An Assessment of Library Information Resources and Services for Inmates in Correctional Centre’s in Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract ―​

Correctional centre’s are custodians of individuals with different social deviants and criminality. Such centre’s as serve as rehabilitation centre’s were individuals are expected to be trained and counsel in order to be reintegrated and accepted into the society after serving their jail term. However, the need to have a standard library is imperative specifically it will help in educating, enlightening and entertaining the inmates by the provision of adequate information resources and services. An assessment of library information resource and services for inmates in correctional centre’s in Katsina metropolis of both the central and medium was carried out. The population of convicted inmates in the two correctional centre’s was 1658. 322 inmates were sampled from the two correctional centre’s for the study. A well‐structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the inmates. 320 inmates responded, representing (99.4%) of both males and females inmates response rate. The study revealed that there is inadequate information resources in the library from the items tested, also there is poor services rendered by the library. Out of the 14 items tested, 12 items portrayed very poor service provision, while the remaining two items; Lending service and information consultation service were the only one offered to the inmates. The paper, therefore, recommends that the library in the correctional centre’s should be equipped with available and updated information resources and library services be fully rendered in order to facilitate their rehabilitation and improve inmates reformation for proper reintegration to the society.