Abadina Media Resource Centre
Abadina Media Resource Centre
Abadina Media Resource Centre was established in 1973 when the University of Ibadan accepted a gift of 100 books from the British Council towards the establishment of a children ’ s school library as a public service in Abadina, the working class settlement on the campus. One of the conditions of the gifts was a commitment to the continued experience of the library and its maintenance. The development Committee also approved the proposal of the Head of Library Studies, F. Adetoun Ogunsheye for a Media Resource Centre and Research Centre as a public service, a teaching model for the training of school librarianship. The University of Ibadan approved the proposals, and provided the centre with a new physical plant and funds for operation and research. It also obtained approval of the National Universities Commission for annual subvention for its services thus recognizing the general improvement of the quality of education.
The AMRC opened to the public in October, 1974. It has since its inception organized workshops and seminars for the training of teacher-librarian annually; workshop for writers of children books and other topics needed as well as engaged in advisory and consultancy work for the promotion of children and school libraries. The AMRC has also engaged in the development and publication of standards for school libraries and curricula for library education of primary school and teacher training college students. The development of learning resources has received some attention. The Centre has also given leadership in the development of school libraries nationwide and the establishment of a virile National School Library Organization. The main research activities of the centre has been concerned with developing the curricula for a library education at various levels, primary, secondary, and post secondary.
The main aim of the curricula is to transfer learning and utilization of resource skills to the primary school pupil and secondary school students. The aims of the research are to test the effectiveness of the designed curriculum, and to measure its effects on the cognitive and affective development of the primary school child. The research is designed as an experimental six-year longitudinal study. The curriculum was administered to 200 experimental subjects. The academic and social development of these experiment subjects was studied along with those of a control group that was considered harmonized in respect of other variables- age, sex, development, socio-economic background, school facilities, curriculum and teacher ’ s qualification.
The centre, since inception has been playing central role in the establishment, administration and management of school Library Media Resource Centre for teaching-learning programme in the school setting across the country. In fact, the centre regulates the activities of other school libraries in Nigeria.