H.O. Library Special Collections

Africana Special Collection

The Africana special collection is a collection of rare and other books of primary interest to people who are interested in Africana Studies. Staff publications and these submitted for higher degrees of the University as well as of other Universities are also housed there.

Documents Collection

The Documents collection includes official publications of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the old regional governments, the present state governments and the Federal Capital Territory.  It also includes publications of other African governments and many other international agencies such as the World Fertility Survey (W.F.S.), United Nations Organisation (U.N.O.), World Health Organisation (W.H.O.), General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (G.A.T.T.), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (U.N.E.C.A.), African Union (A.U.), and the World Bank.

Reference Collection

The reference collection which includes: dictionaries; encyclopedias; handbooks; directories; atlases; and University Calendars among others is shelved in the Reference Room.  Bibliographies, indexes and abstracts are also available.  Reference materials are only for consultation and are not meant to be loaned out and may not be removed from the room except on special permission.

A Newspaper clippings file (Post – October, 1985) and a vertical file of reprints and other pamphlet type material are kept in the Reference Room.  Card Indexes to these collections are provided and all request for materials from them should be made at the Reference Desk.  In addition, Indexes are provided to periodical articles on Nigerian and African literature.

Serials Collection

The Serials collection consists of both current and backfiles of journals.  The current journals are shelved in the display section of the Serials Room.  The backfiles are of two categories:

  • Recent backfilesrefers to the latest 10 years of journals which are on open access to registered Senior Staff and Postgraduate students who must present their University Identity and Library Cards and sign the register.

Undergraduate students and other categories of users are required to fill a request form at the Serials Section.

(b) Older backfiles refers to journals older than ten years and are available to all categories of readers who must obtain and complete request forms at the Serial Section.

Recent Accessions

A selection of books added to the Library stock is normally displayed for several days before being put in the main collection.  The books may not be borrowed while on display but may be reserved at the Loans Desk.