Conflict Resolution Through Knowledge: The Library Perspective

In every human interaction either at the level of individuals, organizations, national, regional or international, there are usually competitive interests and varying perspectives to every issue at stake. It is dogged pursuance of antagonistic, incompatible and antithetical goals that inevitably result in conflict. The phenomenon is multi-faceted and widespread in society, having destructive tendencies if consensus is not achieved. Obachi (2008) contended that forging diverse relationships and attempts at continuously perfecting same have the propensity to always precipitate conflict. Conflict resolution is the process of defusing antagonism and reaching agreement bet ween conflicting parties especially through some form of negotiation. It can also be conceptualized as a study and practice of solving interpersonal, intergroup and inter-national, conflicts. lfidon and Ahiazu (2005) noted that the potential for conflict is an everyday occurrence which exists virtually everywhere. According to them. interpersonal conflict is caused by personality clashes and failure to communicate effectively as well as distrust between parties with differing perspectives

Intervention Strategies for Combating Aliteracy in Nigerian Schools: Implications for Public Libraries and Government

The study examined the strategies for handling or curbing aliteracy in Nigerian Schools. Aliteracy is having the ability and capacity to read, but lack the interest and motivation to read on a regular basis. Aliterates read for functional reasons and not for pleasure or as a hobby. Lack of reading/literacy was identified as one of the principal causes of underdevelopment in many nations across the globe. The study identified and discussed some of the factors militating against reading habits of students as the lack of reading and reasoning competency, lack of intrinsic motivation, indecision, introduction to ICT among others. Low leadership output, lack of understanding and interpretation of things and situations; the vocabulary and terminology acquisition is low, individual intellectual limitation, poorly developed analytical skills, and lack of knowledge were listed among other consequences of aliteracy. Some of the strategies for managing aliteracy include encouraging reading using ICT device, introduction of readers’ club in schools, involvement of students in book recommendation and selection process, encouraging students to do book reviews, organize excursion for students to visit national public/academic libraries. The recommendations identified in this study include allocating time for reading in school Time-Table, parents should encourage reading by buying books as gifts rather than toys, student reading interest should be taken into consideration when selecting books for school libraries, reading competition among others

Save Library Users' Time, Ranganathan's Fourth Law of Library Science: Why and How?

This article discusses the issue of saving users' time in Libraries. Time is so crucial to individuals, organisations and even the Society. Libraries are established to provide information to users. The bulk of information available in the library if not properly managed will cause users to get lost in the ocean of information explosion. Saving users' time is one o(the major objectives of any library. This researcher discussed strategies that libraries can put in place 'to save the time of library users, such as proper organisation of the materials through effective cataloguing and classification, accurate shelving and shelf reading, effective and efficient reference services, application of ICT in Libraries, User education programme etc. Based on these, it is recommended that libraries should as a matter of fact consider all these strategies in order to remain relevant in this present age

Library and Information Services for Open and Distance Learning: Assessing the Role of Mobile Technologies and Distance Learning in Higher Education

For Reason of it tested capabilities Open and Distance Learning Education has been widely accepted and adopted in many institutions across the worlds. Knowing that the practice of Library and information service to the ubiquitous distance learners promises to be a clear departure from the traditional library system, Academic libraries have become new actors in the process of distance learning among other factors of education and research. Libraries are reshaping its services and Mobile learning services is now represents exciting new frontiers in education and pedagogy. With the features of ‘wearable' computing and multimedia content delivery via mobile technologies, library services and mobile learning becomes feasible and offers new benefits to instructors and learners. The full cost and complexity of providing quality library services to support open and distance education tend to be underestimate

Managing a Sustainable Institutional Repository: The Covenant University Experience

The paper examined the ubiquitous nature of digital institutional repositories and their concomitant capabilities. It specifically show-cased the robust process and technical details involved in the development and sustenance of Covenant University Institutional Repository which has consistently ranked number one repository in Nigeria based on webometric rankings. Relying on Strajda Process Management model, Covenant University adopted two open source softwareDspace and E-print based on adjudged robustness of the metadata, relative easy to setup as well as amenable to customization. The paper recommended among others, the sensitization of researchers on the dangers of ceding copyright to Journal publishers as the practice divests them of inherent rights and may preclude deposition of their works on the Institutional repository thereby undermining growth of content and visibility of research outputs. It further recommended backup systems that forestall intrusion and mitigate effect of potential disasters on sustainability of Institutional Repository

Poverty Eradication: The Role of Nigerian Libraries towards the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Poverty has been identified as the major source of widening global inequalities and underdevelopment at individual, organizational and national levels. The UN Sustainable Development Goals placed a great deal of priority in the eradication of all forms of poverty by the year 2030. The paper examined the roles of Nigerian libraries towards the achievement of this laudable goal. It canvasses the idea that poverty eradication is possible through the availability, accessibility and utilization of appropriate information resulting in requisite capacity building and empowerment of the Nigerian citizens. The paper identified specific interventions to be used by libraries in poverty alleviation to include: entrepreneurship empowerment, information literacy skills, information repackaging for the illiterate, lifelong learning initiatives, agricultural extension services, consultancy services, information dissemination services, provision of ICT skills education, improving reading culture and mobile library services. It concluded that libraries have the unlimited propensity to catalyse human capital development, productivity and reduction of poverty

DIGITIZATION AND ADMISSIBILITY OF DIGITAL RECORDS IN NIGERIAN COURTS: STRATEGIES AND LESSONS FOR THE LIS PROFESSION

The global impetus and preference for automation of records management systems arising from propensity for greater efficiency and preservation imperatives has sustained the digitization of records from creation, retention, archival to disposal. The paper examined the admissibility of digital records as evidence in Nigerian courts. It noted that the Nigerian Evidence Act has not been reviewed for over sixty years hence it 1s large/} deficient m accommodating technological developments compared to its counterparts m advanced nations. The requisite laws place highest premium on primary evidence as exemplified by original documents and regard digital records as surrogate and secondary evidence hence not admissible The courts can only be persuaded to recognize third party authenticated versions. It is recommended inter alia that records of legal value should be notarized before digitization

Emergence of Hi-Tech Examination Malpractices in Nigeria: Issues and Implications

Examination malpractice is considered as a huge challenge to educational assessment and evaluation. This paper examines the dimensions and trends of examination malpractice, as well as the emergence of hi-tech examination malpractice (otherwise called e-cheating or digital cheating) in various levels of the Nigerian educational system. Causes, implications and strategies towards curbing the emerging phenomenon were discussed. The proliferation of mobile phones and other private digital assistants (PDAs) was identified as the driving factor for e-cheating. The paper also identified inadequate funding, corruption, issues bordering on morality and legality as challenges to curbing hi-tech examination malpractice in Nigeria. The involvement of all stakeholders in curbing this societal evil was recommended as the way forward

Process of Migrating from Alice for Windows Software to Millennium Software: Covenant University Experience

The whole essence of the library lies is providing the information to users they require at the right time, using a fast and easy way. For Covenant University, the migration from Alice for Windows to Millennium software in 2010 brought about a complete change in the library workplace. This paper brings to the fore all the efforts and processes that was engaged to bring on board Millennium software for library operations in Center for Learning Resources. It also looks at the hitches encountered during the process and how these hitches were tackled. Suggestions are also given on how to successfully automate library resources and migrate from one software to anothe