Assessing the Potential for, and needs of, Cross-Sectoral, Local Collaborative Access Schemes in the Yorkshire and Humber Region

This report was written between November 2005 to March 2006 thanks to direct funding from YMLAC under the guidance of Jane Walton and Liz Roberts at YMLAC. It aims to identify and assess the potential for and needs of cross-sectoral library partnerships in the Yorkshire and Humber region which aim to increase and broaden access to knowledge. It aims to do this against the background of the current roll out of Inspire (www.inspire.gov.uk) across the region and country as a whole. The report consists of a background view of the literature available on this topic; recommended guidelines for any potential new groups and the support that could be offered to these by the regional Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, YMLAC; an outline of the current situation in our region showing the potential for new groups and finally a brief bullet point summary of recommendations made

INSPIRAL: investigating portals for information resources and learning. Final project report

INSPIRAL's aims were to identify and analyse, from the perspective of the UK HE learner, the nontechnical, institutional and end-user issues with regard to linking VLEs and digital libraries, and to make recommendations for JISC strategic planning and investment. INSPIRAL's objectives -To identify key stakeholders with regard to the linkage of VLEs, MLEs and digital libraries -To identify key stakeholder forum points and dissemination routes -To identify the relevant issues, according to the stakeholders and to previous research, pertaining to the interaction (both possible and potential) between VLEs/MLEs and digital libraries -To critically analyse identified issues, based on stakeholder experience and practice; output of previous and current projects; and prior and current research -To report back to JISC and to the stakeholder communities, with results situated firmly within the context of JISC's strategic aims and objectives

E-Learning Initiatives in India

Abstract: emergence of world wide web has completely globalized the whole world into a global village business, entertainment, education, teaching, learning every field has achieved new dimensions and plays important role in the development of nation.one of the outcome of this is e learning. E-Learning is the extended form of traditional classroom teaching. The paper highlights concept, tools and initiatives taken by several and institutions and Library centers around the world and in India

Educating the leaders of tomorrow : the library without walls

A description of library services offered to students in distance programs within Canada and Ecuador

Library Support for Distance Learning Courses

This work presents a review of the relevant literature in the field of the library support for distance learning programmes. It includs a brief overview of the history of distance learning and its actual evolution, and an historical introduction on the early experiences on the services that libraries have offered to students based away from the main campus. The review is mostly focused on current trends and ongoing experiences in the field of higher education

The Suitability of Hybrid Library Services to Open and Distance Learners in Nigeria

In Nigeria, open and distance learning has become widely accepted. Even though there are a myriad of educational problems, workers, politicians, school leavers, and the public are finding the distance learning system a convenient and flexible mode to acquire education. Libraries are indispensable in every facet of higher education. Adequate library support for distance learners is mandatory for the qualitative delivery of instruction and learning. The development of hybrid libraries has definite benefits for distance learners. It is imperative to create virtual learning environments and libraries without borders to reach multitudes of learners at various locations. Several institutions are approved to run distance learning. Eight distance-learning university libraries were purposively selected to examine the status of hybrid library services aimed at reaching distance learners. These include the Federal University of Technology Library, Minna, University of Maiduguri Library, University of Abuja Library, Ahmadu Bello University Library Zaria, National Open University of Nigeria Library, Olabisi Onabanjo University Library, Ago-Iwoye, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Library, Port Harcourt and Joseph Ayo Babalola University Library. The objectives of the study were to determine the status of library services in ODL institutions in Nigeria, analyse the form of library service most suitable to distant learners in Nigeria, examine the challenges confronting distance learning in Nigeria and determine the challenges in providing timely library services to distant learners in Nigeria. This paper examines the penetration of distance learning in Nigeria and the suitability of hybrid library services provided to distant learners. It examines the challenges in creating and delivering well-integrated and functional library services for distance education and the prospects of a hybrid library in a developing country like Nigeri

Libraries Without Walls and Open and Distance Learning in Africa: The Nigerian Experience

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is gradually gaining ground in Africa. Nigeria is a newcomer in the Open and Distance Learning paradigm. The experiences of several open and distance learning institutions such as the Open University of United Kingdom (OUUK), Athabasca University (Canada’s Open University), Open University of Hong Kong, Indira Gandhi National Open University, (IGNOU), and University of South Africa (UNISA), have provided a baseline for the take-off of the only Open University in Nigeria – the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). The successful take-off of NOUN is not without the incorporation of functional libraries. Effective library support to distance learners is mandatory for qualitative delivery of instruction and learning. This is where the developments in information and telecommunications are potent. This gave impetus to the development of virtual library services or library without walls. This development has definite benefits to distance learners. Developed and developing countries are now creating virtual learning environments and libraries without walls to reach multitudes of learners at various locations. This paper examines the general experiences of ODL in Africa, the evolution of ODL in Nigeria and the structure of library services provided to distant learners, particularly in Nigeria. It examines the challenges in creating and delivering a library without walls for distance education and the prospects of such a library without walls in a developing country like Nigeria. The paper will also present a discussion on how NOUN is developing creative solutions to the challenges

The Place of Library and Information Services in Open and Distance Learning in Nigerian Universities

This paper emphasises about open and distance learning and the objectives as well as the rationale behind the establishment of open and distance learning. The characteristics of ODL as flexible, portable, transferable, relevant…, and identified the Universities that operate ODL programmes in Nigeria. It also analyses the important role played by library and information services in the open and distance learning in Nigeria. It aids information services in open and distance learning in the dissemination of information to distant learners such as registration of users, orientation/ user education, charging and discharging services, reference services, photocopying services, inter- library loan services, document delivery services, library automation, current awareness services, library guide, selective dissemination of information (SDI) and provision of library website/ links. Challenges such as lack of workout standard rules, lack of consistency of ICTs e – learning centres within the library, no laid down template from the National Universities Commission, lack of information literacy programme among ODL institutions and problem of electricity. The paper proffer remedies for effective services ranging from technical support, technological infrastructural facilities, virtual support programmes, partnership and collaboration and funding, since everything connected to open and distance learning is virtual online delivery and benefit to the distance learners - the library, its resources / information, facilities and services are made virtual for easy dissemination and retrieval of information, so the need for technical support cannot be over emphasised, fully equipped technological infrastructural facilities and resources, virtual supports programmes to enhance the library services to distant learners, partnership and collaborations from other libraries, and above all funding

The End-Users' Requirements of The Library of Arab International University (AIUL)

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has radically affected the way of accessing information and performing research in academic libraries. With the adoption of ICT, end-users’ requirements (EURs) have increased and changed. Thus, the main concern of academic libraries has shifted to address and accommodate these requirements. The purpose of this study is to identify EURs of the AIUL in Syria. Mixed methods approach, using questionnaires and interview, is adopted to collect data from different end-users’ groups; 228 of undergraduate students (USs), and 30 of academic staff (AS) participated in this study to understand their requirements of the AIUL. Furthermore, 8 academic librarians were involved in obtaining further understanding. Findings showed that EURs were high in terms of providing supportive IRs, experts, high-quality services and personal services. There was a difference on the EURs regarding their groups

Providing Library Instruction to Distance Learning Students in the Twenty-First Century: Meeting the Current and Changing Needs of a Diverse Community

This study examines the variety of instructional practices employed in distance learning librarianship from the end of the Twentieth Century through the early beginnings of the Twenty-First Century. The authors provide a thorough review of the literature on distance learning library instruction, and the study highlights the instructional services provided at two academic institutions with distinctly different clienteles and missions—one a large American university and the other a large Caribbean university