Research Article

 

Assessment of Information and Communication Technology for Selective Dissemination of Information and Current Awareness Services: A Case Study of University Libraries in the South-West Zone of Nigeria

 

Saturday U. Omeluzor, Ph.D.

University Librarian

Clifford University

Owerrinta, Abia State, Nigeria

Email: someluzor@yahoo.com, omeluzors@clifforduni.edu.ng

 

Gloria O. Oyovwe-Tinuoye

Readers’ Services Librarian

University Library

Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun

Delta State, Nigeria

Email: gloriatinuoye@yahoo.com

 

Received: 17 Nov. 2015  Accepted: 10 Sept. 2017 

 

 

cc-ca_logo_xl 2017 Omeluzor and Oyovwe-Tinuoye. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative CommonsAttributionNoncommercialShare Alike License 4.0 International (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly attributed, not used for commercial purposes, and, if transformed, the resulting work is redistributed under the same or similar license to this one.

 

 

Abstract

 

Objective – To assess the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for selective dissemination of information (SDI) and current awareness services (CAS) in university libraries in the South-West zone of Nigeria.

 

Methods – A descriptive research design was adopted. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire administered to a population consisting of 379 librarians, with 353 usable questionnaires retrieved.

 

Results – Findings revealed that most university libraries in the South-West zone of Nigeria do not use ICT in delivery of SDI and CAS. It is evident in this study that despite the known positive effects of ICT in library services, traditional methods were predominantly used for SDI and CAS to the library users. The study revealed that erratic Internet services, insufficient training, inadequate ICT skills, and low support for ICT were hindrances towards ICT use for SDI and CAS.

 

Conclusions The integration of ICT features in library services for the delivery of CAS and SDI has been a challenge in university libraries in South-West Nigeria. Only a few libraries and a low percentage of librarians had adopted the use of ICT in the delivery of CAS and SDI, while a larger number of libraries resorted to the use of traditional methods. The level of ICT literacy among the librarians in this study is low, as a higher percentage of librarians did not have adequate ICT skill to use available online resources on the Internet and other ICT tools to deliver SDI and CAS in South-West, Nigeria. This is not unconnected to the fact that the training and technical support received by the librarians is inadequate, and the level of support that academic libraries received from their university managements in South-West Nigeria in terms of funding for ICT development is inadequate, which led to low Internet services.

 


 


Introduction

 

In recent times, information and communication technology (ICT) has been deployed in university libraries to help library users gain access to information, as well as to become up-to-date with recent developments in their areas of specialization. Selective dissemination of information (SDI) is a conscious attempt by librarians to search databases in order to find relevant information for each library user or group of library users to fit their information needs, while current awareness services (CAS) keep users up to date with the latest professional literature in their fields of interest, and inform library users about new acquisitions in the library. SDI is tailored to a particular group of library users, while CAS is for every library user. This study considers the extent to which ICT is incorporated in library services in the delivery of SDI and CAS in university libraries in South-West Nigeria and if, like most university libraries in developing countries, Nigeria has yet to use ICT in providing CAS and SDI services to the library users.

 

University Libraries in Nigeria

 

Nigeria’s first university (and first university library) was established in 1948 at the University College Ibadan, now the University of Ibadan. The earlier universities established in Nigeria in the late 1940s and early 1950s were mainly public universities with functional libraries. The purpose of establishing them was to meet the educational need of Nigerians before and after independence, to train government workers, train professional workforce, and to help achieve rapid industrialization and development after independence (Buzz Nigeria, n.d.).

 

In 1999, the Federal Government of Nigeria granted charters to five private universities (Babcock, Bowen, Covenant, Igbinedion, and Madonna) which were owned and operated by Christian denominations and had served as missionary schools where church workers were trained. Babcock University, for example, was owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria and had started in 1959 as Adventist College of West Africa.

 

In addition to the earlier universities, Nigeria recognized the need to train workers in order to develop the gas and oil industry. Therefore, in March 2007, the Federal Government of Nigeria established the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), located in Delta State in South-South zone of Nigeria. It is the first in Africa and one of only a few in the world. The broad aim for establishing FUPRE was “to have a specialized university that will produce a unique high level personnel and relevant expertise for the oil and gas industry in Nigeria and worldwide” (The Federal University of Petroleum Resources Library Guide, 2014). The university offers courses in Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Marine Engineering, Geology, Environmental Science, Computer Science/Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, with the university library providing the information, materials, and ICT infrastructure that helps prepare the students to face the challenges posed by the evolving technological advancement in the oil and gas industry. At the time of opening, the FUPRE library had a stock of 3,000 books, 85 journal titles, over 2,000 electronic books, and journals in Oil and Gas, General sciences, Engineering, ICT, and Geology on its database. Presently, the FUPRE collection has grown to 6,662 print books and 1,702 journal titles. It also has an e-library with 140 computer systems used by both staff and students (see Appendix B, Figures 3 and 4) to browse the Internet and backed up with an inverter to provide uninterrupted power supply. The upgrading of the FUPRE library was achieved through an intervention from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), a special fund set aside by the Federal Government of Nigeria for library development.

 

With regard to ICT, Abubakar (2011) has noted that university libraries in Nigeria are at a crossroads because they are operating in an era of dwindling finances. He added that the constraints of university libraries in providing SDI and CAS services include erratic Internet services and inadequate hardware and software. Similarly, Fowowe (2017) claimed that funding of university libraries in Nigeria is inadequate, affecting collection development and hiring of adequately skilled workers. Ogunsola (2004) stated that the diffusion of ICT into Africa in general, and into Nigeria specifically, has been at a snail's pace, such that the gap between information-rich developed countries and African countries continues to widen. While some university libraries in Nigeria have made tremendous efforts in the area of ICT adoption and use, others have yet to use ICTs fully due to inadequate funding, inadequate staff, lack of support by university management, interruption in Internet access, and unreliable power supply.

 

Statement of the Problem

 

Selective dissemination of information (SDI) and current awareness services (CAS) are well known for delivering prompt and up-to-date information services to the library users. The effect of these services has been felt in most libraries across the world. Some libraries display ICT features and tools on their webpage for the purpose of disseminating information, while in practice they are not used. This study investigates the extent to which university libraries in South-West Nigeria have adopted and used ICT for SDI and CAS, with a view to identifying the challenges and making suggestions on the way forward to enhance quality service delivery to the library users.

 

Literature Review

 

The need for libraries to respond quickly to the information needs of users through SDI and CAS has repeatedly been mentioned in dated and contemporary literature (Broady-Preston & Barnes, 2002; Fourie, 2003; Uzohue & Yaya, 2016). Shultz and De Groote (2003) stated that the use of CAS and SDI services would benefit librarians in developing professional relationships with patrons while increasing their professional expertise and subject knowledge. Similarly, Domini, Goh, Wong and Chen (2010) asserted that CAS and SDI are considered essential for success and survival in today’s environment. Prompt responses as a result of using ICT will ensure that the library patrons choose to use library services, rather than selecting from a range of alternatives such as vendors and the Internet.

 

According to Uzohue and Yaya (2016), CAS is beneficial in keeping users informed and providing access to needed documents and information in a preferred format. On the other hand, SDI services support users in bringing the right information closer to them, enabling the users to use time efficiently to attend to other needs instead of searching for information resources. Uzohue and Yaya (2016) noted that display boards and shelves, displays of tables of contents, newspaper cuttings, alerting of heads of departments, compilations of bibliographies, reading lists, and indexing and abstracting, among others, were traditional methods of CAS and SDI. These have changed due to advancement in ICT. Advancement in ICT can make SDI achievable using services such as emailing, WhatsApp, short message service (SMS), and Rich Site Summary (RSS) feeds, among others, to communicate with library users.

 

Some university libraries in Nigeria, however, have yet to take advantage of ICT in delivering SDI and CAS. Nkiko and Iroaganachi’s (2015) study on the need to provide community-focused SDI service revealed that among the academic libraries in Ogun State, Nigeria, only 3 out of the 17 use SDI for community development programs. Equally, Oguonu’s (2013) investigation of reference and information services in state teaching hospital medical libraries in South-East Nigeria showed that SDI was not provided by the libraries, while online catalogue and ICT facilities were also not available for reference and information services due to inadequate funding and lack of ICT facilities in reference services.

 

Role of CAS in the University Library

 

In some university libraries in the world, ICT infusion into library services has given unprecedented access to information. For instance, the University of Sheffield Library uses their webpage driven by ICT to deliver CAS to the library users (University of Sheffield, 2017). Similarly, the University of Illinois Library uses RSS feeds to keep up with publication in users’ fields, while email alerts are used for the electronic bibliographic database (University of Illinois, 2017). Cornell University Library also uses ICT tools such as blog, RSS feed, and citation alerts to notify their library users about new books, journal tables of contents, and databases subscribed to by the library, among other activities (Cornell University, 2017). Fourie (2003) noted that since acquisition librarians operate in a dynamic environment that requires constant alertness to new developments, CAS, especially those available for free on the World Wide Web (WWW), would be helpful in keeping up with trends in information processing and service delivery.

 

Role of SDI in Library Services

 

Many studies have emphasized the importance of SDI in library services in easing access to information. Nkiko and Iroaganachi (2015) emphasized the need for SDI in university libraries for dissemination of community-based information and services to different categories of library users. Uzohue and Yaya (2016) in their study expressed the need for medical librarians to use CAS and SDI to deliver library services to their users. Madukoma (2015) investigated the perception of users on electronic reference services at Babcock University Library, Nigeria, in order to identify their needs, and concluded that electronic reference services were not adequately used due to lack of awareness of the availability of the services in the library. She recommended the use of memos and posters to create awareness of reference services. Effective use of ICT in library services, especially for SDI and CAS, will enable library users to promptly access quality information that will support their learning, teaching, research, and decision making (Oyewusi & Oyeboade, 2009; Uzohue & Yaya, 2016).

 

Challenges of Using ICT for SDI and CAS in University Libraries

 

The implementation of ICT in university libraries in developing countries, and especially in Nigeria, has faced several challenges (Ayo, 2001). A study by Issa, Ayodele, Abubakar and Aliyu (2011) on the application of information technology to library services at the Federal University of Technology, Akure Library, Ondo State, Nigeria, showed that the only facilities available for services in the library are Internet and computer. Similarly, Haliso and Ogungbemi’s (2014) study showed a disparity in the use of library software, library website, and electronic library services in the six academic libraries in Lagos State. Ayo (2001) stated that most university libraries in Nigeria were yet to fully implement ICT due to lack of funds, erratic power supply, and lack of qualified personnel. Omeluzor and Oyovwe-Tinuoye (2016) noted that a general non-use of integrated library systems (ILS) in academic libraries in Delta State, Nigeria was due to inadequate ICT infrastructure and funding. In addition, Onyeonoru (2001) saw the issue of inadequate funding for development of education in Africa as a serious challenge. There is a decline in funding of Nigerian universities due to fallen crude oil prices in the international market (Mitchell, 2016). Similarly, Omeluzor, Madukoma, Bamidele, and Ogbuiyi (2012) concluded that the decline in funding of Nigerian universities contributed to low research output of academic staff.

 

Skill and knowledge are relevant for the manipulation of ICTs in university libraries. Adeyoyin (2005) portrayed poor ICT skills among library staff as a problem hindering the university libraries’ services. Inadequate skilled personnel in the area of ICT, indifference of administrative bodies, and insufficient support groups left many ICT-based functions in libraries in Bangladesh dormant (Uddin & Hasan, 2012). A major challenge in ICT use in most university libraries is the lack of technical support and training, resulting in major setbacks (Arachchige, 2002; Hasan, 2009; & Haliso, 2011).

 

Aims

 

This study aims to:

 

1.       Identify university libraries in South-West Nigeria that have ICT features on their webpage for delivery of CAS and SDI.

2.       Determine the media used in delivery of SDI and CAS services to the library users

3.       Identify the challenges of using ICT in delivering SDI and CAS services in university libraries in South-West Nigeria.

 

Methods 

 

This study investigated the application of information and communication technology (ICT) in providing selective dissemination of information (SDI) and current awareness services (CAS) to library users in universities in South-West Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design. The population is made up of the entire population of 379 librarians in the 37 federal, state, and private university libraries in South-West Nigeria. Further demographic details are shown in Appendix A, Table 1. The data collection instrument used was a structured questionnaire (see Appendix C). The instrument was subjected to a reliability test using Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient, and produced a result of 0.72. This means that the instrument is reliable, since the test result is above the acceptance point of 0.50. The questionnaire was administered directly to the respondents with the support of six research assistants. Of the 379 questionnaires returned, 353, or 93%, were found usable. The questionnaire was analyzed, and the results are presented in frequency table, percentage, and chart in Appendix A, Tables 2 to 4 and Figure 2.

 

 

Figure 1.

Showing the number of universities and those with ICT features on their webpage for delivery of SDI and CAS in South-West Nigeria.

 

 


Results

 

Research objective 1 was to identify libraries with ICT features on their webpage for delivery of CAS and SDI in South-West (SW) Nigeria. Appendix A, Table 2 shows that out of the  37 universities in SW, 3 federal university libraries and 3 private university libraries use features such as blogs, RSS feed, Ask a Librarian, Twitter, Google+, email, OPAC, Facebook, and YouTube for delivery of SDI and CAS to their patrons. None of the state university libraries have ICT features on their webpages. Appendix A, Table 3 shows that 4 federal university libraries, 8 state university libraries, and 19 private university libraries in South-West Nigeria do not have ICT features on their library webpage. (See Figure 1.)

 

A majority of the libraries (31) do not have ICT features on their library webpages (see Appendix A, Table 2). The research also shows that five university libraries have two ICT features or more, while Crawford University library has only RSS feed. The use of only one ICT tool may be insufficient to deliver CAS and SDI to library users, since some library users may not use that particular tool. However, findings reveal that Babcock University Library and University of Ibadan Library provide online assistance to library patrons using OPACs which are not linked to their library webpages on the university website.

 

Research objective 2 was to determine the media used in delivering SDI and CAS services to the library users. Among the respondents in this study, 98 (28%) mostly use the Internet to deliver SDI and CAS, 64 (18%) rarely use the Internet, and 191 (54%) of the respondents do not use the Internet at all to deliver SDI and CAS services to library users. (See Appendix A, Table 3) This implies that since the Internet is not consistently used, dissemination of information to the users may be limited to only those who access information via notice boards and memos. This finding is in variance with Aina (2014) who stated that since the advent of the Internet, libraries in developed and some developing countries have risen to the challenge by ensuring that the Internet is used to enhance the provision of information services in order to retain the patronage of the library. In addition, 85 (24%) of the respondents use computers to deliver CAS and SDI, 67 (19%) of the respondents rarely use computers, and 201 (57%) do not use computers at all to deliver CAS and SDI. (See Appendix A, Table 3.)

 

Findings also show that 151 (43%) of the respondents use telephones to deliver CAS and SDI, 102 (29%) of the respondents rarely use it, and 100 (28%) of the respondents do not use telephones at all for CAS and SDI (See Appendix A, Table 3.) Use of telephones in university libraries for SDI and CAS is slightly adopted, which means the users may be more inclined to use other sources of information. Non-use of telephones, of course, also prevents users from receiving reference services via text message. This finding supports Madukoma (2015), who found that inadequate ICT facilities in academic libraries hindered users’ access to reference services. Her findings revealed that the Internet, cellphone, SMS, and email were slightly adequate. This finding also supports Capron (2000), who identified mail, telephone, TV, and radio as the traditional ways users send and receive information.

 

Results also indicate that 223 (63%) of the respondents use notice boards and 230 (65%) of the respondents use memos to deliver CAS and SDI to the library users. This finding agrees with Madukoma (2015), who recommended that memos be sent to Deans and Department Heads to inform staff about recent additions to the library collection, and that posters should be designed and pasted on strategic notice boards in the university premises. It also shows that 39 (11%) of the respondents mostly use Ask a librarian, blogs, and RSS feeds, while 314 (89%) of the respondents did not use the tools for SDI and CAS. It is evident here that relevant tools such as Ask a librarian, blogs, RSS feeds, and email have not been adopted for the delivery of SDI and CAS. This may be connected with lack of skill, as stated by Adeyoyin (2005) and Uddin and Hasan (2012) as a major factor hindering ICT adoption in academic libraries. This result clearly shows that the use of traditional methods such as notice boards and memos still dominates other methods of information dissemination in university libraries in South-West Nigeria.

 

Research objective 3 was to identify the challenges facing university libraries in using ICT to deliver SDI and CAS services in South-West Nigeria. This study considered four factors that other studies have determined can affect the use of ICT in service delivery in university libraries in Nigeria. These include Internet connection, training and technical support in the use of ICT, librarians’ level of ICT skill, and university managements’ support.

 

Internet Connection

 

Results show that 84% of the respondents indicate that erratic Internet services hinder CAS and SDI in university libraries (See Appendix A, Figure 2). This agrees with studies on library infrastructure and facilities that have shown that the problem of Internet access in Nigeria is still unabated (Nkiko & Iroaganachi, 2015). This result also agrees with Abubakar (2011) who stated that most university libraries in Nigeria are severely constrained by erratic Internet services, and with Ezeani and Igwesi (2012), who report that bandwidth and Internet facilities in university libraries in Nigeria are outdated and cannot support remote access to information.

 

Training, Technical Support, and Skill Level

 

Appendix A, Figure 2 also shows that 69% of the respondents indicated that insufficient training and technical support hinders the delivery of CAS and SDI in university libraries. This substantiates the findings of Ayo (2001) that most university libraries in Nigeria have not yet fully implemented ICT as a result of inadequate qualified personnel. It also supports Arachchige (2002) and Haliso (2011), who found the lack of technical support as a hindrance towards ICT use in university libraries. It further supports Adeyoyin (2005) and Okiy (2012), who described the poor ICT infrastructural development, poor ICT skills, and the poor training of librarians in university libraries in Nigeria.

 

Appendix A, Figure 2 further shows that 81% of the respondents agreed that inadequate ICT skill among librarians was a hindrance in the use of ICT for SDI and CAS services. Inadequate skilled personnel for the provision of ICT service to the library users is a prevalent factor (Mathew & Baby, 2012; Quadri, 2012).

 

Support from University Management

 

The studies of Hasan (2009) and Osaniyi (2010) revealed that lack of support by university managements also militate against ICT use in university libraries. The implication of this finding is that access to relevant information sources will be hindered; hence, libraries will not be able to provide SDI and CAS to the library users.

 

Limitations and Opportunities for Further Study

 

This study was limited to 37 university libraries in South-Western Nigeria. The method of study was limited to a structured questionnaire without an “other” option provided in any of the questions. A study of more libraries using a questionnaire with more options might produce different results. Future studies might also investigate the characteristics and practices of universities that this paper revealed are able to offer ICT despite a nation-wide funding crisis. 

 

Conclusions

 

The integration of ICT features in the library services for the delivery of CAS and SDI has been a challenge in university libraries in South-West Nigeria. In an era of advancement in ICT in all sectors of human endeavour, most university libraries, especially in Nigeria, have yet to adopt ICT in the delivery of SDI and CAS to its patrons. Among the university libraries in South-West Nigeria, few libraries and a low percentage of librarians have adopted ICT in the delivery of CAS and SDI, while a larger number of libraries have yet to do so, but rather resorted to the use of notice boards and memos. The level of ICT literacy among the librarians in this study is low, as a large percentage of them did not have adequate ICT skill to use available online resources on the Internet and other ICT tools to deliver SDI and CAS in South-West Nigeria. This is not unconnected to the fact that the training and technical support received by the librarians is inadequate and the level of support that academic libraries received from their university managements in South-West Nigeria in terms of funding for ICT development, Internet services, and training is insufficient. It is obvious that non-use of ICT hinders access and use of library resources and services. Therefore, it is imperative to use ICTs in university libraries for the delivery of SDI, CAS, and other services to the library clients.

 

Acknowledgement

 

The authors sincerely acknowledge the assistance of Carol Waseleski and the editorial support from the reviewers and editors of EPLIP in helping to prepare this manuscript for publication.

 

References

 

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Appendix A

Tables 1­–4, Figure 2

 

Table 1

Designation and Academic Qualification of the Respondents

Designation

Frequency

Percentage

University Librarian

56

16

Principal/Senior Librarian

63

18

Librarian I

87

24

Librarian II

92

26

Assistant Librarian

55

16

Total

353

100

Academic qualification of Respondents

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

79

22

Masters Degree (M.Sc.)

180

51

Bachelor Degree (BA/B.Sc.)

94

27

Total

353

100

 

 

Table 2

University Libraries in South-West Nigeria with ICT Features Available on their Webpages

S/N

Name of University

Ownership

Availability of ICT feature on Library Webpage

ICT feature available

1.

Federal University of Technology, Akure Library

Federal

Available

Blog, RSS feed,

Ask a Librarian, Email

2.

University of Agriculture Library, Abeokuta

Federal

Available

RSS feed, Twitter, Google+ and Facebook

3.

University of Lagos Library

Federal

Available

Ask a librarian, RSS feed

4.

Bowen University Library, Iwo.

Private

Available

OPAC, RSS Feed

5.

Covenant University Library, Ota.

Private

Available

RSS feed, Facebook, YouTube

6.

Crawford University Library, Igbesa, Lagos.

Private

Available

RSS feed

 

 

Table 3

Media Used in Delivering SDI and CAS Services to Library Patrons

Media

Mostly used

Rarely used

Not used

Internet

98 (28)

64 (18)

191 (54)

Computer

85 (24)

67 (19)

201 (57)

Telephone

151 (43)

102 (29)

100 (28)

Notice board

223 (63)

130 (37)

-

Memo

230 (65)

123 (35)

-

Ask a librarian

39 (11)

-

314 (89)

Blog

39 (11)

-

314 (89)

RSS feed

39 (11)

-

314 (89)

Email

39 (11)

86 (24)

228 (65)

 

 

Table 4

University Libraries in South-West Nigeria without ICT Features Available on their Webpages

1.

Federal University, Oye-Ekiti Library

Federal

Nil

Nil

2.

Obafemi Awolowo University Library

Federal

Nil

Nil

3.

University of Ibadan Library

Federal

Nil

Nil

4.

National Open University Library, Lagos

Federal

Nil

Nil

5.

Adekunle Ajasin University Library, Akungba.

State

Nil

Nil

6.

Ekiti State University Library, Ado Ekiti.

State

Nil

Nil

7.

Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Library, Ogbomoso.

State

Nil

Nil

8.

Olabisi Onabanjo University Library, Ago- Iwoye.

State

Nil

Nil

9.

Ondo State University of Science and Technology Library, Okitipupa.

State

Nil

Nil

10.

Osun State University Library, Oshogbo

State

Nil

Nil

11.

Tai Solarin University of Education Library, Ijebu- Ode.

State

Nil

Nil

12.

Lagos State University Library, Ojo, Lagos.

State

Nil

Nil

13.

Achievers University Library, Owo, Ondo.

Private

Nil

Nil

14.

Adeleke University Library, Ede.

Private

Nil

Nil

15.

Afe Babalola University Library, Ado Ekiti.

Private

Nil

Nil

16.

Ajayi Crowther University Library, Ibadan.

Private

Nil

Nil

17.

Babcock University Library, Ilishan-Remo.

Private

Nil

Nil

18.

Bells University of Technology Library, Otta.

Private

Nil

Nil

19.

Caleb University Library.

Private

Nil

Nil

20.

Cetep University Library, Lagos.

Private

Nil

Nil

21.

Crescent University Library.

Private

Nil

Nil

22.

Elizade University Library, Ilara-Mokin.

Private

Nil

Nil

23.

Fountain University Library, Oshogbo.

Private

Nil

Nil

24.

Joseph Ayo Babalola University Library, Ikeji-Arakeji.

Private

Nil

Nil

25.

Oduduwa University Library, Ipetumodu.

Private

Nil

Nil

26.

Pan African University Library, Lagos.

Private

Nil

Nil

27.

Redeemer’s University Library, Mowe, Ogun.

Private

Nil

Nil

28.

Southwestern University Library, Oku Owa, Lagos.

Private

Nil

Nil

29.

Wesley University of Science and Technology Library.

Private

Nil

Nil

30.

Mcpherson University Library, Seriki Sotayo, Ajebo.

Private

Nil

Nil

31.

Leed City University Library, Oyo.

Private

Nil

Nil

 

 

 

Figure 2

Factors hindering the use of ICT in delivering SDI and CAS in South-West Nigeria.

 

 

Appendix B

Staff and Students browsing the Internet at the FUPRE e-library

 

Figure 3

Staff and students accessing the Internet at the FUPRE e-library.

 

 

Figure 4

Students browsing the Internet at the FUPRE e-library.

 

 

Appendix C

 

Questionnaire on Assessment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) and Current Awareness Services (CAS) in University libraries in South-West Nigeria

 

Dear Respondent,

 

This questionnaire is on assessment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) and Current Awareness services (CAs) in University libraries in South-West Nigeria. It is solely to gather data for the completion of the research. We will appreciate it if you would participate and provide relevant information to accomplish this research on schedule. All information provided will be treated with utmost confidentiality and will only be used for the purpose of this research.

 

The Researchers.

 

SECTION A: Demographic Information of Respondent

 

1.             What is the name of your University Library? .........................................................................

2.             What is your designation?

(a) University Librarian      (b) Principal/Senior Librarian       (c) Librarian 1     d) Librarian II     (e) Assistant Librarian

3.             What academic qualification did you attain?

(a) Doctoral degree             (b)   Masters degree              (c) Bachelor degree

 

SECTION B:  Identify libraries with ICT features on their Webpage for dissemination of CAS and SDI

 

4.      Kindly indicate the available ICT features on your library Webpage for dissemination of CAS and SDI.

ICT features

Available

Not available

Not sure

Blog

 

 

 

RSS Feed

 

 

 

Ask a librarian

 

 

 

Email

 

 

 

OPAC

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION C: Find out the media used in dissemination of SDI and CAS services to the library users.

 

5.         Kindly indicate by ticking   your use of the following media for dissemination of SDI and CAS services to your library users.

Media

Mostly used

Rarely used

Not used

Internet

Computer

Telephone (Text messaging)

Notice board

Memo

Ask a librarian

Blog

RSS feed

Email

 

SECTION D: Identify the challenges of using ICT in delivering SDI and CAS services in South-West Nigeria.

 

6.      Kindly indicate by ticking  the challenges facing use of ICT in delivery of SDI and CAS services in your library.

 

Challenges

Tick as it apply

Erratic Internet services

 

Insufficient training/technical support

 

Inadequate ICT skill among librarians

 

Low support on ICT

 

 

 

Thank you.