Alternative sources of funding Nigerian university libraries

Presents a descriptive/survey research using a questionnaire and official records to investigate alternative sources of generating income in Nigerian university libraries. The sales made are of duplicate journals and back issues of newspapers while commercial services identified are photocopying, publishing, registration of users and binding. Other sources of income are fines, charges, gifts, grants, endowments, bequests and adopt‐a‐journal. The range of total percentage of alternative income in relation to total library allocations is between 0.7 and 39.2 per cent but on average it is a minimum of 5.4 per cent and maximum of 17.6 per cent. Book gifts by foreign donors are greater than those from Nigerians, and when quantified in monetary terms bring in far more funds than any other means of alternative income.