Application of e-library to knowledge based administration in the University of Uyo, Nigeria

Background: Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have facilitated the access and use of information in everyday life and by extension among administrators of Nigerian Universities. However, there seems to be a paucity of studies on the impact of e-library or lack of it on the information needs of the top echelon of the non-teaching staff of Nigerian universities, hence this study is undertaken to bridge this gap. Methodology: The descriptive research design using questionnaire was used to elicit information from 146 persons that are senior administrative officers. Findings: Revealed that the respondents used the e-library resources for some aspects of their jobs that included Statistics with a mean of 3.35, Professional publications with a mean of 3.31, and Records keeping with a mean of 3.08. Some of the respondents (2.95%), posited that the elibrary saved them time and reduces stress, improved their job productivity (2.73%); and provided current information (2.92%). Major challenges in the use of the e-library included Poor availability of internet network (99.0% of the respondents). The least with a 6.7% was infrequent training on the use of the updated databases. Major medium of access was via personal Smart phones. Implication: This study has shown that there is electronic information need and use of the elibrary by some administrators of the University of Uyo. However, effective use of the e-library facilities is hindered by irregular, slow and epileptic internet and lack of smart phones. Originality/Value: This study recommended that the mandatory policy of all senior administrators owning smart phones and compulsory increase of internet bandwidth, while the University library management build strong synergy and always update the University administrators on current events as it relates to the e-library regularly. Keywords: E-Library, Knowledge-Based Administration, Nigerian Universities, University Administrators

Strengthening Health Science Libraries and Information Centres in Nigeria through Library Collaboration: The Role of Librarians

Objectives: There is an urgent need for the collaboration between health science libraries and medical research institute in various regions of Nigeria, so as not dissipating their meager resources by trying to specialize in every aspect of medicine at the same time. This need is the after effect of years of economic challenges, insufficient manpower development, dilapidated infrastructure, poor information record keeping, inadequate financial support for research , among many others have resulted in the inability of health sciences libraries and medical research institute to meet up, in a timely manner with the information needs of healthcare providers in Nigeria. Methods: Thirty–four librarians of academic and officer cadre of three first generation university medical colleges and on medical research institute were surveyed. Results: Findings from the investigation revealed that Increase in depth of collection development, Increase in service to clients, Cost saving and Sharing of resources were the major reasons for library collaborations. Resources in the form of financial, human and leadership were the greatest facilitators to successful collaboration among medical libraries. The collaborators Need and knowledge of the accruable benefits and ability to was the highest factors that facilitated collaboration among medical libraries in Nigeria. Several resources of the libraries are already used for collaboration among medical libraries. These include coping and duplicating, Professional Issues, Inter library lending/loan services, and computerized searches of online data bases are the highest in ranking. The major barriers to library cooperation were Funding and Financial Issues. Poor power supply, lack of vision, fear of loss of control and Lack of telecommunication facilities also constituted barriers. Conclusion: Collaboration among medical libraries in Nigeria is already in existence and could get better if Library leaders understand their library’s areas of strength, identified their Library resources and services that will promote effective collaboration between their health institutes and other medical libraries in support of free access to health information. It is recommended that Library leaders must take advantage of their library’s area of strength, New Information and communication Technology, the internet and the world wide web in the inter library collaboration in this digital ag

Recognition of information need indicators and graduate students' research practices in university libraries of south east Nigeria

This study sets out to determine the influence of recognition of information need on the research practices of graduate students in the university libraries of South East, Nigeria. The objective was to ascertain how information recognition need abilities as provided by libraries and librarians can enhance research practices of graduate students. As a guide to the study, three specific objectives which reflect essential components of the recognition of information need standards namely; recognition of nature of information need, and recognition of scope of information need are formulated. Also, three research questions and one hypothesis are also formulated to direct the study. The study adopts ex- post facto research design. Proportionate sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 556 graduate students out of a population of 5,565 registered graduate student users in the university libraries of South East Nigeria. The instrument for data collection is a researcher developed and validated questionnaire. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was .742. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, while regression method was used to test the hypothesis at .05 level of significance. Findings of the study showed that the individual recognition of information need indicators (recognition of nature of information need, and recognition of scope of information need) investigated, all have significant influence on graduate students' research practices in the university libraries of South East, Nigeria, though at varying degrees. Findings of the study also showed a significant combined influence of information need indicators on the graduate students' research practices. It is recommended among others that Librarians should collaborate with faculty members by sensitizing them on the need to engage students in regular information problem-solving tasks so that the students will be adequately trained on recognizing and defining their information need in their learning and research tasks and to do that early in the research process. Keywords: Recognition of information need, Information Literacy, Research practices, Graduate student

The Role of Agricultural Libraries in Literacy Education as a Prelude to Capacity Building among Rural Farmers in Nigeria

Illiteracy among Nigerians, with its social and economic implications, has become a growing concern in recent years. National awareness of problems associated with limited literacy skills has led to legislation, beginning at the federal level, to fund new literacy programmes and expand existing programmes. Libraries and information centers are viewed as an important component of this massive educational effort, especially in the light of the fact that 75 percent of farmers in Nigeria are illiterate rural dwellers. A descriptive survey method was adopted for the study. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in forms of tables and charts. The findings revealed that agricultural libraries have major roles to play in literacy education to rural farmers in order to build their capacity to produce technology based agricultural goods that will reverse the negative impact of agriculture on the Nigerian economy. Results also showed that rural farmers had farm related information needs, peculiar information sources, and the agricultural information gathered by farmers were used to meet production related needs. The role agricultural libraries can play in literacy education of rural farmers in Nigeria were enunciated to include providing information to the extension workers and repackaging agricultural information for the rural farmers in local languages and dialects where necessary. Information Communication Technology developments within the library that can impact on the generation and dissemination of agricultural information to farmers included dissemination of information on posters, use of digital white boards for interactive extension workshops and dissemination of current digital agricultural information from the internet among others. In conclusion, the agricultural libraries have the human and material resources to join the extension team to conduct research and give rural farmer necessary information needed to provide to achieve technology based agriculture that will help the Nigerian nation achieve food sufficiency and security. It was recommended that Agricultural librarians should consider joining the agricultural extension team. The repackaging of agricultural information accessible to the library via online as well as the offline sources should be considered by the librarians in liaison with the agricultural experts. The agricultural librarians should spearhead the advocacy that will ensure the establishment of public libraries in all the local government areas in Abia state as this will ease the access to information to these rural farmers. Keywords Agricultural Libraries; Literacy Education; Capacity Building; Rural Farmers; Nigeri

Current practices in collection development and outsourcing in selected health sciences libraries in Lagos, Nigeria

No Abstract.Lagos Journal of Library and Information Science Vol. 1(1) 2003: 91-9

Nigerian medical libraries in a digital age

No Abstract.Lagos Journal of Library and Information Science Vol. 1(2) 2003: 129-13

Health education in Nigeria: Challenges for health sciences librarians

No Abstract. NQJHM Vol. 8 (4) 1998: pp. 309-31

Internet Access and Usage by Students of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos

This study focused on the Internet Access and usage by students of the College of medicine of the University of Lagos. It investigated the adequacy of provision of access to the Internet facility especially that donated by the Christopher Kolade Foundation (CKF). The usage (in terms of usage and misuse) of the Internet by the students, as well as the problems the students faced in the use were also studied. Data was gathered through the use of questionnaire randomly administered to 200 students of 199/2000 session. Findings revealed that the Internet facilities at the time of this study were inadequate – hence many students did not have access. It also revealed that although quite a number of the students were aware of the immense benefits of the use of the Internet for academic studies. They lacked the necessary skill to make effective use of it. The study observed that the CKF Internet exposed many of the students to the use of Internet to access information. It also revealed some problems experienced while using the service. Some recommendations were made as solutions to these problems.The Information Technologist Vol.1(1&2) 2004: 81-8