INTRODUCTION
In Sierra Leone the phrases 'official publications', official paperwork', and 'public paperwork' are substitutable with government publications. Government publications, simply put, are paperwork created by government and native and quasi-government our bodies explaining and integration views and polices. They mean the historic and present improvement government of presidency and supply information on all kinds of topics to incorporate Political Science, Economics, Finance, Statistics, Labor, Industry, History, International Relations, Agriculture, Geology and Meteorology. Katz (1997) classed these publications into: (1) information of presidency administration (2).analysis paperwork for specialists together with a substantial variety of statistics and information of worth to science and enterprise (3).common sources of data. Their bodily kind being both a e book, pamphlet, journal, report monograph or digital, particularly CD-ROM (p.387).
Bibliographic direction in lots of components of the world is apparently unacceptable due mostly to ignorance of the significance of list instruments in analysis in government publications. The United States of America, for inposition, was for a very years a pioneer on this discipline. As far once again as 1895 the Printing Act of January 12 of that 12 months (28 statute, 601-624) not alone established centralized printing and distribution of federal paperwork but in addition instructed the Superintendent of Documents to supply applicable instruments for list direction of the paperwork disclosed. Great Britain is an superior exception for way back to 1807 collections of fantanary papers have been written. Countries similar to Sweden, Italy, Netherlands, Germanynd Japan started separating government doc bibliographies primarily inside the 1920s and 1930s (Palic,1975). However an amazing want for exploitation government publications was felt following World War 11 (1939-1945), when there was an elevated curiosity inside the authoritative data contained in such publications as posited by kid's (1942) in his introductory notes that 'increasingly more the significance of presidency documentation is being accognitiond regardless of the refractory nature of few of these supplies'
In parallel the emphasis made on the utility of presidency publications in Sierra Leone is accompanying the event of printing which could be copied way back to the foundation of the Colony of Sierra Leone in 1787. Although the trade did not survive the French assault of 1794 the muse stone of what later turned often famed as the Government Printing Department was laid in 1925 when it was charged with the manufacturing of small notices for official use. Currently the Department prints all government publications and provides letter paper and work gear of presidency departments. It in addition undertakes a good measure of economic printing as revenue producing measures.
Government publications often have the benefit of being among the many superlative of their topic William Claude Dukenfield normally not simply out there to others (Smith, 1993). In lieu of the extent and complexity of presidency actions there's a want for the widespread dissemination of details about these actions and for common integration of presidency coverage. No surprise why government publications have particular worth to educational library collections and their authority is everlasting. In educational libraries in Sierra Leone these publications are put apart right into a particular assortment manned by a conservator as at Fourah Bay College Library. Some are stored in vertical information; others are positioned in pamphlet packing containers, whereas these like maps and surveys are given specialised storage. These publications are congenital primarily by buy, deposit, donation, change and photocopying. The Government Printing Department is responsible their publication
DIVISIONS OF GOVERNMENT AND THEIR PUBLICATIONS
The enlargement of presidency in Sierra Leone's post-war Reconstruction Period at native, nationwide and worldwide ranges has resulted in rising her affect on the lifespan of the citizenry. Simultaneously with this enlargement is the proliferation of official and semi official companies, commissions and bureaus which proceed to publish works similar to directories, laws, studies, payments, Acts and technical lit which many researchers, educators, community service functionaries, welfare recipients and the unemployed cannot do regardless of such publications. Since librarians function interface between customers and government they've for long accognitiond the issues which such a overplus of assortment can pose and have been making super strides to deal with the difficulty. The essence right here is to supply systematic controls to keep away from the disappearance, into oblivion, of important official publications.
In Sierra Leone government publications fall inside three normal courses: Executive, Legislative ands Judicial. The Executive publications embrace these issued by the Offices of the President and the Vice President, and many impartial places of work and institutions similar to National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), National Revenue Authority (NRA), Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), National Commission for Privatization (NCP) and the Office of the Ombudsman. Also enclosed are government ministries such because the Ministries of protection; Education, Youth and Sports; Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation; Tourism and Cultural Affairs; Local Government and Community Development; Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security; Trade and Industry; Internal Affairs; labor and Industrial Relations; and Development and Economic Planning.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry, for inposition, is responsible each inner and worldwide commerce and the promotion of exports. It has powers over impost and excise, tariffs, insurance coverage, patents, emblems, requirements, weights and measures. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is responsible Sierra Leone's dealingship with overseas and Commonwealth international locations whereas the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security is responsible administrating government coverage on agriculture, gardening and meals safety. This Ministry gives sensible steering to farmers, business producers of agriculture crops and analysis.The Ministry of Internal Affairs offers with the upkeep of legislation and order, the Police and Fire Forces, administration of the prisons and the therapy of offenders. Other miscellaneous issues handled by this ministry embrace explosives, firearms, harmful medication, prisons, outlets, public security, leisure, cremation, bylaws and good rule and formal enterprise. The same features and related ones carried out by different ministries require the creation and upkeep of publications. There can be documentation of press briefings given by the many heads of ministries and newsletters, that are channels for individual ministries there-by making them extra public-dealings aware.
Legislative publications embrace the information and debates of Parliament and the studies of hearings of the many Parliamentary Committees. Included right here are also a number of coverage statements back to fantanary questions. The Hansard is one other rich supply for public issues because it supplies official data and views about fantanary debates.
Publications from the Judiciary department of presidency consist mostly of studies of presidency choices by the Magistrate, Appeals and Supreme Courts. Found on this arm of presidency are legislation books, 'annual registers', state trials and rulings, the structure, worldwide treaties, protocols, peace accords, Acts, payments and digests of native newspapers. These publications present the judiciary with pertinent data on many-sided authorized issues. Such data is required to be factual and politically neutral.
The City and District Councils, being quasi-government establishments, present paperwork labeled as government publications. These embrace constructing codes, academic improvement, well being and sanitation, laws on waste disposal, use of firearms and hearth machines. Also there are government departments which give applied mathematics data on an large vary of business enterprise, industrial and social demographic information. Of central significance are Statistics Sierra Leone (previously Central Statistics Office-CSO), responsible nationwide inhabitants census and human action surveys; the Office of Births and Deaths which registers and produces annual statistics of births and deaths inside the nation; the Office of the Registrar General responsible statutory registration of marriages, patents and emblems; the Chamber of Commerce which specializes on enterprise data. These places of work deliver together necessary business enterprise and social statistics equipped by government departments. Other necessary government departments are the Meteorological Office, which continues to offer pertinent climate data, and the National Archives, which serves as repository of all non-current government publications comprehensive of nationwide newspapers. The afore-mentioned government publications home in measure and size. Written by consultants inside the topic, government publications aren't alone authoritative but in addition well regular disclosed and match matters of present curiosity. Their goal, in keeping with Katz (1969), is to supply data and reply questions and to not provoke dialogue or structure cataloging and administration. They are helpful main reference sources.
ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN SIERRA LEONE
Academic libraries in Sierra Leone are these inside the constituent models that kind the nation's two universities, specifically the University of Sierra Leone and the University of Njala. These libraries mean the list basis of the nation's analysis curiosity. They participate actively inside the distribution and change of e book and non-book supplies to sister establishments all around the nation. Collectively these establishments serve college students, school, students and researchers which might be engaged in work inside the sciences and humanities in addition to most of the people. These libraries have mixed sources of over 500,000 volumes, most of that are of distinctive scope and high quality. Included in these large collections are government publications similar to treaties, Acts, applied mathematics tables and compilations, conventions and information of diplomatic dealings, studies of presidency departments, committees, bureau and commissions, census schedules, proclamations and legal guidelines. The upkeep, preservation and improvement of those publications are tasks shared by educational librarians as their libraries proceed to function nationwide sources.
JUSTIFICATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
Varied causes have been superior for the inclusion of presidency publications in educational libraries in Sierra Leone. The functions of the nation's universities are instructing, service, analysis and interpretation and dissemination of analysis. Society views government as a dependable and neutral supply of authoritative data that must be accessible to its residents by its quite few publications. Since educational establishments match college students who in flip shall be future residents these must be cognitionable accordingly. Government's position must be recognized when there's public dialogue on well being, worldwide dealings, school, agriculture, social safety and commerce, to quote few examples. Thus the necessary for the event of presidency publications in educational libraries in and of itself supplies might communicate for the federal government in assorted actions. Further educational libraries have the aims of preservation, conservation and repair. And government publications kind a part of society's cultural heritage which want conservation and preservation not just for analysis functions but in addition for descendants as tangible main sources of data which lecturers can consistently discuss with. Little surprise why as a measure of list direction of those publications librarians proceed to supply catalog's, checklists, guides, indexes, accessions lists and chosen normal bibliographies containing substantial data on government publications.
1991-2001 was a interval of doom in Sierra Leone because it marked the civil battle. Fought on account of unhealthy governance, nepotism and big corruption it led to the un-wanton destruction of lives and properties. Essential government buildings0 destroyed to reckless abandon enclosed the National Treasury, Sierra Leone Police premises, legislation courts and the places of work of the Freetown City Council all of which housed necessary paperwork consistently consulted by researchers, government functionaries and the general public. Not withstanding the nation is on a regular basis ill with the re-establishment of native government, multi-party democracy, improved human, girls and little one rights, the availableness of a causative environment to funding, and a brand new system of school (6-3-3-4), to quote even so few developments, the efficient operation of which requires fixed use of presidency publications.
The broad packages in educational establishments embrace manyreas of life with the instructing of historic and geographic ideas; research project are undertaken for improved well being and meals safety; worldwide dealings and inter-religious understanding are fostered. Also stylish neighborhood life and the ism of democracy, peace and battle decision, good governance, human rights and different ideologies are taught so that clever choices might be drawn. These designed academic packages deliver enrichment and cognition to college students in such William Claude Dukenfield as economics, government, well being and sanitation, agriculture, worldwide dealings, human rights and diplomacy. In help of those assorted disciplines educational libraries present large collections to incorporate native supplies few of that are inside the type of government publications whereby college students, school and researches might share their experiences and pursuits and develop passable private adjustment with regard assorted government functionaries in society. By so doing college students are offered the chance to develop in social utility and develop their mental pursuits and capabilities with the intent to turn into responsible members of society. This in flip might assist promote nationalism. In lieu of those components educational libraries try to supply liberal collections to incorporate books, serial publications, audio-visuals and government publications.
PROBLEMS
Government publications are among the many most helpful supplies in educational libraries in Sierra Leone. Apart from the general public library, the nationwide archives and fantan library which function repositories for such publications educational libraries proceed to develop these publications of their large assortment. However such strikes aren't bereft of issues. These vary from poor codecs by lack of commerce bibliographies to unacceptable strategies of distribution. The primary drawback to all these libraries is the measure of publications obtained, much of which is nothing even so raw information and statistics accustomed help arguments or gathered extra for the sake of gathering moderately than for any particular causes. Since these libraries have restricted area to deal with their quite few collections the continued acquisition of presidency publications poses issues to workers.
Academic libraries purchase government publications primarily by donations though few are congenital by buy, change and photocopy. Once these supplies are obtained they're hoped-for to be processed and arranged to be used inside the library. Sadly there was no fastened sample in classifying and organizing these supplies in these libraries. Their group is both by government ministry/division, topic or format which is normally complex to customers. At Fourah Bay College library, for inposition, these publications are positioned severally from the final assortment which oftentimes constrains customers in having to depart their poring over space to seek the advice of these supplies with restricted sitting lodging. Libraries at Njala University College, Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) and the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMHAS), that are comparatively small in measure combine the publications of their normal assortment thereby sitting recovery issues to customers.
Keeping observe of presidency publications is one other drawback as there aren't any commerce bibliographies written bent assist hint them. Hardly are these publications talked about inside the nationwide bibliography, Sierra Leone Publications, ready by the general public/nationwide library. Besides the Government Printing Department responsible the manufacturing of presidency publications doesn't have any complete lists of its publications. Most inpositions these publications are both returned instantly to the individual ministries/departments proudly owning them upon completion or despatched to the Government Bookshop on the market or offered by the Government Printing Department upon completion, thus making it difficult to find backward publications. Worse even so each the Government Printing Department and the Government Bookshop aren't keen on advertising these publications and in and of itself many purchasers together with educational librarians aren't conscious of the provision of related government publications for acquisition thus inflicting lapses inside the improvement of those supplies in educational libraries. In parallel one would anticipate educational libraries to compile complete lists of such publications even so this has not been the case as a result of restricted variety of workers manning this assortment and the quantum of labor they must carry out particularly throughout peak durations when libraries are closely used which is time consuming.
There are in addition issues of assortment improvement. Academic libraries are under-funded and afterwards librarians prioritise their assortment improvement wants. Purchasing government publications has not been a precedence for educational librarians as they all the time sit up for the Government Printing Department for donations that are ceaselessly not forthcoming. Hence many related government publications aren't present in educational library collections. What is extra this restricted assortment is grossly ill-used and abused by customers (particularly undergrad pupil customers) of their educational pursuits. Thus most of those publications have dingy covers; others have few pages both written on or pilfered whereas some are deliberately mis-shelved to deprive colleagues of utilizing them.
CONCLUSION
The incorporation of presidency publications inside the mainstream of educational library providers must be thought-about a precedence by college government and educational librarians in offering entry to government-produced data in Sierra Leone. Representing a major and integral a part of the nationwide sources government publications are main sources of data in almost each discipline of endeavor and are essential to cognitionable public-decision making. Academic librarians ought to afterwards assessment their assortment improvement methods and processing and group strategies of those supplies if they're to be persistently used by their quite few clientele. Especial thought must incline to elevated funding, useful imagination sharing, compilation of lists and enough staffing, sitting lodging and closet space if they're to keep up requirements in serving their quite few clientele.
AUTHOR NOTE
John Abdul Kargbo is Senior Lecturer on the Institute of Library, Information & Communication Studies at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. Mail could be despatched to him on
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