Automation of Academic Libraries in Nigeria: Issues and Practices

The paper is on the library as information organization helping the parental body to realize the network of goals, objectives and targets. It added that for library functions to be done efficiently, the services must be automated. The paper describes automation as application of technology to produce and deliver goods and services with minimum human intervention. The work looks into library automation, overview of automation in Nigerian academic libraries. It expands on issues and practices of library automation in Nigeria academic libraries giving an insight into two universities- University of Jos Library and Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, Obafemi Awolowo University. The paper gives the challenges to automation in academic libraries in Nigeria as inadequate planning, budget-cut, shortage of technology, erratic power supply, shortage of competent manpower and non-ICT LIS curriculum. The conclusion is that automation is inevitable in the 21st century library services, as such Nigerian academic librarians should strive to automate the services in their libraries

Reasons for Integrated Library Systems (ILS) switching in Nigerian University Libraries

This study sought to determine the reasons for switching ILS among Nigerian university libraries. A qualitative research approach using multiple case study design was used to gain a better understanding of the problem; purposive sampling technique was used to select the participants. Interview was the instrument used for data collection, and the researcher conducted five interviews with five (5) participants from university libraries across the geo-political zones of Nigeria. Data were collected from June 2016 through July 2016. The analysis of data was done using themes derived from the objectives of the study. Findings revealed that delay in getting vendors support to fix ILS problems, some ILS have limited storage space to accommodate large data, crashing and data loss, and political considerations, were some of the reasons given by Nigerian  University Libraries for switching ILS. The study, therefore, recommended among others that Nigerian university libraries should conduct adequate and thorough feasibility study based on the peculiar needs of their libraries before selecting the appropriate library software, libraries should adoptand deploy open source ILS which are more cost effective and easier to maintain rather than buying proprietary ILS which were developed based on US and UK standards and which might not fit their needs. The study concluded that the switching over from one ILS to another by NUL studied is too frequent. The frequency of change is associated with lack of proper feasibility study and knowledge involved in determining the implications of frequent switching on the libraries. Keywords: Reasons, Integrated Library Systems (ILS), Switching, Nigerian University Librarie

Challenges of Adoption of Automation for Library Operations in University of Calabar Library, Nigeria.

The influence of ICT has been felt in almost all aspects of daily life in today’s modern world. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have brought tremendous changes in the process of transmission and management, particularly in the current library services. In fact, the automation of libraries is one of the major changes brought about by the development of ICTs. It has enabled us to transform the traditional system of libraries into a more modern set up. It improves the status of the library and reduces the work load of library professionals. It enables information dissemination efficiently from the enormous collection of information resources. The study investigated the challenges of the adoption of automation for library operations in the University of Calabar library, Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive survey research. A sample of 69 library staff, including professional and paraprofessional librarians, was selected for the study. The study adopted purposive and accidental non-probability sampling techniques. The questionnaire was used to collect data. Simple frequency tables were used to analyze the data. The findings of the study showed that there were insufficient funds, irregular power supply, inadequate funds for the project, inadequate ICT infrastructure, absence of staff training, lack of political will, poor maintenance culture, and a negative staff attitude towards automation projects. The study recommends the following: provision of a standby generator for adequate power supply; improved funding for automation projects; proper planning; and lastly, training and retraining of library staff in ICT skills

Automation in Nigerian University Libraries: Mirage or Reality?

The trend in IT in the information society is that library automated systems are geared to function in the digital library environment. With this unprecedented success in library automation we would be able to organize and preserve our knowledge without fear of loss of access and maintain a single or central database for all the library subsystems. This paper has analyses the Nigeria’s ICT environment, current state of automation in Nigerian university libraries with particular reference to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Ibadan Libraries and concludes by proposing a model for achieving automated library system in our universities for effective information access, management and delivery based on enormous benefits accruable to libraries that embraced the system. Key Words: ICTs, Library Automation, Nigerian Universities, University Librarie

EFFECT OF LIBRARY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE ON THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY SERVICES

This paper examines the Effect of Library Management Software on the Growth and Development of Library Services. It focuses on the following sub-headings: The Concept of Library Management Software; Library Management Software; Brief History of Software Usage in Nigerian Libraries; Features of Good Library Management Software; Criteria for the Library Software Selection; Prospects of Library Management Software; Problems Affecting the Utilization of Library Management Software; and the way forward. It concludes that the Library Management Committee has to be careful when scouting for any suitable software package, the most credible software package that would adequately meet the information needs of their libraries should be considered or selected. Also, there is need for the installation of the most efficient, cost effective and user-friendly library software package. Librarians and other library personnel should be trained and re-trained to enhance their efficiency and effectively handle the selected and procured library software package

Automation in Academic Libraries: An Evaluative Study of Two Nigerian Libraries

Automation is expected to embrace all the aspects of library operations, and these services fully made accessible online to library users. A lot of academic libraries are in different phases of automating their services. Most Nigerian academic libraries have not been able to automate all their operations due to varying factors. Thus library users are still unable to experience the ease of service expected through automation. The need to identify the aspects of library services and identify the factors impeding automation prompted this study. The study is significant to LIS study, Policy, theory and literature as it adds to literature on automation in Nigerian academic libraries. The design of the study was descriptive survey research. This study evaluated automation in the University of Uyo and Covenant University libraries. The structured questionnaire was used to collect data from all Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals working in these academic libraries. Data obtained was analysed using SPSS 15.0. The findings revealed that LIS professionals have a high degree of awareness of library automation in academic libraries. It was also discovered that only cataloguing and OPAC services have been partly automated at the University of Uyo Library, and although the ILS being used is web-based, the OPAC is not yet launched online. Conversely, all aspects of library services have been automated at the Centre of Learning Resources, Covenant University. In addition, it was also observed that the factors affecting the implementation of automation in academic libraries vary from one institution to the other. It was therefore recommended that Library and Information Science professionals should be encouraged to start experimenting with all the various modules embedded in the Library Management System for other library operations. It was equally recommended that they consult with other academic libraries with the same needs and brainstorm to identify how to meet the needs for more effective automation of library services

University press publishing consortium for Africa : lessons from academic libraries

This paper presents the results of a case study of the policies and practices of six African university presses. Based on the findings, it posits the formation of a consortium of African university presses. It borrows heavily from consortium formation in the library world

Automation in Two Nigerian University Libraries

This article examines the automation procedure in two Nigerian university libraries, the \u27Nimbe Adedipe Library of University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (a federal university) and the Main Library of Olabisi Onabanjo University (a state university). Interview checklist and a questionnaire were used as research instruments. The interview checklist was designed to get information concerning the automation procedure in the two universities and was administered on the University Librarian (UL) of \u27Nimbe Adedipe Library and the Head of the Multimedia Resources Centre of the Main Library of Olabisi Onabanjo University. A total of 200 questionnaires were administered to 100 students each from the two universities. The aim of the questionnaire is to determine the level of access of the electronic services available in the library by users

AVAILABILITY AND REMOTE ACCESSIBILITY OF ACADEMIC LIBRARY SERVICES IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the state of operations of academic library services in the Nigerian Federal Universities by assessing the existence of functional library websites and remote availability and remote access to library services during the COVID-19 lockdown. All the academic libraries in the 43 Federal Universities form the population of the study. A purposive sampling technique was used to sample all the 43 academic libraries. Results indicated that 10 (23.3%) of the libraries had no functional websites while 33 (76.7%) of the libraries had websites and subscribed to various e-resources some of which were library Internet Protocol (IP) restricted. With regard to the availability and remote access to information resources, 17 (39.5%) of the libraries had websites but had no online information services available and none remotely accessible to users from remote locations. Three (7.0%) of the libraries had very few digital resources, and they are remotely inaccessible. Only 13 (30.2%) of the libraries provided tangible information sources that were available online and remotely accessible during the lockdown. It was concluded that many academic libraries in Nigeria failed to provide remote library and information services during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and this would force users to access other unverifiable sources of information