The Library and Documentation Unit is an academic cum research Library established since 1957 for acquisition, organization, conservation, and dissemination of information to prospective library users. The Unit provides information services that equip library clienteles and compliment the zonal and national research mandates of the Institute through its specific goals and objectives.

Unit Objectives

To select and acquire print and non-print information resources that are timely and relevant to the Institute mandate.

To process, store and maintain information for easy access, retrieval and dissemination to prospective users.

To acquire agricultural databases and make it easily accessible to our teaming researchers remotely through transmitter routers.

To develop Institutional repository and in-house database of Institute publications.

To provide Library consortium through inter-library cooperation/network to enhance Information acquisition and dissemination.

Unit Focus

The Library and Documentation Unit is the Institute repository of knowledge that provides Agricultural information services that equips Library clienteles and complements the research mandates of the institute through its specific goals and objectives.

Current Activities

Accessibility Factors and Attention Rates of Published Works of Research Scientists in the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan: Soil Science Category 1972– 2021
The Development of a Bibliographical Database of Published Agricultural Research Works of Scientists in the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training 1970 – 2019

https://e-library.iart.gov.ng

Content Analysis of Literature Citation in the Published Works of Research Scientists in the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan.

SUMMARY OF LIBRARY KEY RESEARCH ACTIVITIES & BREAKTHROUGHS 2019-2026.

Our Collaborators

The Unit maintains its usual link and co-operation with agricultural libraries in the country and abroad. Print resources were received as gift through agencies, local and international organization, such as Commonwealth of Agricultural Bureau International (CABI), Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA), British Council -Book AID-International and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and other institutions through inter-library collections exchange.‎

Past Achievements

The Unit played a vital role in the area information sourcing and documentation to complement the Institute’s Scientists research activities. Other achievements include:

Development of the Electronic Library:

Virtual services were provided to compliment the Institute research activities through unrestricted access to:

TEEAL & LABRARIKA SOFTWARE:

The acquisition of the Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL) database box and its upgraded version of 1993-2017 in 2020. The subscription, cost and shipping all covered by Itoca Foundation, Cornell University, USA free of charge.

Prospective users have unhindered access and usage of TEEAL agricultural literature offline across 609,000 full-text articles in Agriculture and related sciences in over five hundred (525) journals contributed by ninety (90) publishers worldwide.

Usage is cost effective because access is free without subscription to internet service provider in and outside the library. This, has considerable helped the Institute library and research scientists reduced cost of subscription to peer review journals. While Labrarika has facilitated effective conversion of traditional card catalogue to digital format for effective readers services.

Journal Accreditation certificates:

Prompt delivery of 249 accreditation certificates of research scientists’ publications for 2020-2024 promotion review exercise.

Published Articles Compendium:

Easy reference tool and a Bibliographical Database of 883 Published Agricultural Research Works of Scientists in the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training 1970 – 2024 developed.

Procurement of wireless radio transmitter:

Routers procured for easy access of the TEEAL Database accessible in 5 building blocks in the institute including crescent building by Institute’s Research Scientists.

Future Plans

The library also envisions a robust and sustainable online access for digital resources in the nearest future.

Services Rendered

SECTIONS & SERVICES IN THE LIBRARY

Reference Section:

This Unit is established basically to provide reference services to readers. The focal point is to provide timely information to satisfy library clienteles’ information needs. Its services include:

• ‎Current Awareness needs

• ‎Quick reference services (reference sources e.g. encyclopedia, dictionary etc.)

• ‎Use of library guide

• ‎Annual reports and occasional publications

REFERENCE SECTION

Serial Services/Periodical Section:

The unit provides information to library clientele where needed information can be found in journals, magazines, serial or occasional publications, annual reports, reprints newsletters, indexing, abstracting and bibliographic compilations. Over the years the unit has provided access to back issues and current volumes of periodicals arranged sequentially in alphabetically order of titles and chronological class marks. Currently the Serial collection is put at Twenty Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Seven ( 23, 567).

SERIAL SERVICE/PERIODICAL SECTION

Circulation Section:

The unit is located at the entrance of the library building as the lending outlet and public service point of the unit. It is the first point of call to visitors and regular users of the Library. Routines involves, effective charging and discharging of book borrowed/ returned and payment of fines

‎Other services include: Users registration, Book reservation, Book renewal, Maintenance records and other daily statistics records.

Technical Section:

The unit engages in maintenance technical routines and behind the scene activities that enable prospective users’ experience the library services. The Technical Section is located at the first (1st) floor of the library and over the years has seen to -

‎Selection:

Careful selection of materials to be acquired by the library based on the subject background of research scientists, student populace, general public and the mandate/mission statement of the Institute.

‎ Acquisition:

Purchasing materials like books, journals, references source and electronic resources for the library.

Organization:

Publication cannot be accessed except they are well organized. The total collection in the Library is organized through cataloguing and classification and over fifty thousand 50,000 publications have been accessioned, catalogued and classified for easy access, identification, retrieval and use.

‎Preservation:

Activities include library binding of Serials and monographs, repair of damaged /mutilated materials, preservation, photocopying and conservation treatments through fumigation.

Electronic Library:

This unit provides registered users with e-information services and facilities. It renders e-services and databases such as;

‎TEEAL:

The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL database) is a major advance in access to agricultural literature. It is a full text digital library over 609,000 full-text articles from over 525 agricultural journals by Albert R Mann Library of Cornell University and Rockefeller Foundation. Its articles are in Portable Document Format (PDF), it has a searchable database of citations from CAB Abstracts and Pubmed.

‎AGORA:

Access to Global On-Line Research in Agriculture is an online database that can be accessed on the library via the internet by the scientists. It provides access to over 400 journals in the field of agriculture related fields.

ELECTRONIC LIBRARY

Readers Services:

The library readers’ services provide assistance to the library users for effective, efficient and easier access and retrieval of library materials.

READER SECTION

User-Education/ Orientation Services:

Over the years since 1970 to be precise, the unit has carried out regularly user instruction on how to use the library and its available print and non-print resources. It is also known as library orientation services or a guided tour of the library services.

‎William Harper (1905), observed that “The equipment of the library will never be finished until it has upon its staff, men and women whose soul shall be used to take care of books, not only in the cataloguing of the books but filling instructions in their use.

‎For over fifty (50) years, the library and documentation unit has rendered user education and orientation services to Sixteen thousand one hundred and twenty-four (16,124) students of the Federal Colleges of Agriculture and Animal Health and Production Technology, Ibadan.