ABSTRACT

The study examined the management and utilization of serials in federal university libraries in South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It was guided by six (6) specific objectives, corresponding research questions were answered and six (6) hypotheses formulated and tested. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population of this study was 21756 which comprises the registered users, university librarians, Heads of Serials Section and staff/librarians who had worked for two years in serials unit of the five federal university libraries in the South-East zone of Nigeria. A sample of 1088 respondents was used. A multi-stage sampling technique was used in selecting the sample for this study. Two researcher-made questionnaires titled: Federal University Libraries Serials Management Questionnaire (FULSMQ) and Federal University Libraries Serials Utilization Questionnaire (FULSUQ) were used for data collection. The questionnaires were validated by four (4) experts. A trial test was carried out with fifty (50) respondents in South-South geopolitical zone, precisely University of Uyo, University of Calabar and University of Port-Harcourt. The computation using the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation produced correlation coefficient (r) values of 0.88 and 0.85 for the management and utilization questionnaire items respectively. The researcher, through the help of four (4) research assistants, administered 1088 copies of the questionnaires to respondents but 1072 copies were retrieved, giving a retrieval rate of 98.53%. The data collected through the administration of the instruments were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics of mean scores and standard deviation as well as Pearson Product Moment Correlation to answer research questions and linear regression to test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. It was found that there is a significant positive low relationship between acquisition of serials and their utilization in federal university libraries in South-East, Nigeria, significant negative very low relationship between the processing of serials and their utilization in federal university libraries in South-East, Nigeria, significant negative moderate relationship between organization of serials and their utilization in federal university libraries in South-East, Nigeria, non-significant positive high relationship between the location of serials and their utilization in federal university libraries in South-East, Nigeria, non-significant positive very low relationship between the binding of cumulated serials and their utilization in federal university libraries in South-East, Nigeria; and significant positive moderate relationship between the weeding of serials and their utilization in federal university libraries in South-East, Nigeria. Based on the findings, it was, among others, recomended that because there is a positive low relationship between acqusition and utilization of serials, university libriarians should have a way of allowing users make their input in the title of journals they acquire. Because there is a negative moderate relationship between the organization of serials and their utilization in Federal University Libraries, the University librarian should engage competent staff who can organize and acquire serials to enhance their utilization. Because there is a non-significant positive low relationship between binding of  cumulated serials and their utilization. It is recommended that University Librarian should emphsaize regular cumulation and binding of serials for effective utilization. Among others.