Island's libraries.

Mr. Isaac Saney, who is researching the links between black Bermudians and black Nova Scotians, said he could find virtually all the material in the Bermuda libraries at Dalhousie University where he teaches.

"For a country as affluent as Bermuda is reported to be, the Bermuda College library leaves quite a bit to be desired,'' said Mr. Saney. "I found the periodicals section to be highly deficient in terms of quality and quantity of the publications.

"I don't see how anyone who is carrying out serious research can have access to the latest debates and theoretical nuances in their particular field of study.

"The library is woefully inadequate. There is a computer search but when you go to where the book is supposed to be it is often not there. The Bermuda College Library has a CD-ROM. But why have that without having the books in the library. That's an exercise in futility.'' A CD-ROM is a device similar to a compact disk but instead of music it stores information and articles. It can store up to 100,000 words.

Bermuda College spokesman Jan Doidge said budget cuts had reduced the College's ability to buy books.

"He is absolutely right,'' she said. "We are coming out of a recession and our budgets have been cut. If we were operating at proper capacity we would be up to between 80,000 and 100,000 volumes. At the moment we have less than 30,000 volumes.

"There is a general lack of information. We need at least $2 million. It's our goal to have both visiting and Bermudian scholars doing research on the Island. We have an ongoing fundraising campaign that includes getting donations from corporations and individuals.'' Mr. Saney will be starting his Doctoral studies at the London School of Economics in 1995. A self-described political economist, his major areas of interest include the political economy of the Caribbean with specific concentration on his homeland of Trinidad. He is also doing research on the history of different countries where Africans were forced to live due to slavery.

Mr. Isaac Saney.