the possibility of own, recognized as full academic departments of their immediate realization, it underscores the narespective colleges or faculties, with their heads being tion's dire need for a vastly increased number in no way inferior in status to other heads of academic of medical doctors, and is a pointer that departments. The granting of faculty status to Nigerian university librarians should go the whole way expansion of existing schools is imperative if and let the principle of multiple professorships be the national need is to be met. applied to the staff structure of university libraries. With a doctor population ratio of 1 per Efforts are being made to effect bibliographic organi- 37,000 (1963 census), which is a far cry from zation of Nigerian medical literature. A national library of medicine for Nigeria, however humble its the envied Russian figure of 1 per 345 (5), the need for increased production of medical beginning, should be established. doctors is understandable. Good health provides a sound basis for the production of THERE are at present only seven medical efficient and effective manpower for nationlibraries (veterinary medical libraries excluded) building. The nation's good health, however, in Nigeria. The Central Medical Library, cannot be attained without the provision of founded in 1945 (1), is the oldest; the hospitals and other medical facilities manned youngest, the Library of the Nigerian Medical by sufficient and adequately trained profesResearch Council, grew out of the old West sional personnel. African Medical Research Council Library. Any increase or expansion that eventually Of the seven, five are libraries of the facul- takes place, however, must be reflected in the ties or colleges of medicine of Nigeria's six number and size of medical libraries. Apart universities. The University of Ife, with a from supporting the nation's program for the Faculty of Health Sciences, has yet to establish production of medical doctors, more and larger a separate medical branch library. There is, medical libraries will have to provide much however, hope that the number of medical needed service for medical research into local libraries in the country will increase in the near conditions (Nigeria's particular health probfuture. The Federal Military Government pro- lems), calls for which have been made freposes to establish at least three more univer- quently in the press and through other media. Medical libraries therefore certainly have a sities in the next development plan period, 1975-80 (2), and these are most likely to future of greater contribution to the progress of include schools of medicine. Moreover, existing Nigeria. With their number increased and their medical schools are under constant pressure to services expanded in response to the national ABSTRACT
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need, these libraries will employ many more professionally qualified librarians who, to effectively play the role expected of them, will have to trade information, share experiences, and come together for concerted action in finding solutions to their common problems. In anticipation of this greater and busier future for medical libraries, an attempt is made here to discuss a few problems and prospects of medical libraries and medical librarians, which even at this early stage in the development of medical libraries, appear to be of great significance for the future of medical librarianship in the country. Because the history of medical libraries dates back only about three decades, not much literature has been written on the subject. Even so, it is not too early to review the literature on the subject for two reasons: first, to bring together for the first time all that has been written, albeit little, on the subject up to now, and second, to provide a background for the discussion of the few problems and prospects which form the subject matter of this paper.
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Two accounts of the development of medical library facilities in Nigeria were given by Cannon (6) and Clark (7) in 1954, while in the same year Harris (8) gave an account of medical facilities in the library of the University College, Ibadan. The Ibadan University College was the only university in the country at that time, and the medical collection of its library was one of the only two medical libraries worthy of any note; the other was the Central Medical Library, Yaba, Lagos. The account of medical library development at Ibadan was updated by Amosu in 1974 (9). A highlight of this account is the "building of a carefully designed medical library as part of phase one of a large expansion of the medical school at Ibadan University, which also includes a clinical research block and two large new lecture theatres." This account also supplements Oluwakuyide's paper in 1972 (10) which examined the Nigerian medical library service and gave general coverage to some of the problems facing medical libraries in the country. Problems of acquisitions, including budgetary control, unavailability of desired literature, transport delays, and postal hazards; of reference services
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and interlibrary cooperation, and of the organizational structure of Nigerian university medical libraries are discussed in the publication, while a brief comment on the Nigerian library scene forms the introduction of the paper. Problems of interlibrary cooperation among Nigerian medical libraries were also discussed by Seriki in 1973 (1 1). Falayi's (12) much earlier paper (1969) discussing the problems of medical libraries offered some note-worthy proposals for the solution of these problems. Some of the proposals are in respect to aid from the developed countries, including the role of the World Health Organization, organizational structure of medical libraries, library computerization, and the establishment of MEDLARS substations in the main regions of Africa. Falayi's two previous works dealt exclusively with book organization problems in Nigeria (13) and gave an outline of the history of medical organization in Nigeria (14). Library service to patients in hospitals (hospital library service) in Nigeria was considered by Fayiga in 1970 (15), while library orientation of medical students in the Lagos College of Medicine library is the subject of a recent paper by Oluwakuyide (16). The organization of a collection of journals for use in a medical library has been discussed by Amosu (17). Bibliographic aids so far compiled include Carroll Reynold's union catalogue of serials (18) which is long overdue for revision; Amosu's index of Nigerian theses (19); and, recently, a bibliography of publications by the staff of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, from its inception to November 1973 (20). Oyesola (21) conducted a "pilot survey" of library catalogue use by readers in the University of Lagos libraries, including the medical library. From a review of the literature, two facts emerge. First, though many medical library problems have been discussed, discussion has been mainly of a general nature and therefore some problems may need to be treated in greater detail in future. Second, some problems have not so far been examined, e.g., the staff structure in Nigerian university medical libraries, the bibliographic organization of Nigerian medical literature, and the prospects of a national library of medicine for Nigeria. These three problem aspects are therefore discussed in the following paragraphs of this paper, while a Bull. Mea. Libr. Assoc. 63(2) April 1975
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fourth problem-subject cataloging problems in Nigerian medical libraries-is the subject of another paper (22). PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS As has been shown above, although the organizational structure of medical libraries has been the subject of previous papers, the very important problem of staff structure has been neglected. Yet an ideal staff structure is most desired not only to retain existing medical library staff and keep morale high, but also to create the necessary attraction for new entrants into the profession. Staff structure therefore has a direct relevance to the future of medical librarianship in the country. Reference services have been examined; the use made of Index Medicus for literature searches and the advantages of MEDLARS services for information retrieval have been highlighted. One baffling problem in reference experience has, however, been passed over; how does the medical librarian cope with the need for retrieval of information not contained in Index Medicus or MEDLARS? A vast amount of literature pertaining to Nigerian health problems has been published, and, as has been pointed out elsewhere (23), a great part of this literature-appearing in the form of government documents, conference papers, chapters in monographs, unpublished reports, and articles in local journals-is not indexed in the internationally recognized reference tools. Yet such material is invaluable for research into local conditions. Bibliographic organization of Nigerian medical literature is therefore a sine qua non for the retrieval of such information and calls for creative efforts by Nigerian medical librarians. What attempts, if any, have been made at this much needed bibliographic organization? The new Library of the Nigerian Medical Research Council, anticipated by Amosu (24), has been established. What role is this library expected to play in the Nigerian medical library scene? Is there a need to organize medical library service on a national scale in Nigeria? In other words, does Nigeria now need a National Library of Medicine? And to what extent does Nigeria's National Library at present cater to the needs of medical library service and medical research in the country? Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(2) April 1975
Efforts need to be made and in some cases are currently being made to solve these problems. These efforts and proposals put forward for solution of the problems constitute the prospects of medical librarianship in Nigeria. STAFF STRUCTURE Logically, the organizational structure of Nigerian medical libraries is determined by the structural peculiarities of the locations in which they occur. The Central Medical Library, Yaba, for example being a department of the Federal Ministry of Health, has a staff structure that follows the pattern established for the Federal Civil Service; the Library of the Medical Research Council, as proposed, is to be a major department within the Council, having its own head of department in no way inferior in status to other heads of departments (25). A detailed discussion of the staff structures of these two libraries is not considered necessary here in view of developments envisaged for both libraries (26). Medical libraries in Nigerian universities conform to either of two patterns of organizational structure: the centralized and decentralized, the merits and demerits of which have been discussed above by Oluwakuyide and others. Irrespective of the type of organizational structure, however, the staff structure in all Nigerian university medical libraries is the same: the Medical Librarian-the head librarian of each medical library-is of the substantive rank of Senior Librarian (formerly Senior Sub-Librarian) which is the equivalent of Senior Lecturer in the staff gradings of university teachers in other academic departments of the university. Appendix 1 shows the staff structure of the medical library vis-a-vis the staff structure of the main university library and other academic (teaching) departments. The Ibadan University Medical Library, the. oldest university medical library, fostered this pattern of staff structure and younger medical libraries have, in most cases, followed the Ibadan example without question. One exception, though, is the Ahmadu Bello University Medical Library whose Medical Librarian is accorded a Reader's status (27). If silence means consent, both university library administrators and medical librarians themselves have accepted the above staff
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structure without question, for up to now, both have been silent on the issue of staff structure in the medical libraries. In fact, elsewhere (28) it was said of the Nigerian university library staff: "Librarians here have all, however, been accepted into the pampered and privileged group of senior staff . . . it will be observed then that university library staff in Nigeria have little to complain about in terms of salary structure and fringe benefits because they have been classified as senior staff which itself carries a high status in our social context." The struggle by librarians the world over to gain recognition for the profession and in particular to gain faculty status for academic librarians is a continuous and winning battle, by now too common knowledge to be belabored here. The Association of College and Research Libraries and the Medical Library Association of the United States have even endorsed standards for faculty status for college and university librarians (29). In the Nigerian context, faculty status has been granted academic librarians, thanks to the Elliot Commission Report (30). But have Nigerian university library staff really nothing to complain about in terms of status and staff structure? In particular, how satisfied are medical librarians with their status and with the staff structure in Nigerian university medical libraries? Has the granting of faculty status to Nigerian academic librarians gone the whole way, or does it, so far, amount to just an indulgence granted us which we are only too glad to accept? Any contentment with the existing staff structure of Nigerian university libraries is belied, however, by recent developments in Ibadan and Lagos. It is understood that in Ibadan University, efforts are being made to create the post of a second Deputy Librarian, while in Lagos, recommendations for expanding the library staff structure have been put forward. The complacence with which academic librarians have hitherto accepted the degree of faculty status accorded them is understandable. Members of Nigerian university senior staff have traditionally come to be divided into two groups: the academic staff group on the one hand and the administrative and technical on the other. Compelled to choose between the two, librarians have gladly opted for the academic group, because, apart from the af-
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finity of function in the jobs of the librarian and the university teacher, association with other academics is both dignifying and flattering to the ego of the academic librarian. Besides, the thought of constituting themselves into a third group is unattractive to librarians, possibly through fear of lack of recognition for the profession and of ineffectiveness as a pressure group in making demands. Acceptance into the academic group, however, exposes the academic librarian to the rigors and hazards of the university teacher's occupation, without bestowing on the academic librarian all the rights and benefits that are due the university teacher. Thus, the academic librarian, just as the university teacher, must earn his appointment or promotion to a higher position mainly on evidence of scholarly research and the publication of scholarly papers. Very little emphasis is placed on the librarian's professional competence. The insistence on scholastic ability, however, is not peculiar to the University of Lagos and other Nigerian universities. Katz's study (3 1) shows correlation of faculty salaries and promotions to scholastic productivity in a large American university. Scholastic work and ability of the academic librarian is emphasized by Moriarty (32), director of libraries in a large university whose librarians have "full academic status." In the Nigerian context, the university teacher is well rewarded for his rigors: he can aspire according to his ability to reach the very top of his career. By application of the principle of "multiple professorships" or "multichair disciplines," a single academic department of a faculty or college of a university can create and accommodate as many professorships as possible for deserving university teachers. For instance, in Lagos, in the Department of Surgery there are three full professorships, while in the Faculty of Arts there are four full professorships, and five full professorships in the Faculty of Science (33). As of now, the same principle is not applied to the staff structure of the library as an academic unit (even though it is considered equivalent to a department or a faculty) in a Nigerian university. Whether in a coordinated library system, as in Lagos, or in an integrated and centralized university library system as in Ibadan, only the University Librarian is accorded professorial status. Next to him is the Deputy University Librarian on associate proBull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(2) April 1975
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fessorial status; no other professional library staff, not even college and faculty librarians, can rise beyond the Senior Librarian (Senior Lecturer) grade. If academic librarians must be assessed exactly as their teaching counterparts in other academic departments, it is only equitable that academic librarians should be allowed the same scope for development as university teachers; multiple professorships and associate professorships should be created forthwith in the staff structure of Nigerian university libraries. Unless this is done, many academic librarians will be faced with the choice of either quitting university library service or staying on in frustration. Anxiety has already been expressed over the drain of staff from some Nigerian university libraries (34). This drain is attributable, in part, at least, to the rigid staff structure which leaves very little room at the top for staff aspirations. A library staff structure providing room for staff growth and incentive for hard work is essential if Adelabu's vision (35) of the librarian scholar of future African university libraries is to become a reality. There have been two factors militating against this demand for equity by librarians. First, other academic teaching staff are reluctant to see librarians share their privileges. They argue that librarians are "not on all fours" with their teaching counterparts. Second, librarians have been against themselves, some not pushing the idea simply from feelings of diffidence or just conservative thinking; others argue that the profession of librarianship is comparatively young and will only in time mature to qualify for benefits denied it now. One thing is clear, though: with the army of young graduates in the profession all working for higher qualifications, the movement for creating more room for librarians at the top may gather such momentum that it may yet be unstoppable. All the foregoing has a direct bearing on the staff structure of university medical libraries. Whether or not the principle of "multiple professorships" is applied to the entire university library staff structure, medical libraries should cease to be considered henceforth as subdepartments or semiautonomous branches of main university libraries. Medical libraries should be left free to grow on their own to full height, with a complete hierarchy of stafffrom the medical librarian, on professorial status at the top, to the assistant librarian, Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(2) April 1975
equivalent to assistant lecturer, at the bottom. Appendix 2 shows the proposed staff structure with equivalent staff ranks in other academic departments within a college or faculty of medicine. Professorial status and emoluments have been jointly recommended for college librarians by the Association of University Teachers and the Library Association of the United Kingdom (36). By always tying the medical libraries to the main university libraries, university library administrations have always restricted the scope of growth of the medical libraries. In ten years of experience in the College of Medicine, Lagos, out of a single Department of Physiology, two other fullfledged departments-Biochemistry and Pharmacology-have grown. In effect, in place of one department there are now three full departments, each with a professor and head of department, and provisions for more professorships as necessary. In the same sense, why can't the medical library grow to its full height and away from the main university library? Why should the medical library, the "heart" of the college of medicine and part of the infrastructure for academic work in the college remain static and stunted in its staff structure, while the academic program of the college expands? All other academic departments grow and even the library stock and service have to grow to meet needs. Is this subdepartment status of medical libraries maintained because of the empire building ambitions of university library administrators or because we librarians are a professional group of second-raters (37) too shy to take even what is our due? After all, these medical libraries are special libraries, only they occur in the university environment. And just as public librarianship has been successfully organized with adequate and attractive staff structure (the state library services are examples) so should special librarianship (medical librarianship), even within a university, be allowed to develop. Besides, it is usually argued that library development is not a priority in government planning for national development in developing countries. Understandable. But the nation's health is one of the priorities in planning, and if so, why should medical libraries, so inevitable for the national health manpower training program, not be allowed to benefit from their association with health? In the 1974/75 budget (38) of the 203
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Lagos College of Medicine, the library was allocated 5% of the total college subvention as against 2.3% for the Department of Community Health, 3.6% for the Department of Pathology, and 1.3% for the Department of Pharmacology, to quote a few examples. The Medical Librarian is one of the chief officers of the college and sits on all important committees. Yet, anomalously, the Medical Librarian lacks the status and full remuneration enjoyed by all other heads of departments. This is the position because the medical library, by way of organizational structure, is a subdepartment of the main university library. The usual arguments against independence of medical libraries are the cost of duplication, the physical size of a medical library, the size of its collection and of its clientele in comparison with those of the main university library. These arguments are, in general terms, inequitable and professionally untenable. Inequitable because there is no stipulation that academic departments must be of the same size: for instance, there may be more students studying medicine than dentistry, or more students studying law than English, just as one academic department may have more staff than another. Professionally untenable because the evaluation of the contribution and service of any given library is both quantitative and qualitative and in the case of special libraries, and medical libraries are special libraries, the qualitative yardstick is much preferred. A piece of information given at the correct moment to save the life of a dying patient is obviously more useful than a collection of 200 volumes on archaeology which are seldom consulted. It is, therefore, strongly suggested here that medical libraries in university schools of medicine should be full libraries in their own right and also full academic departments with appropriate status and staff structure, within their respective colleges or faculties of medicine. No longer should a medical school library be an unavoidable appendage of the main university library. Brandon (39) in an American survey in 1970, reported: "In three new medical schools, the library is considered an academic department, and other schools are considering such designation." The survey further revealed that in twelve institutions, salaries of librarians are on a par with other medical school faculty. It is recognized, of course, that, as argued by Brandon, "It is the responsibility of the medical
,)(4
school librarian to merit faculty rank on a basis with other teaching faculty." In the Nigerian context, this responsibility is already being discharged, in the sense that in almost all Nigerian universities, librarians-including medical school librarians-are required to do research and publish scholarly papers in order to merit advancement to higher grades. Besides, and happily too, opportunities for further training and for attaining higher qualifications now abound for university librarians. Unless this suggested favorable organizational and staff situation is created, experienced medical librarians will always desert their specialization to seek higher positions in more general libraries. Those not having an immediate opportunity elsewhere will remain in frustration, which, in any case, has never been a helpful ingredient of personnel management. A national library service for the health sciences is desirable but this can only be created and maintained by an adequate staff of librarians experienced in medical librarianship. A favorable staff structure in existing medical libraries will not only ensure retention of existing staff but will also afford necessary attraction for new entrants into the profession. BIBLIOGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION OF NIGERIAN MEDICAL LITERATURE
Nigeria, like any other country, has its peculiarities of geography and climate, culture, diet, political and economic conditions, etc.the sum total of which has a direct bearing on the health of its people. The problem of sickle-cell anemia, of anemia in pregnancy in Nigerian women, the occurrence of lassa fever, of malnutrition in Nigerian children-these are some examples of health problems facing our country. To find solutions to these health problems is in the national interest and it is not surprising that research efforts, financed by the government, should be directed towards these health problems, with a view to improving the overall manpower situation for nation-building. Neither does anyone need be reminded that the colonial masters of Nigeria had their share of the general health problems of settling in the "Dark Continent." A testimony to their effort to combat these problems is the literature they left behind. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc.
63(2) April 1975
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A considerable amount of literature on Nigerian medical problems has therefore grown, from the days of British settlement to the present, and there is urgent need for bibliographic organization of this literature. Apart from the amount of literature already in existence, Nigerian medical literature has the potential for rapid growth in the future, in the light of the enthusiasm and excitement with which research into Nigerian medicine is now pursued. Besides, there is at present an everincreasing quest for Nigerian medical literature, for the purposes of treatment, teaching, and research. How can this quest be satisfied without bibliographic organization-without reference tools in which materials can be located? As already stated, a vast amount of existing medical literature is not indexed in internationally organized reference tools. The result has been that while the literature contained in Index Medicus or MEDLARS is retrieved with comparative ease and certainty, retrieval of unorganized Nigerian medical literature has proved haphazard, tedious, and sometimes frustrating. Creative efforts are being made to meet this need for bibliographic organization. The Medical Library, University College Hospital, Ibadan University, recently published 25 Years of Medical Research, 1948-1973 (40). This is a list of papers published by past and present members of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ibadan from its foundation to November 1973. Arranged by broad subject headings, this bibliography has both a subject and an author index. On a wider scale, an attempt is being made to compile a comprehensive Nigerian Medical Index (41). When completed, this index will list all literature pertaining to medicine in Nigeria, irrespective of nationality of authorship. It is hoped that a preliminary edition of this work will be published soon. Preferably, however, such a national bibliography should be based at the National Library or some other selected library and kept up to date indefinitely.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE FOR NIGERIA It has been stated that two aspects of the "paramount interest and aim" of the National Library of Nigeria are the following: (1) "to achieve a comprehensive collection of books Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(2) April 1975
relating to Nigeria and the Nigerian people, for present and future use as part of the national heritage," (2) "to maintain and keep a rich collection of books representing the best results of the thought and experience of peoples and nations elsewhere in the world" (42). And in the words of Kwame Nkrumah "a good national library is at once the repository of a nation's culture and wisdom and an intellectual
stimulant" (43). Medicine is part of the national heritage; it is part of the nation's culture and wisdom, and medical works, just as works in other fields of human endeavour, need to be conserved and exploited for the national good. Nigerian medical literature, as already explained above, has grown considerably and has the potential for much faster growth in the future. The National Library of Nigeria has, however, so far not concerned itself with the conservation and organization of Nigerian medical literature. It seems to have left to university medical libraries the role of repository of Nigerian medical literature. Viewed in the light of Bowden's explanation (44), the inability or unconcern of the National Library is understandable. Besides, if the national library organizational patterns of the United Kingdom and the United States are to be followed, a national library of medicine for Nigeria should be separate from the National Library of Nigeria. There is a definite need for a national library of medicine for Nigeria. The existing university medical libraries are too small in size, too poor in funds, and too specialized in purpose to be able to organize medical library service on a national scale. In fact, these university medical libraries need the support of a national library of medicine to be quite effective in their respective areas. As Amosu has pointed out (45), university medical libraries are able, with limited funds, to subscribe only to core journals and some extra titles. What about the vast number of medical journals to which they cannot subscribe and yet are now and again required for research purposes? At present, the medical libraries depend on overseas sources for such materials but a national library of medicine would have made these journals immediately available locally. In 1972, the library of the Lagos College of Medicine turned down an invitation (46) and 205
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lost an opportunity to serve as a MEDLARS center for Nigeria and West Africa. And today "scientific centers or biomedical libraries in Australia, Brazil, France, Sweden and the United Kingdom are making MEDLINE available in their countries as a part of an international telecommunications-based health information network" (47). A national library of medicine would be best placed and equipped to establish Nigeria as part of such a network. The need for a national medical bibliography has been stressed and the Creation and maintenance of such a bibliography belongs naturally to a national library of medicine. Some beginning, no matter how humble, therefore needs to be made at the establishment of a national library of medicine for Nigeria. The story of the humble beginnings of the U. Se National Library of Medicine is by now a familiar one (48). With the National Library of Nigeria too busy and perhaps too young to think of medicine, some other possibility should be considered for the function of a national library of medicine. It is envisaged that the newly established Nigerian Medical Research Council Library will be merged with the old Central Medical Library, Yaba, to form the nucleus of a national library of medicine for Nigeria. This proposition will certainly serve the best interests of the nation. The NMRC Library, concerned with all aspects of medical research, including veterinary medicine, is well placed both to conserve and to organize Nigerian medical literature, and besides, such a merger will, as Mrs. Amosu remarked (49), rescue the Central Medical Library, with its unique collections of government and official documents, from imminent collapse as a result of a serious shortage of funds and overabundance of bureaucracy.
CONCLUSION
Bibliographic organization of Nigerian medical literature is in progress. A beginning, no matter how humble, should be made at establishing a national library of medicine for Nigeria, which in years to come will serve as the pivot for the nation's library service for the health sciences. The staff structures of Nigerian university medical libraries, at present stunted and unprogressive, should be expanded to create room for staff development, with a view 206
both to retaining existing medical library staff and also attracting new entrants into medical
librarianship. One cannot agree more with Mr. Bowden, summing up the prospects of librarianship in Nigeria, when he says: Without any doubt they [prospects] are bright. The country is rich with oil money and the importance of libraries in helping to achieve development objectives is fully appreciated. However librarians need to think carefully about how they can attract more of that money into library development (50).
We certainly can attract more money into library development; more libraries will be
established as needs arise, but another way of attracting more money into library development would be the justifiable expansion of existing libraries in terms of stock, services, and staff. Specialization within university library systems should be encouraged, without prejudice to cooperation and coordination of library services within the systems. Academic librarianship in Nigeria loses nothing if university medical libraries are allowed to grow unhampered, with an expanded staff structure. In fact, there is everything to gain both in terms of service to the nation and of the interests of librarians as a professional group. To a great extent, our fate as librarians in Nigeria lies in our own hands. REFERENCES 1. OLWAKUYIDE, AKIN. An examination of Nigerian medical library service and problems. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 60: 315-318, Apr. 1972. 2. ADEDEJI, ADEBAYO. An address by the Federal Commissioner for Economic Development and Reconstruction. Daily Times (Nigeria) March 8, 1974. 3. AMOSU, MARGARET. Medical library development at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 62: 49-51, Jan. 1974. 4. Address by the Head of State, His Excellency General Yakubu Gowon, on the occasion of the opening of the new buildings of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, in May 1974. 5. OYEDIRAN, MURIEL. Personal communication. Oct. 1974. 6. CANNON, D. A. The development of medical library facilities in Nigeria. Libri 3: 184-187, 1954. 7. CLARK, HILDA. The development of medical library facilities in Nigeria. Libri 3: 183, 1954. 8. HARRIS, JOHN. Medical facilities in the Library of University College, Ibadan. Libri 3: 188-190, 1954.
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MEDICAL LIBRARIANSHIP IN NIGERIA
9. AMOSU, MARGARET. Op. cit. 10. OLUWAKUYIDE, AKIN. Op. cit. 11. SERIKI, T. A. B. Problems of interlibrary cooperation among Nigerian medical libraries. Special Libraries 64: 566-570, Dec. 1973. 12. FALAYI, S. 0. Problems of medical information systems and centres in developing countries: survey of work done in Africa. Proceedings of the Third International Congress on Medical Llbrarianship, May 1969. p. 452461. 13. FALAYI, S. 0. Book Organization Problems in Nigeria. 1963 (Typescript). 14. FALAYI, S. 0. History of Medical Organization in Nigeria. 1959 (Typescript). 15. FAYIGA, H. M. Hospital library Service in Nigeria. 1972 (Typescript). 16. OLUWAKUYIDE, AKIN. Library Orientation for Freshmen: Experience in the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (In press). 17. AMOSU, MARGARET. Juniors, readers and journals. Nigerian Libraries 7: 53-57, Apr./Aug. 1971. 18. REYNOLDS, C. F. Union List of Biomedical Serials in Selected Libraries in Nigeria. Ibadan, 1964 (Typescript). 19. AMOSU, MARGARET. Index of Nigerian Theses. Ibadan, 1965. 20. Ibadan. University Medical Library. 25 Years of Medical Research, 1948-1973. Ibadan, Medical Library, 1973 (mimeographed). 21. OYESOLA, S. 0. Library Catalogue Use-a Pilot Survey in the University of Lagos and College Libraries (a research work), 1972. 22. BELLEH, G. S. Subject Cataloguing: Experience in the Library, College of Medicine of University of Lagos (In preparation). 23. BELLEH, G. S. Medical Nigeriana; An Index of Medical Literature Pertaining to Nigeria (In
preparation). 24. AMOSU, MARGARET. Op. cit. 25. View expressed by Prof. A. 0. Lucas at the interview held for the appointment of the Librarian of the Nigerian Medical Research Council. 26. Prof. A. 0. Chairman of the Interviewing Panel for the Appointment of the Librarian of the Nigerian Research Council, told the Panel that it is part of the ultimate plan for the development of the library of the NMRC to merge it with the Central Medical Library (Yaba) to form the nucleus of a National Library of Medicine for Nigeria.
27. GREY-THERIOT, J. M. M. Personal communication with the Medical Librarian, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos. 1970. 28. DIPEOLU, J. 0. Status and classification of university library staff. Paper presented at the S.C.A.U.L. Western Area Conference, University of Lagos, Nigeria. April 1972. 29. Standards for faculty status for college and university librarians. Coll. Res. Libr. News 5: 112-1 14, May 1974. 30. DIPEOLU, J. 0. Op. cit. 31. KATZ, DAVID A. Faculty salaries, promotions and productivity at a large university. Amer. Econ. Rev. 63: 469477, June 1973. 32. MORIARTY, J. H. Academic in deed. Coll. Res. Libr. 31: 14-17, Jan. 1970. 33. University of Lagos Calendar 1973/74. 34. ADELABU, ADEDEJI. Professional staff of tomorrow's future in African university libraries: some postulates and proposals. Int. Libr. Rev. 6: 299-308, July 1974. 35. Ibid. 36. Salary scales in university libraries. Libr. Assoc. Rec. 74: 239, Dec. 1972. 37. SMITH, ELDRED. Academic status for college and university librarians-problems and prospects. Coll. Res. Libr. 31: 7-13, Jan. 1970. 38. MAKINWA, S. A. (Chief Accountant, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos). Personal communication, 1974. 39. BRANDON, ALFRED N. Academic status for medical school librarians. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 58: 1-6, Jan. 1970. 40. IBADAN. University Medical Library. Op. cit. 41. BELLEH, G. S. Op. cit. 42. ADEGOKE, ADEKUNBI. The evolution of libraries in Nigeria. Int. Libr. Rev. 5: 407452, Oct. 1973. 43. AGUOLU, CHRISTIAN C. Bibliographic problems in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Int. Libr. Rev. 5: 199-207, April, 1973. 44. BOWDEN, RUSSELL. The recovery: Nigerian library developments, 1970-1973. J. Librarianship 6: 179-202, July 1974. 45. AMOSU, MARGARET. Op. cit. 46. HARLEY, A. J. Personal communication. 1972. 47. TAINE, SEYMOUR I. MEDLINE descriptive information sheet, 1974. 48. U. S. National Library of Medicine. Brochure. 1971. 49. AMOSU, MARGARET. Op. cit. 50. BOWDEN, RUSSELL. Op. cit.
4*
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GODFREY S. BELLEH
APPENDIX 1
STAFF STRUCTURE OF MEDICAL LIBRARY VIS-A-VIS THAT OF MAIN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, WITH EQUIVALENT STAFF POSITIONS IN TEACHING (ACADEMIC) DEPARTMENTS. (UNIVERSITIES OF IBADAN AND LAGOS ARE EXAMPLES OF THIS STRUCTURE). Library Posts
Equivalent Teaching (Academic) Posts
University Librarian
Professor
Deputy University Librarian
Associate Professor
Medical Librarian
Senior Librarian
Senior Lecturer
Librarian Gr. I
Librarian Gr. I
Lecturer Gr. I
Librarian Gr. II
Librarian Gr. II
Lecturer Gr. II
Assistant Librarian
Assistant Librarian
Assistant Lecturer
APPENDIX 2 PROPOSED STAFF STRUCTURE OF MEDICAL LIBRARY VIS-A-VIS STAFF STRUCTURE OF MAIN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, WITH EQUIVALENT STAFF POSITIONS IN TEACHING (ACADEMIC) DEPARTMENTS. Library Posts
Equivalent Teaching (Academic) Posts
Medical Library
Main University Library
Medical Librarian
University Librarian
Professor
Deputy Medical Librarian
Deputy University Librarian
Associate Professor
Senior Librarian
Senior Librarian
Senior Lecturer
Librarian Gr. I
Librarian Gr. I
Lecturer Gr. I
Librarian Gr. II
Librarian Gr. II
Lecturer Gr. II
Assistant Librarian
Assistant Librarian
Assistant Lecturer
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63(2) April 1975
