Towards A Creative Use of Social Media Tools in the Delivery of Academic Library Services in Nigeria

Social media tools have obviously brought about a paradigm shift in the delivery of library services in Nigeria. The paper explores the applicability of various social media tools in the library and how social media tools have proven useful in academic libraries. Aside from the benefits of social media tools in academic libraries, the paper highlighted the potential challenges of using social media tools in library services in academic libraries, in particular, the lack of awareness of the university\u27s social media accounts among library users. Despite the identified challenges of social media tools for academic library service delivery, the paper concludes that utilization of social media tools remains a boon for library service delivery in this 21st century

Investigation of Factors That Influence Public Librarians’ Social Media Use for Marketing Purposes: An Adoption of the Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior

This study aims to explore multiple factors that are associated with social media use by public librarians for marketing purposes. Based on the technology acceptance model and theory of planned behavior, the effects of five factors—usefulness, ease of use, attitude, subjective norms, and behavioral control—on social media use intention were examined. A survey was conducted, and 462 valid responses were collected from public librarians across the United States. The findings revealed that all five factors have a significant impact on librarians’ intention to engage in social media activities for library marketing. Perceived behavioral control factors were the most influential on social media use intention. Both practical and theoretical implications are discussed based on the findings of this study

An investigation into promotional methods of public library services and resources: Users’ perspective

The effect of library promotional methods on clients' use of library services and resources using a checklist and a questionnaire is studied. The target population was the clients of Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi, one of the greatest ancient public libraries in Iran and the Islamic world. It was found that the methods of traditional advertising and electronic direct marketing have a greater effect on using library services

Use of social media as a marketing and information provision tool by the City of Cape Town Libraries

Social media use by libraries has facilitated communication and marketing of services to user communities. The City of Cape Town Libraries adopted social media usage in the 2015–2016 financial year. This study is set out to assess librarians’ perception and response to the implementation and adoption of social media for library services. The research sought to appraise the City of Cape Town public librarians’ experiences of social media use in the provision of information services, evaluate librarians’ perceptions of social media use for information provision services and recommend ways in which social media information services provision can be improved upon

The use of social media technologies (SMTs) in the provision of library and information services in academic libraries of South-West, Nigeria.

Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2018.The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of Social Media Technologies (SMTs) in the provision of library and information services in academic libraries of South-West, Nigeria. This study is motivated by the fact that SMT adoption and use in academic libraries in Nigeria have not been embraced to a large extent in providing information services. The study adopted the post-positivist paradigm and a survey research design using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview. The structured questionnaires were utilised to collect quantitative data from 107 academic librarians and 222 4th year Computer Science students, while the interview schedule was used to elicit qualitative data from 6 university librarians. Six universities were purposively selected, namely: University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Ekiti State University, Lagos State University, Babcock University and Covenant University. Response rates of 96.8% and 83.2% for 4th year Computer Science students and academic librarians were achieved respectively. Findings revealed that the degree of awareness of SMT for each group of respondents in the study was the same. Conferencing tools, Chatting tools, Image and video sharing were the three major SMT technologies respondents were aware of in their day-to-day interaction with the libraries. The results also showed that the respondents were aware of all the listed SMTs in the study. Chatting tools such as Facebook messenger, Blackberry messenger, WhatsApp and Google Talk, MSN had the highest level of accessibility, hence its highest adoption; Blogging such as WordPress and Blogger had the least access suggesting they are the least adopted in all the libraries sampled. The study further revealed that majority of students accessed the Library Services offered through SMT from their classrooms or lecture theatres, while the minority accessed the services from Off-campus. The study further revealed that social networking, chatting tools and image and video sharing tools, were the first set of three most used SMTs by academic librarians in the surveyed universities. The aversion to the use of Podcast was evident in the high number of academic librarians (79.8%) who claimed they never used it regularly. One of the most revealing facts, about the frequency of usage, was the high percentage of respondents who claimed they never used Blogs, Microblogs, Collaborative tools, Podcast, Social tagging and bookmarking, Scheduling and meeting tools as frequently as possible. Majority of the students (66%) were of the view that as at the time of the study, their information needs in the surveyed university communities were not being met via SMT by academic librarians, while the remaining 34% believed otherwise. The intercorrelation matrices for both groups of respondents revealed that at p < .05, there were no multicollinearities between or among the variables of study. All the predictor variables in the study were found good enough to be part of the model in ascertaining the influence of the independent variables on the dependent variable. Moreover, the study showed there is a paradigm shift in library service delivery which negates the conventional method of service provision where clienteles accept whatever the library offers them. The study recommends the University Management and Library Management to work together in developing strategies of creating awareness about the different SMTs which can be harnessed for the provision of library and information services; and the formulation of policy to guide the adoption and use of SMT in the provision of library services in academic libraries of South-West Nigeria

SOCIAL INCLUSION LIBRARY PROMOTION STRATEGY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

The selection of social media as a promotional media is to make it easier for the public to know all forms of social inclusion-based library services and facilities. This research aims to describe the effectiveness of social inclusion-based library promotion through social media. This research uses a quantitative approach.The variable in this study was a single variable i.e. the effectiveness of the promotion of social inclusion libraries through social media. Instruments in research use AISAS theory, namely attention, interest, search, action, and share. The sampling technique in this study is random sampling.The data collection techniques in this study used questionnaires and observations. Calculation of validity and reliability of data using SPSS application version 23.0 for windows.The results showed that the effectiveness of social inclusion-based library promotion through social media showed a percentage of 72.2% (effective).With a result on each attention indicator of 81.25% (highly effective); 77% interest (effective); search 71.75% (effective); 82% of actions (very effective); and share 74% (effective)

Use of social media as a marketing tool by the City of Cape Town Libraries

Masters of ArtSocial media has become a popular tool adopted by libraries and play a major role in marketing library services, facilitating communication between libraries and staff, and assisting libraries in connecting with communities. The use of social media by City of Cape Town Libraries has been recently established, and it has not yet been adequately assessed how Librarians have taken to this new implementation. Literature revealed that there is not enough research done in assessing Librarians’ perceptions on the use of social media for library work purposes, especially as a tool that is used to provide information services to users, and also how users responded to libraries’ adoption of social media in meeting their information needs

An investigation of the extent of automation of public libraries in South West Nigeria.

Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2017.Automation of library services is an alternative to traditional methods of information handling. Library automation in many public libraries in Nigeria has affected both information space and practice. Inspite of the abundant benefits of library automation in libraries, many public libraries in Nigeria are yet to automate their services. For this reason, they are unable to offer excellent information services compared to their counterparts in developed countries. The implementation of library automated systems will significantly improve the services rendered by public libraries to the community, however the extent of automation remains unknown and under-researched. There is a dearth of literature on the automation of public libraries in South West Nigeria as most of the studies undertaken so far about library automation have tended to focus on academic and special libraries. This study sought to investigate the extent of automation in public libraries in South West Nigeria with a view to proffering proposals that would help improve the situation from practical, policy, infrastructural and human resource perspectives. The study addressed two broad research objectives namely: 1) To examine the extent of implementation of Information Communication Technology (ICTs) in public libraries in South West Nigeria and 2) to investigate the factors influencing acceptance and use of ICTs in public libraries in South West Nigeria. Specifically, the following research questions were investigated: 1) What is the level of public library automation in South West Nigeria? 2) What are the factors affecting the adoption and utilization of ICTs in public libraries in South West Nigeria? 3) What are the skills and competencies that library staff and patrons possess in the use of ICTs? and 4) What are the challenges librarians and patrons experience in managing automated systems? The study was guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). The post-positivist paradigm was used as the theoretical lens to underpin the study. The methodological approach adopted was the mixed method with survey research design. The population of study comprised library patrons and professional and paraprofessional staff drawn from three public libraries in South West Nigeria. Survey questionnaires and focus group discussions were triangulated to collect data from library patrons and professional/paraprofessional staff respectively. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate frequency counts, percentages, bar charts and cross tabulation. Qualitative data from the focus groups was analysed using thematic content analysis. Reliability was ensured by adherence to Dillman’s suggestion which states that questions be reviewed by survey professionals. Validity was ensured in the study by adopting a mixed method approach. Mixed method guaranteed the success of the study as the quantitative method enriched the findings of the qualitative method. The study complied with the ethical protocol of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The findings of the study revealed that automation in public libraries in South West Nigeria was limited and at varying stages of development. The findings further revealed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions determined the acceptance and use of ICTs in the public libraries surveyed. Moreover, though the majority of library patrons and librarians were skilful in the use of ICTs, they had varying levels of competencies. The findings showed that there were several challenges hindering the effective use of ICTs in libraries. These challenges included but were not limited to unreliable power supply, inadequate ICT infrastructure absence of technical skills, negative attitude towards automation, absence of senior management support, use of inappropriate library software and technophobia. The study proffers among other recommendations the creating of awareness about the need for the top management of the respective libraries to provide adequate budgets to ensure full automation of the public libraries’ services; adopting best practices in automation from within and outside Nigeria in the implementation of library automation systems; developing and implementing relevant ICT policies to guide the adoption and use of automated systems in public libraries; putting in place capacity building programmes to equip staff and patrons with requisite skills to use library automated software; the recruitment process of library staff should emphasise possession of ICT skills as part of the requirement to be hired; and solar energy, inverters, standby power plants should be implemented as backups to the main electricity supply system

Use of web 2.0 technologies for teaching and learning in selected Federal Universities in Southwest Nigeria.

Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies.This study investigated the extent of use of Web 2.0 technologies for teaching and learning (TAL) purposes in selected federal universities in southwest Nigeria. The study addressed the following research questions: What kinds of Web 2.0 technologies are used by academic staff and students, and for what purposes? To what extent are Web 2.0 technologies integrated into TAL in Nigerian universities? How does system quality, information quality and service quality influence attitude towards the use of Web 2.0 technologies for TAL in the federal universities? How does attitude influence intention to use Web 2.0 technologies for TAL in the federal universities? How does media synchronicity influence intention to use Web 2.0 technologies for TAL in the federal universities? What net benefits can be derived from the use of Web 2.0 technologies for TAL purposes? The study was guided by a blend of theoretical frameworks that included the updated DeLone and McLean model; the Media Synchronicity Theory and Technology Acceptance Model. The study adopted the post-positivist paradigm and employed the mixed methods approach with quantitative method as dominant over qualitative method. A convergent mixed method design was employed along with the survey research design using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The population of the study comprised of undergraduate students and academic staff drawn from two purposively selected federal universities in Southwest Nigeria. Survey questionnaires were used to collect data from 195 academic staff and 331 undergraduate respondents, while interviews were used to elicit data from 8 heads of faculties and 8 faculty librarians. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and SPSS while qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results of quantitative data analysis were presented using tables and charts while the results of the qualitative data analysis were presented in narrative description. Reliability and validity of survey instruments were ascertained through pre-test of data collection instruments and Cronbach Alpha test respectively. Response rates of 81.3% for academic staff, 93.8% for students and 87.5% for faculty heads and librarians respectively were achieved. The findings revealed a high level of awareness and use of Web 2.0 technologies among academic staff and students. The findings further established frequent or occasional use of Web 2.0 technologies such as Wikipedia, Instant messaging, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, LinkedIn, Skype and blogs. The findings also revealed that students were more enthusiastic about the use of Web 2.0 than academic staff. Moreover, the findings revealed that service quality, information quality, and system quality jointly influenced attitude towards the use of Web 2.0 technologies for TAL. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between attitude, media synchronicity and intention to use Web 2.0 and net benefits of using Web 2.0 for TAL purposes. The findings established system, information and service quality, net benefits, attitude, intention to use and media synchronicity as major factors influencing academic staff and students‟ use of Web 2.0 in Nigerian federal universities. The originality of the study is based on the following facts: it examined a wide range of Web 2.0 technologies not covered in previous studies; it demonstrated an increase in the level of awareness and use of the technologies among academics and students particularly for TAL purposes; and provided a framework for developing Web 2.0 TAL models particularly for developing countries. The study makes significant contribution in the areas of policy, theory and practice. From the policy perspective, the study contributes towards the design policies that will support the integration and use of Web 2.0 technologies for TAL. Theoretically the study contributes towards laying a foundation to guide the design of models on information technology utilisation especially the Web 2.0 and particularly for studies conducted in developing countries. With regard to practice, the study contributes towards improving TAL activities and enlightening academics and students on various Web 2.0 technologies‟ usefulness for TAL purposes. Based on the research findings, the following conclusions are drawn: the use of Web 2.0 technologies for TAL purposes was still low in the Nigeria universities surveyed; and that, attitude is an important factor that is most likely to influence the future use of Web 2.0 by academic staff and students. In addition, integrating Web 2.0 technologies that have greater benefits for TAL purposes is most likely to aid academic staff and students‟ intention to use the technologies. The study makes the following recommendations from policy, practical and theoretical perspectives: from the policy perspectives, the university should consider the development of institutional policy on the integration of Web 2.0 in TAL activities. As far as practice is concerned, the university should consider putting in place a programme of capacity building to equip academic staff and students with skills needed to make effective use of Web 2.0 for TAL purposes. In addition, a programme of creating awareness about the utility of Web 2.0 technologies among academic staff and students for TAL purposes should be prioritized. From the theoretical perspectives, it is recommended that the gaps identified in literature and in the theories reviewed, should be further investigated in future research. Such gaps include among others: investigation on specific use of different Web 2.0 technologies for TAL in Nigerian universities; use of theories and qualitative approaches to investigate use of Web 2.0 among academics and students; identification of the most effective methods of integrating Web 2.0 technologies into TAL activities; and expanding studies to include postgraduate students

Access to and use of library electronic resources at the National Open University of Nigeria

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent of access to and use of library electronic resources and their implications on remote users at the National Open University of Nigeria. Specific objectives were formulated to: find out the different types of electronic resources available in the NOUN Library; investigate academic staffs’ and students’ level of awareness of electronic resources available in the NOUN library; explore the various types of electronic resources used by academic staffs and students of NOUN; find out how academic staffs and students access and use electronic resources in NOUN library; analyze the policies that enable access to and use of electronic resources by academic staffs and students at NOUN; find out the perceptions and attitudes of academic staffs and students toward the electronic resources available in the NOUN library; and identify the challenges associated with access to and use of electronic resources by the academic staffs and students of NOUN. The study adopted a quantitative research approach and survey research method was employed. The study targeted 1,680 population samples of which include 1,513 Students, 140 Academic staffs, and 27 Academic Librarians. Probability (Stratified random and systematic) sampling and nonprobability (purposive) sampling methods were adopted. Two sample frames were used: Students - classified into subgroups (Level) in each selected study centers and Academic staff - classified into subgroups (academic staff/academic librarian). Online (Google form) self-administered closed-ended questionnaire was sent to participants’ email. Data collected were analyzed through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). This finding revealed that electronic journals and electronic books are readily available in the NOUN library. Academic staff most likely, interact with the library staff or visit the library to be aware of library electronic resources, however, the students struggled to be aware through personal efforts. NOUN library creates awareness through the email and notice boards. The academic staff and students access and use the library electronic resources for various multidimensional purposes, however, there is a low patronage of these electronic resources by academic staff and students as less than 40% of academic staff and students access and use the library electronic resources. Electricity outage, low internet connectivity speed and high cost of access to internet were presented as challenges encountered while accessing and using electronic resources. Recommendations: the library management should develop awareness programmes that is appropriate for an ODL university community through the use of modern communication tools, and emphasy should be on the use of electronic resources in the university curriculum.Information Scienc