AWARENESS AND PERCEPTION OF ETHICAL ISSUES IN LIBRARIES AS PREDICTORS OF SERVICE DELIVERY BY LIBRARY PERSONNEL FROM SELECTED POLYTECHNICS IN SOUTH-WEST, NIGERIA

Abstract Polytechnic libraries exist because they deliver services to the patrons. However, reports of previous studies, personal observations and anecdotal evidence have shown that the level of service delivery in some polytechnic libraries in Nigeria is low. Out of the several factors that could enhance the level of service delivery, compliance with ethical issues appears to be the least studied. This study therefore examined the contributions of awareness and perception of ethical issues in libraries to service delivery by library personnel in selected polytechnics in Southwest Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design of the correlational type was used and the total enumeration technique was adopted. All 169 library personnel in Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, The Polytechnic, Ibadan and Yaba College of Technology participated in the study. The questionnaire was the research instrument and data were analysed with the use of frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, correlation and regression analysis. Results showed that there was a significant positive relationship between awareness of ethical issues and service delivery (r=.235**) and also for perception of ethical issues in libraries and service delivery (r=.495**). The joint influence of awareness and perception of ethical issues in libraries on service delivery was significant (R=.505 and Adj. R2 of .245). It was recommended that the management of the polytechnic libraries should organise seminars and workshops that will enlighten the staff on different ethical issues and guide their conducts, in order not to violate the ethical standards. Keywords: Awareness, perception, ethical issues in libraries, service delivery, polytechnics, Nigeri

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Awareness and perception of creative commons licences by lecturers in Faculty Of Education, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

The Creative Commons (CC) is a viable means by which access and individual author’s right can be protected with the author specifying terms on which his work can be used. However, many authors of intellectual knowledge properties have still not taken full advantage of the Creative  Commons and the numerous licences created through which their works could be used. The study investigates awareness and perception of CC licences by lecturers in Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The descriptive survey design was adopted in this study. The population included 150 lecturers from 11 departments of the Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The census technique was adopted for this study, because it permits the entire population in the study to be selected for the data collection since the population is not too large, thus having enough time to conduct the research and questionnaire was the main data collection instrument. Descriptive statistics, frequency counts and percentages, means and standard deviation, the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC: Pearson r) and multiple regression were used to analyse data. Findings revealed that lecturers in the Faculty of Education were moderately aware of CC licenses. Participation in conferences and workshop ( x̄=2.84; std dev. x̄=1.149); professional forums/platforms ( x̄=2.79; std dev. x̄=1.111); write ups/literature ( x̄=2.68; std dev. x̄=1.184); the library ( x̄=2.66; std dev. x̄=1.136) and more aid awareness of CC licenses by lecturers. Lecturers hold moderate negative perception about CC licenses. There was significant influence of CC licence awareness on its perception by lecturers.The study therefore concludes that adequate awareness and positive perception of CC licences among lecturers will determine to a great extent if lecturers will use the CC licenses or not. Training, awareness programmes as well as policies that promote the use of CC license should be adopted by the university management to encourage lecturers to use CC licenses. Key Words: Awareness, Perception, Creative, Commons, License, Lecturers, University

Perception of teachers’ personality and discipline styles on library and information studies students’ performance in cataloguing and classification

The wealth of any nation depends on the quality of its human resources. Teachers are the implementers of every educational policy at classroom level; they are those who transform educational decisions into reality. Teachers are the nucleus of the teaching and learning process. Teachers should therefore possess a good personality and employ a discipline style that soothe the students he is teaching because the performance and interest of student towards a course can improve or decline if the personality and discipline styles of the course teacher is inappropriate. The study therefore investigate perception of teachers’ personality and discipline styles of performance in cataloguing and classification among Library, Archival and Information Studies students in University of Ibadan. Descriptive survey design was adopted for this study and the study population consisted of 300 and 400 level undergraduate students in the Department of Library, Archival and Information Studies, University of Ibadan. The total population was 93 undergraduate students. Total enumeration sampling technique was used for this study. Data was collected through questionnaire and was analysed with simple percentage counts. The personality and discipline styles of Cat and Class lecturers have influence on students’ performance as it was confirmed that students perceived that poor lecturer discipline style affected students’ performance. Teachers/lecturers are encouraged to possess good personality and use acceptable discipline styles as these will go a long way in stirring the interest of students to his/her course.Keywords: Cataloguing, classification, teacher/lecturer, personality, discipline, styles, LIS student