Budgeting and funding Nigerian university library services, programmers and projects in an electronic age

This paper explores budgeting and funding Nigerian university libraries with respect to service delivery, execution of programmes and projects particularly in the present electronic age. The university library services include technical, specialized bibliographic, readers and electronic library services. Library programmes include: user orientation, reading promotion, staff training/development and specialized programmes (window on America, American corner). The library project includes: automation, digitization library building and renovation. This paper was guided by four specific objectives to include: budgeting systems adopted with illustrations, sources of funding, and challenges to funding university libraries as well as tips to win the confidence of university management in funding university libraries and e-library service. This paper adopted documentary research using relevant sources in the areas of budgeting and funding (line-items, lump sum, incremental/formula, zero-base as well as government subvention, grant and internally-generated revenue respectively). Results showed the adoption of incremental and line-item budgeting systems and that sources of funding Nigerian University libraries are through government/proprietors, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) as well as internally-generated revenue (IGR) in the form of library levy as part of student registration, among others. Challenges to budgeting and funding include: inadequate and irregular funding, and budget cut and 25 percent tax on IGR from federal parastatals, including federal universities. Paper recommends justification, efficient service delivery, proper budget preparation, record keeping, lobbying and advocacy so as to win the confidence of institution management and those in the helm of affairs in funding and approval of budgetary allocation to universities and university libraries in Nigeria.