ICT and Collection Management in Public Libraries: A Survey of South- South of Nigeria

The effect of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Nigerian public libraries was explored using a questionnaire was used to collect data. The research findings show that ICT improves public library services, but most libraries have not been digitized; hence, a considerable number of staff and users are not ICT-literat

Making Available Library Information Resources for Utilisation and Reformation of Prison Inmates

Nigerian prisons harbour offenders who have committed offences. These are mainly youths of great strength and high intelligence within the age bracket of 18-45 years. A study on availability and utilization of library information resources and psychological well-being was carried out among prison inmates with functional libraries in Ikoyi prison, Lagos and Ijebu-ode prison, Ijebu, Nigeria. The population of convicted prison inmates in the two prisons was 744 (513 prisoners from Ikoyi prison and 231from Ijebu prison). 305 inmates were sampled from Ikoyi prison and 138 from Ijebu-ode prison, totalling 443 (60%) of the study population. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents in the two prisons, and the 443 sample responded correctly to the questionnaire making it a 100% response rate. The study revealed that there is a poor rendition of library services in the prison library from the items tested, the mean scores obtained were weighted at 1.31 ≤ 2.00. The study also revealed unavailability of library information resources while the few available ones are under-utilized. Out of the 11 items tested, 9 items portrayed very poor utilisation rate, while the remaining two items; internet and video for personal development training and cassettes were not utilized at all. The paper, therefore, recommends that prison library should be equipped with relevant and updated information materials and library services be fully rendered in order to facilitate their rehabilitation and improve inmates reformation. Keywords: Reformation, Information Resources, Availability, Utilization, Prison libraries, Inmates, Nigeri

Availability and Utilization of School Library Resources in Selected Secondary Schools in Makurdi Metropolis

ABSTRACT: A survey research was conducted in Makurdi metropolis to find out the availability and utilization of school library resources in selected secondary schools, [stratified random sampling technique was used for the selection of the sample from all the secondary schools in Makurdi Metropolis. A sample of 399 secondary school students was selected from a population of 4124 using Taro-yamene formula. From 12 secondary schools. Five research objectives were formulated and five research questions were asked to guide the study. Two instrument for data collection were used. The research questions were answered using percentage frequencies and means. The main finding indicates that textbooks, newspapers, novels and magazines were the common library resources found in the school libraries. Also the students use the two library resources for the purpose of information, study and educational values. The study found that the library resources are grossly inadequate especially electronic gadgets that aid information and learning in schools in this modern age of technology. It is recommended that school management should fund library adequately so as to purchase resources and train the library staff professionally to carry out their tasks of dissemination of information to user community

Youth and Digital Media: From Credibility to Information Quality

Building upon a process-and context-oriented information quality framework, this paper seeks to map and explore what we know about the ways in which young users of age 18 and under search for information online, how they evaluate information, and how their related practices of content creation, levels of new literacies, general digital media usage, and social patterns affect these activities. A review of selected literature at the intersection of digital media, youth, and information quality -- primarily works from library and information science, sociology, education, and selected ethnographic studies -- reveals patterns in youth's information-seeking behavior, but also highlights the importance of contextual and demographic factors both for search and evaluation. Looking at the phenomenon from an information-learning and educational perspective, the literature shows that youth develop competencies for personal goals that sometimes do not transfer to school, and are sometimes not appropriate for school. Thus far, educational initiatives to educate youth about search, evaluation, or creation have depended greatly on the local circumstances for their success or failure

The role and impact of digital and traditional information and communication pathways in health service access and equity

This review of the literature was conducted by Flinders University (SA Community Health Research Unit and Southgate Institute for Health Society & Equity) to provide an overview of changing communications in health promotion to inform the Falls Prevention Project of Country Health SA’s Local Health Network. The context is that falls health literacy information is being increasingly made available via digital formats, including the Internet. This is in line with healthcare around the world increasingly moving to e-health (the delivery or enhancement of health services through the Internet and related technologies). There are particular expectations that for rural Australians making health services and information available through digital formats will overcome existing problems with access and availability. Despite a large amount of activity in the area of e-health, there is a scarce evidence base on the equity impacts of e-health promotion

Citation Analysis of Journal and Format Preferences from Master’s Projects at the University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Library and Information Science from 2004-2005

A citation analysis can provide useful data for collection development in libraries. It can be used to determine collection usage and to make decisions such as which items to discontinue and which to add to existing collections. A rise in popularity of digital format paired with dwindling library budgets has made selection and exclusion of collection materials an all too regular routine in many libraries. Evans (2000) states that citation analysis should be an ongoing process and considered part of collection development (p. 41). This study compiled citations of master’s projects completed from the years 2004-2005 by graduate students of The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Library and Information Science to determine the most frequently cited journals as well as to identify patterns of format and currency in citations

Development and construction of China

Libraries in China's higher education institutions have been developing in keeping pace with the flourishing development of China's higher education. This article aims to make an introduction to the construction of China's higher education libraries, especially the recent three decades' achievements since China's reform and opening-up in 1978. In this article, the authors draw a general picture of the development of libraries in China's higher education institutions, covering such eight aspects as management, types and positioning, organizational structure and personnel, expenditure and buildings, reader service, building and sharing of resources as well as automation system.</p

An ongoing process of modernization: Libraries and librarianship in Estonia

Libraries are a component of our ever-changing social environment. Organizational change in libraries involves many activities, including the development of mission statements, the refinement of goals regarding the role of the library in the knowledge society, the restructuring of organizations, the use of information and communication technologies, the training of librarians, and the management of finances. Estonian libraries are information centers that support research and innovation by providing the access to scholarly and professional information; supporting education, lifelong learning, and cultural development; introducing world culture; ensuring information provision to all social groups; supporting the development of the information society through the implementing new technologies; contributing to the integration of the European information treasury; and helping to gain an international reputation for Estonia.published or submitted for publicatio