1.1 Introduction
The two rural libraries are seen as repositories of human experience and knowledge. Although the two rural libraries have changed significantly over time, their cultural roles have remained essentially the same. The two rural libraries are still responsible for acquiring and proiding access to books periodicals and other media that meet the educational recreational an informational needs of their users.
In order to effectively sustain their cultural roles. Libraries have been categories into different types to render their services better and to satisfy more patrons rural libraries exist in different stages of development. Although the varied contexts in which they operate inevitably result the differences in the service, they provide and they way those services are delivered.
The two rural libraries have delivered. Modalities in shared characteristics
The two rural libraries can be seen as the local gete-way to knwoeldge, provides a basic condition for life long learning.
Independent decision-making and cultural development of the individual and social groups. The two rural libraries are non-for profit orgnaisatins, established, supports, and funded by the community, either through local, regional or community organization. They provide access to knowledge information and works of the imagination through a ranges of resources and services that are meant to be equally available to all members of the community regardless or race: nationality, age, gender religion, language, disability, economic and employement status and educational attainment.
In order words, the two rural libraries are locally based services organizations set up to meet the needs of the local community and to operate within the context of the communities while contributing to the creation and to operate within the context of the communities while contributing of the creation and maintenances of a well-informed and democratic society.
The two rural libraries help to empower people in the enrichment and development of their lives and that of the communities.
According to parvathinma and Reddy (2009) the two rural libraries have been noted to improve literacy through various information and edfucational services. They render over time. They are also well known to stimulate imaginative thoughts and expand personal horizons while making the empowerment of citizen and provision of access to common cultural heritage reality. As a rsponsitory of human experience not subject to the barriers of space and time, the major purposes of the two rural libraries is to provide information.
According to Lawal and udofia (1994). The two rural libraries meets the information needs of the users in the following four categories.
- Education to develop society adults children and to fill gaps in memory
- Information to develop executive activities such as economic, social and commercial development
- Aesthetic- to cultivate appreciation for culture, art, truth and judgment
- Recreation — to provide amusement and hobbles.
The function o the two rural libraries therefore is to implemtnt o enrich, to vitalize and humanize the educational progammes as it strives to attain excellence in content, process and product. Rural library systems in Nigeria have been noted for adopting foreign models with little or no adaptation to local content.
Over the year, public libraries in rural settlement have been characterized by low patronage which some authors attribute to the inappropriateness in the two rural libraries collection and the lack of consultation between the two libraries and the existing and potential clients. Still well (1991) for example, pointed out that the two rural libraries in Imo state were established without prior examination of the information needs of those who were to use the services.
1.2 Objectives of the Study
The general objective of the study into find out the information resources and service that are vailable in the two rural libraries in Imo state in particular.
- To achieve the general objective the following specific objective were for
- To find out the characteristics off the rural dwellers using the two rural libraries their reasons for library use
- To find out the various resource available in the library and the frequency of us
- To determine the adequacy of the information resources provided by the two rural libraries
- To find out the services being render to the community by the two rural libraries.
1.3 Scope of the Study
This research is restricted to the two rural libraries resources; as a critical appraisal in imo state. It will also unegets the relative involve of the two rural libraries resources to the institution is to carryout through wrk thtat will stand the test of time.
1.4 Statement of the Study
The two rural libraries process can make information accessible to users but it was unfortunately two rural libraries over some years suffers major set back due to some objectives such poor resources, non availability of current books and journal.
Adequate services like selective dissemination of information, document delivery services are not provided in rural libraries.
1.5 Significant of the Study
In every research work are bound to a very important finding for conclusion.
They may support existing knowledge the rational of this research work cannot be over emphasized. It would help to clarify resources.
It is expected that the findings of these research would be used to improve the two rural libraries resources as a critical appraisal.
