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ACADEMICS

University Library

The intellectual heart of the University: print and digital collections, subscribed databases, study spaces and research support for every student and member of staff.

A Library Built for a Science and Technology University

The FUSTKABO University Library serves as the central information resource for teaching, learning and research across all ten faculties. Housed in a purpose-refitted three-floor building at the centre of the main campus, it seats over eight hundred readers and is open six days a week during semester, with extended hours during examination periods.

The collection has been built deliberately around the University's applied mission. Holdings are strongest in computing, engineering, the basic and applied sciences, the built environment and the health sciences, and are supplemented by a growing collection in management and the general studies subjects. A dedicated Africana and Northern Nigeria collection preserves material on the history, languages and development of Kano State and the wider region.

Beyond the central library, faculty reading rooms operate in Engineering, Computing and Basic Medical Sciences, and a separate postgraduate research commons provides carrels, discussion pods and priority access to electronic resources for Master's and doctoral candidates.

  • Three floors with over 800 reader seats
  • Dedicated postgraduate research commons
  • Faculty reading rooms in Engineering, Computing and Basic Medical Sciences
  • Campus-wide wireless access and 120 public workstations
A Library Built for a Science and Technology University

62,000+

Print volumes

Textbooks, monographs and reference works

18,000+

E-books

Accessible on and off campus

40+

Subscribed databases

Including NUC and TETFund consortia

800

Reader seats

Across three floors

Library Services

Services are available to all registered students, academic and non-academic staff, and to approved external researchers.

Lending and Circulation

Ground floor

Open-access shelves with self-service discovery through the online public access catalogue. Borrowing entitlements vary by category of user; renewals can be made online provided the item is not reserved.

Electronic Resources

Remote access available

Access to subscribed journals, e-books and databases through the library portal, with off-campus access by proxy login using your student or staff credentials.

Reference and Research Support

By appointment

Subject librarians assist with literature searching, database strategy, citation management and systematic review methods. Individual consultations may be booked online.

Information Literacy Training

Every semester

Compulsory orientation for fresh students plus semester workshops on academic writing, referencing styles, reference management software and avoiding plagiarism.

Institutional Repository

Open access

An open-access repository of FUSTKABO theses, dissertations, final year projects, staff publications, inaugural lectures and conference papers, indexed for global discovery.

Reprography and Binding

First floor

Photocopying, scanning, printing and project binding services at subsidised rates, operated within copyright limits set out in the Library Regulations.

Africana and Special Collections

Second floor

Material on the history, culture and languages of Kano and northern Nigeria, together with government publications, gazettes and NUC documents. Reference use only.

Assistive Services

Ground floor

Screen reading software, magnification equipment and a quiet assisted study room for readers with visual or other impairments, with staff support on request.

Group Study and Discussion Rooms

Bookable online

Bookable rooms for collaborative work and project meetings, each with a display screen and whiteboard, available in two-hour slots through the library portal.

Opening Hours

Day Semester Vacation Examination Period
Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 10:00 pm 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 7:30 am - 12:00 midnight
Friday 8:00 am - 12:00 noon; 2:30 pm - 10:00 pm 8:00 am - 12:00 noon; 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm 7:30 am - 12:00 noon; 2:30 pm - 12:00 midnight
Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Closed 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sunday Closed Closed 2:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Public holidays Closed Closed Closed

Borrowing Entitlements

Category of User Items Loan Period Renewals
Undergraduate student (100 - 300 level) 3 volumes 14 days 1
Undergraduate student (final year) 4 volumes 14 days 2
Postgraduate student (taught) 6 volumes 21 days 2
Postgraduate student (research) 8 volumes 30 days 3
Academic staff 10 volumes One semester Unlimited, subject to recall
Non-academic staff 3 volumes 21 days 1
Registered external reader Reference use only Not applicable Not applicable

Library Regulations

These rules protect the collection and the reading environment for everyone. They are enforced by library staff and, where necessary, referred to the Students' Disciplinary Committee.

  • Present a valid student or staff identity card at the entrance; the card is not transferable and lending another person your card is a disciplinary offence.
  • Bags, files, umbrellas and personal books must be deposited at the property counter before entering the reading areas.
  • Silence is observed throughout the reading halls. Conversation is permitted only in the designated group study rooms.
  • Food, drinks and chewing gum are not permitted anywhere in the library building.
  • Mobile telephones must be switched to silent; calls are taken outside the building.
  • Seats may not be reserved with personal belongings. Unattended items are removed by staff after thirty minutes and held at the property counter.
  • Reference works, serials, theses, project reports and Africana material do not circulate and must be consulted within the library.
  • Overdue items attract a fine of fifty naira per volume per day. A lost or damaged item must be replaced with an identical copy or paid for at current replacement cost plus a processing charge.
  • Mutilating, defacing or attempting to remove library material without authorisation is a serious offence that leads to suspension of borrowing rights and referral for disciplinary action.
  • Every graduating student and every member of staff leaving the University must obtain library clearance before final clearance is issued.

Library Management

The Library is headed by the University Librarian, who is a Principal Officer of the University and reports to the Vice-Chancellor. Names are published here once appointments are confirmed.

University Librarian

To be announced

librarian@fustkabo.edu.ng

Deputy University Librarian, Readers' Services

To be announced

readers.services@fustkabo.edu.ng

Head, Electronic Resources and Systems

To be announced

eresources@fustkabo.edu.ng

Head, Technical Services and Cataloguing

To be announced

technical.services@fustkabo.edu.ng

Using the Library

How do I access e-resources from off campus?
Log in to the library portal with your student or staff e-mail credentials and use the proxy link provided beside each database. Access is available anywhere with an internet connection and remains active for as long as you are a registered member of the University.
Which databases does the University subscribe to?
Subscriptions include IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, JSTOR, HINARI, AGORA, OARE, EBSCOhost, Emerald Insight and the Research4Life suite, together with the resources available through the NUC and TETFund national consortia. A complete and current list is published on the library portal.
How do I reserve a book that is on loan?
Place a hold through the online catalogue. You are notified by e-mail when the item is returned and it is held at the circulation desk for three working days.
Can I consult past projects and theses?
Yes. FUSTKABO final year projects, dissertations and theses are held in the postgraduate research commons and indexed in the institutional repository. They are for reference use within the library only and may not be photocopied in full.
Can members of the public use the library?
External researchers may register as reference-only readers on presentation of a letter of introduction from their institution or employer and payment of the annual registration fee. External readers may not borrow.
How do I donate books to the library?
Donations of current, relevant material are welcome. Contact the Head of Technical Services before delivering items; the Library Committee reviews all donations against the collection development policy and issues an acknowledgement for accepted material.
What if I lose a borrowed book?
Report the loss at the circulation desk immediately. You may replace the item with an identical edition or pay the current replacement cost plus a processing charge. Fines continue to accrue until the loss is formally reported.

Start your research here

Search the catalogue, reach the subscribed databases, book a group study room or ask a subject librarian for help with your literature search.