The Main Library

This is a two-storey ultra-modern building situated at the Main Campus. It caters to the needs of the Faculties of Agriculture, Arts and Islamic Studies, Education and Extension Services, Management Sciences, Social Sciences, and Science. The Library collections now stand at about 850,000 volumes of books and 170,000 volumes of periodicals, which comprise both local and foreign journals, magazines, news bulletins, newspapers, etc. In addition, there are numerous electronic journals and databases available for teaching, learning, and research. It consists of various sections, locations, and services as follows:.

1. Ground Floor

The ground floor has two wings and contains the following offices, facilities, service points, and collections:

• Porters Counter – The first point of contact upon entering the Library. Library security personnel ensure all personal belongings are kept in the lockable pigeonholes provided for male and female students. They also check outgoing users to prevent any illegal or unauthorized removal of books and other materials from the Library.
• OPAC (On-line Public Access Catalogue) – Located after the Porters Counter. The OPAC is an array of networked computers on both sides of the Library, providing information on books, journals, and other materials electronically.
• LAN/WiFi Internet Browsing Arena – Located next to the Central Catalogue and opposite the OPAC space. It is equipped with LAN and WiFi Internet facilities, and Airport relaxation chairs for students to use the Internet via personal laptops, iPads, smartphones, etc.
• Information/Inquiries – Situated at the center just after the OPAC. This is where all queries are presented, and relevant information about the Library, its operations, facilities, services, and locations can be obtained.
• Library Canteen – Located directly opposite the Staff Common Room. This is where light refreshments are sold to interested users.
• New Arrivals – Located close to the Circulation Counter. This section displays newly acquired books and materials for consultation and light reading.
• Circulation Counter – Located at the extreme corner of the ground floor. This is where user registration, clearance, borrowing, and return of books are conducted.
• Television and Newspaper Lounge – Located directly opposite the Circulation Counter. This is a relaxation area for reading newspapers and magazines and watching television programs, provided for male students. A similar facility is available on the first floor for female students.
• Staff Common Room – Located close to the Television and Newspaper Lounge. This is a relaxation area where television and newspapers/magazines are provided for senior staff.
• Reference Collection – Located on the left wing of the Library. It contains reference collections such as encyclopedias, bibliographies, handbooks, yearbooks, indexes, abstracts, biographies, atlases, maps, and newspaper articles/cuttings covering various subject fields.
• Serials Collection – Located on the right wing of the Library. It contains local and foreign journals, periodicals, and magazines.
• Media Unit – Located behind the Television and Newspaper Lounge. It contains an audio-visual collection and facilities, equipped with various audio-visual resources on different subjects, as well as other recording equipment for use by registered Library users.

2. First Floor

The first floor has two wings and accommodates the following:

• ICT/e-Library – Equipped with Internet facilities, computers, and accessories for browsing, downloading, and printing by Library users. Users can access various electronic databases relevant to their study and research areas. This section is located between the Management Sciences and Arts and Education Collection areas.
• Management/Social Sciences Collection – Contains Management and Social Sciences textbooks for both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Located on the right wing of the Library. Materials on the open shelves can be borrowed, except those on the reserved collection.
• Arts and Education Collection – Contains Arts and Education textbooks for both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Located on the left wing of the Library. Materials on the open shelves can be borrowed, except those on the reserved collection.
• Africana/Documents Collection – Situated between the Library Cafe and the ICT Division. It contains important publications of Federal, State, and Local Governments of Nigeria, international organizations, and books written by Nigerians or about Nigeria/Africa.
• Study Carrels – Single-user/research compartments located opposite the Africana/Documents Division. Access is restricted to senior staff, postgraduate students, and visiting researchers based on special request.

3. Second Floor

The second floor has two wings and accommodates a number of collections, facilities, and services in various divisions as follows:

• Science and Agriculture Collection – Located on the right wing of the Library. It contains resources on Science and Agriculture. Materials on the open shelves can be borrowed, except those on the reserved collection.
• Arabic and Islamic Studies Collection – Located on the left wing of the Library. This collection caters to the needs of the Departments of Arabic and Islamic Studies. All books can be borrowed except those on the reserved collection.
• Research and Bibliographic Services Division – Located between the two wings (Science and Agriculture and Arts and Islamic Studies). This section contains important research works for all levels, including:
  • Undergraduate projects
  • Postgraduate theses and dissertations
  • Back sets of newspapers and magazines
  • Archives and special collections
• General Reserve Collection – Houses rare, frequently used, and newly acquired books. Users can borrow reserved books for a period of two hours, with an option to renew if there is no request.

Branch Libraries

• The Law Library: This is a purposely built modern Library for the Faculty of Law, located at the Main Campus. It houses both the Library and a Moot Court. Staff and students in other faculties who are interested in consulting legal materials may also use the Library.


• Veterinary Medicine Library: This is situated at the City Campus and serves the needs of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.


• The School of Matriculation Studies Library (SMS): Situated at the School of Matriculation Studies, close to the City Campus. The SMS Library also contains the American Corner collection, which covers American history, politics, and government, among others.


• Medical Library: Situated at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, it serves as the Central Library for health science-based programs.


• The Pharmaceutical Sciences Library: Located at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), it serves the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.


• The Medical Laboratory Science Library: Also situated at the Teaching Hospital, it serves the Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences.


• Nursing Sciences Departmental Library: Located at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, it serves the needs of the Nursing Sciences program.


• Radiography Departmental Library: Situated at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, it serves the needs of the Radiography program.


• Prof. A.A. Gwandu Arabic and Islamic Studies Library: Located at the City Campus, it houses manuscript collections and other information materials on the Sokoto Caliphate and Islamic Studies.


• Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies Library: Located in the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies to cater to the information needs of the Faculty.


• Nigerian Languages Departmental Library: Located at the Department of Nigerian Languages, it contains collections on Hausa Language, Literature, and Culture.


• Modern European Languages and Linguistics (MELL) Library: Located at the Department of MELL, it caters to users of English Language, Literature, Linguistics, and French programs.


• History Departmental Library: Located at the Department of History, it provides information materials on history and related areas.


• Arabic Departmental Library: Located at the Department of Arabic, it provides information resources on Arabic and other related areas.


• Management Sciences Faculty Library: Situated in the Faculty of Management Sciences, it caters to the needs of the Departments of Accounting, Business Administration, and Public Administration.


• Social Sciences Faculty Library: Situated in the Faculty of Social Sciences, it caters to the needs of the Departments of Economics, Geography, Political Science, and Sociology.


• Urology and Nephrology Library: Located at the Institute of Urology and Nephrology, situated at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, it houses materials relevant to the Institute.

Professional Services

Describe briefly the services offered by the Library, including deliberate efforts made to ensure maximum use of the library by both staff and students. Also, services rendered to new students to enable them to use the library effectively and to obtain materials from other libraries in the environment and within Nigeria.

In addition to the services offered by the different and specialized Divisions and Sections of the Library, deliberate efforts embarked upon by the Library to ensure maximum utilization by users include:

• Membership Registration: Both old and new staff and students are made to register with the Library at the beginning of every session. This enables them to borrow and use library materials.


• Library Orientation: At the beginning of every session, new students are lectured, taken around the Library, and provided with practical examples on how to maximally use the Library. A Library Guide is produced and made available to users upon payment of a token fee. The Guide is a pamphlet containing all the required information that guides on the use of the Library, its rules and regulations, and its various services.


• Lending Policy:
  1. Staff: To facilitate the use of Library materials outside the Library, all registered staff are allowed to borrow up to 10 books for a maximum period of one month at a time.
  2. Students: As in section 19.2.
  3. Vacation Loan: On special application, with approval by the Librarian, students can borrow up to 2 books for use during breaks.
  4. Inter Library Loan: As a facility existing among all Nigerian University Libraries, efforts are being made on request to borrow the original book/title or acquire a photocopy for staff or students by the Reader Services Division.


• The Library encourages Business Centres to install such machines as computers, photocopiers, and typewriters to service the needs of library users.


• Other available facilities in the University that facilitate access to national and international library and information resources include:
  1. Usmanu Danfodiyo University Network (UDUNet).
  2. National University Commission Network (NUNet).
  3. National Virtual Library.


• Inter Library Loan


• Binding