Management of Special Collections in the University of Nigeria Nsukka Library

This study assessed the management of special collections at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in Enugu State, South East Nigeria. Special collections, which include rare books, manuscripts, historical photographs, and donated personal papers, require distinct management practices that differ from those applied to general library collections. A descriptive survey design was employed, and data were gathered from special collections librarians, curators, and selected academic users through structured questionnaires, interviews, and collection condition assessments. The study found that the Nsukka Library's special collections included a significant Chinua Achebe research archive but that access was restricted by the absence of finding aids, limited digitisation, and inadequate storage conditions. A portion of the collection showed evidence of physical deterioration. The study recommended that the library develop a comprehensive special collections management plan, prioritise digitisation of the most significant and at-risk materials, and publish finding aids in both print and electronic formats. Keywords: special collections, University of Nigeria Nsukka, rare books, archival management, digitisation.