The Role of Academic Libraries in Promoting Clientele Centered Services

Academic libraries play a key role in the promotion of user centered services through the provision of information resources and services for the information needs of the library clienteles. With the emergence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the traditional library services have no place in satisfying the curiosity of the library users. Library users are gradually keeping away from the use of the library and less value are attached to the library. This paper looked at the traditional and hybrid services that are easy to access and more convenient for the library users as a way of promoting clientele centered services in academic libraries. The study recommended that academic libraries should introduce and employ strategic services in order to attract the library users to the library services

DIFFICULTIES OF ACCESSING ELECTRONIC RESOURCES AMONG POSTGRADUATE LIBRARY USERS IN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN SOUTHEAST NIGERIA

This paper is an empirical study of difficulties of accessing electronic resources among postgraduate library users in university libraries in South East Nigeria. The study identifies the difficulties of accessing electronic resources by postgraduate library users in university libraries in South East Nigeria. It employed a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 2509 postgraduate users in the state and federal university libraries under study. A 10% proportionate sampling technique was used to select a sample of 251 user respondents. The survey used questionnaire as instruments of data collection. Data collected were tabulated and analyzed using simple statistics (mean). The result revealed the difficulties the postgraduate library users encounter while accessing electronic resources which include lack of perpetual access, slow internet connectivity, struggle with information overload, irregular power supply, loss of access to the content due to cancellation of subscription, non -availability of e-resources relevant to my information needs and e-resources are too complicated to use. The study revealed seven difficulties experienced by postgraduate library users while using e-resources in university libraries which had mean values ranging from 2.78 to 3.18 which are all above the cut-off point of 2.50 on a 4-point rating scale. The overall mean shows that lack of perpetual access to electronic resources (mean = 3.18) is ranked highest, while e-resources are too complicated to use (Mean = 2.78) is ranked lowest as difficulties experienced in using the library’s electronic resources. The study recommended that the university libraries in South East Nigeria should have an upward review of the libraries budget on electronic resources which will enhance continuous renewal of electronic subscription and to avert the loss of access to electronic resources; that the upward review of the library budget will enhance improve internet bandwidth for better access to the network and for speedy internet connectivity; that the library should provide an alternative supply of power to support the library in the provision of energy needed for building electronic resources and libraries should indulge in subscription of electronic resources that are relevant to the needs of the library users

Evaluation Practices of Electronic Resources in University Libraries in South East Nigeria

This paper is an empirical study of evaluation practices of electronic resources in university libraries in South East Nigeria. The study determines the criteria considered in evaluating electronic resources, the adequacy of use of the electronic resources and the extent of use of the electronic resources by university libraries in South East Nigeria. It employed a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 2595 respondents consisting of 2509 postgraduate users and 86 librarians in collection development, serials and digital library (e-library). A 10% proportionate sampling technique was used to select a sample of 251 user respondents while all the 86 librarians working in collection development, serials and digital library units (e-library) were used. The survey used questionnaire and interview as instruments of data collection. Data collected were tabulated and analyzed using simple statistics (mean). The result revealed the criteria used by the libraries under study to evaluate their resources which include cost effectiveness based on the number of searches; relevance of the research on campus and the curriculum of the library users; dissatisfaction with a resource; access criteria on the technical reliability of the content provider; the database can be ranked by acquiring statistics; comparing duplication in various formats or overlap in full-text resources. The result also revealed that the greater number of the electronic resources is high adequacy and that all the electronic resources are used to a great extent by the users. That shows that the users are accessing it and using it for their research and learning. The study recommended regular evaluation of library electronic resources considering the stated criteria to ensure that users’ needs are met; the university libraries should ensure that electronic resources under subscription are properly evaluated and accessed by library users to guide in continuity or cancellation of the resources if otherwise

Selection and Acquisition of Electronic Resources in University Libraries in Southeast Nigeria: Challenges

This study surveyed the challenges faced by the university libraries in South East Nigeria in selecting and acquiring electronic resources. The descriptive survey research method was adopted for the study. The population consisted of 86. Questionnaire and interview were used for data collection. Data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using simple statistics (mean). The findings revealed that the university libraries under study had considered all the thirteen criteria when selecting electronic resources in the library which had mean values ranging from 2.70 to 3.41 and are all above the cut-off point of 2.50 on a 4-point rating scale. The findings also showed that the university libraries use multiple tools to select the e-resources, and the overall mean showed that the use of trial offers by mounting a link to their resources without cost (mean = 3.12) is ranked highest and used mostly by the libraries, while the use of reviews provided through electronic resources (mean =2 .57) is ranked lowest as tools used in sound electronic resources selection in libraries; that the libraries use different methods to acquire the e-resources which include, through subscription, purchase and open internet source. None of the libraries under study was into a consortium with one another. However, the study revealed twelve challenges with cost as a major challenge of selection and acquisition of electronic resources. The study recommended that the university libraries in South East Nigeria should improve on the libraries budget in order to attain to the cost of electronic resources and for the training of staff that will handle the electronic collection development. That the libraries should take a drastic initiative of acquiring electronic resources through a consortium in order to enjoy the discount associated with consortium subscription

Evaluation Practices of Electronic Resources in University Libraries in South East Nigeria

This paper is an empirical study of evaluation practices of electronic resources in university libraries in South East Nigeria. The study determines the criteria considered in evaluating electronic resources, the adequacy of use of the electronic resources and the extent of use of the electronic resources by university libraries in South East Nigeria. It employed a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 2595 respondents consisting of 2509 postgraduate users and 86 librarians in collection development, serials and digital library (e-library). A 10% proportionate sampling technique was used to select a sample of 251 user respondents while all the 86 librarians working in collection development, serials and digital library units (e-library) were used. The survey used questionnaire and interview as instruments of data collection. Data collected were tabulated and analyzed using simple statistics (mean). The result revealed the criteria used by the libraries under study to evaluate their resources which include cost effectiveness based on the number of searches; relevance of the research on campus and the curriculum of the library users; dissatisfaction with a resource; access criteria on the technical reliability of the content provider; the database can be ranked by acquiring statistics; comparing duplication in various formats or overlap in full-text resources. The result also revealed that the greater number of the electronic resources is high adequacy and that all the electronic resources are used to a great extent by the users. That shows that the users are accessing it and using it for their research and learning. The study recommended regular evaluation of library electronic resources considering the stated criteria to ensure that users’ needs are met; the university libraries should ensure that electronic resources under subscription are properly evaluated and accessed by library users to guide in continuity or cancellation of the resources if otherwise

Evaluation Practices of Electronic Resources in University Libraries in South East Nigeria

This paper is an empirical study of evaluation practices of electronic resources in university libraries in South East Nigeria. The study determines the criteria considered in evaluating electronic resources, the adequacy of use of the electronic resources and the extent of use of the electronic resources by university libraries in South East Nigeria. It employed a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 2595 respondents consisting of 2509 postgraduate users and 86 librarians in collection development, serials and digital library (e-library). A 10% proportionate sampling technique was used to select a sample of 251 user respondents while all the 86 librarians working in collection development, serials and digital library units (e-library) were used. The survey used questionnaire and interview as instruments of data collection. Data collected were tabulated and analyzed using simple statistics (mean). The result revealed the criteria used by the libraries under study to evaluate their resources which include cost effectiveness based on the number of searches; relevance of the research on campus and the curriculum of the library users; dissatisfaction with a resource; access criteria on the technical reliability of the content provider; the database can be ranked by acquiring statistics; comparing duplication in various formats or overlap in full-text resources. The result also revealed that the greater number of the electronic resources is high adequacy and that all the electronic resources are used to a great extent by the users. That shows that the users are accessing it and using it for their research and learning. The study recommended regular evaluation of library electronic resources considering the stated criteria to ensure that users’ needs are met; the university libraries should ensure that electronic resources under subscription are properly evaluated and accessed by library users to guide in continuity or cancellation of the resources if otherwise

Evaluation Practices of Electronic Resources in University Libraries in South East Nigeria

This paper is an empirical study of evaluation practices of electronic resources in university libraries in South East Nigeria. The study determines the criteria considered in evaluating electronic resources, the adequacy of use of the electronic resources and the extent of use of the electronic resources by university libraries in South East Nigeria. It employed a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 2595 respondents consisting of 2509 postgraduate users and 86 librarians in collection development, serials and digital library (e-library). A 10% proportionate sampling technique was used to select a sample of 251 user respondents while all the 86 librarians working in collection development, serials and digital library units (e-library) were used. The survey used questionnaire and interview as instruments of data collection. Data collected were tabulated and analyzed using simple statistics (mean). The result revealed the criteria used by the libraries under study to evaluate their resources which include cost effectiveness based on the number of searches; relevance of the research on campus and the curriculum of the library users; dissatisfaction with a resource; access criteria on the technical reliability of the content provider; the database can be ranked by acquiring statistics; comparing duplication in various formats or overlap in full-text resources. The result also revealed that the greater number of the electronic resources is high adequacy and that all the electronic resources are used to a great extent by the users. That shows that the users are accessing it and using it for their research and learning. The study recommended regular evaluation of library electronic resources considering the stated criteria to ensure that users’ needs are met; the university libraries should ensure that electronic resources under subscription are properly evaluated and accessed by library users to guide in continuity or cancellation of the resources if otherwise

The Role of University Libraries in Accreditation of Academic Programmes: Challenges and Prospects

The National Universities Commission, the supervisory body of all Universities in Nigeria assesses the universities for standards and quality assurance of programmes on regular basis. The paper examined how accreditations are carried out by the National Universities Commission and the accreditation roles of the university libraries were examined. The study also unveiled the challenges of accreditation in University Libraries which include late notification of forthcoming accreditation, financial constraint, out datedness of information resources, and understaff. The study suggested possible ways out of these challenges which include timely notification of date of accreditation, provision of finance to enable the library acquire current information resources and the like

Evaluation Practices of Electronic Resources in University Libraries in South East Nigeria

This paper is an empirical study of evaluation practices of electronic resources in university libraries in South East Nigeria. The study determines the criteria considered in evaluating electronic resources, the adequacy of use of the electronic resources and the extent of use of the electronic resources by university libraries in South East Nigeria. It employed a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 2595 respondents consisting of 2509 postgraduate users and 86 librarians in collection development, serials and digital library (e-library). A 10% proportionate sampling technique was used to select a sample of 251 user respondents while all the 86 librarians working in collection development, serials and digital library units (e-library) were used. The survey used questionnaire and interview as instruments of data collection. Data collected were tabulated and analyzed using simple statistics (mean). The result revealed the criteria used by the libraries under study to evaluate their resources which include cost effectiveness based on the number of searches; relevance of the research on campus and the curriculum of the library users; dissatisfaction with a resource; access criteria on the technical reliability of the content provider; the database can be ranked by acquiring statistics; comparing duplication in various formats or overlap in full-text resources. The result also revealed that the greater number of the electronic resources is high adequacy and that all the electronic resources are used to a great extent by the users. That shows that the users are accessing it and using it for their research and learning. The study recommended regular evaluation of library electronic resources considering the stated criteria to ensure that users’ needs are met; the university libraries should ensure that electronic resources under subscription are properly evaluated and accessed by library users to guide in continuity or cancellation of the resources if otherwise

Collection Development Policies of Electronic Resources in University Libraries in Southeast Nigeria.

This paper is an empirical study of collection development policy of electronic resources in university libraries in South East Nigeria. The study ascertains the types of policies guiding electronic resources collection development practices; identifies the tools used in making sound electronic resources collection development; and determines the criteria considered in the evaluation of electronic resources of university libraries in South East Nigeria. It employed a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 86 librarians in collection development, serials and digital library (e-library). All the 86 librarians working in collection development, serials and digital library units (e-library) were used hence the number is manageable. The survey used questionnaire and interview as instruments of data collection. Data collected were tabulated and analyzed using simple statistics of percentages and mean. The result revealed that the university libraries under study adopted traditional policies with 69 respondents representing (80.2%) of the respondents; that the libraries under study used all the five (5) items which include; the use of trial offers by mounting a link to their resources without cost; visits to similar libraries that already have the product and see it in action there; the use of vendor exhibits at conferences; the use of demonstrations from publisher /vendor in the library and demonstrate their resource and the use of reviews provided through electronic resources as tools used in making sound electronic resources. The criteria used by the libraries under study to evaluate their resources which include cost-effectiveness based on the number of searches; relevance of the research on campus and the curriculum of the library users; dissatisfaction with a resource; access criteria on the technical reliability of the content provider; the database can be ranked by acquiring statistics; comparing duplication in various formats or overlap in full-text resources. The study recommended that libraries should formulate and develop electronic resources collection development policy; efforts should be made by libraries to adopt a written electronic resources collection development policy which serves as a guide and for references and continuity among the librarians that are involved in e-resources collection development. Also, electronic resources should be evaluated on a regular basis by considering relevant factors to disclose those electronic resources that are of high and maximum utilization