Brendan Eze Asogwa
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nnamdi Azikiwe Library., Graduate Student
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Abstract The aim of this study was to identify the types of collections in Nnamdi Azikiwe Library that are referred to as government documents; expose some of the major factors that impinge on users. access to government publications in... more
Abstract The aim of this study was to identify the types of collections in Nnamdi Azikiwe Library that are referred to as government documents; expose some of the major factors that impinge on users. access to government publications in the library, and make ...
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Introduction: This paper examines the provision of digital information resources in academic libraries with focus on university libraries in Nigeria. Method: A descriptive survey design was used. The population of the study was 744... more
Introduction: This paper examines the provision of digital information resources in academic libraries with focus on university libraries in Nigeria. Method: A descriptive survey design was used. The population of the study was 744 certified academic librarians working in the three tiers of universities (federal, state, and private) as contained in the list maintained by the Librarians’ Registration Council of Nigeria. A questionnaire was used for data collection. Analysis: The data were analyzed quantitatively through the Statistical Package of the Social Sciences (SPSS), using percentages, mean scores, and standard deviation. Results: Access to digital information resources in libraries is low due to non-implementation of real time provision of information resources to users, emanating from lack of library management software that would drive the process, professionals’ lack of skills in implementing digital information services, and lack of relevant formal institutional digital i...
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Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to measure the competencies of libraries in Nigerian universities, identify constraints to their performance and recommend infrastructures and competencies required. Institutional accreditation has... more
Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to measure the competencies of libraries in Nigerian universities, identify constraints to their performance and recommend infrastructures and competencies required. Institutional accreditation has compelled academic libraries in Nigerian to improve their quality, competencies and performances for accountability.Design/methodology/approach– A questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. The population of the study was all the university librarians in the 89 universities in Nigeria that the author selected from federal, state and private universities. Of the 81 sets of questionnaires emailed, 49 were returned, which represents a 60.5 per cent response rate and provides the working population of the study. Data were analysed using frequency tables, simple percentages and bar charts.Findings– The results indicate that academic libraries and librarians in Nigeria are competent in three key areas – educational roles, professional development and research. However, they are not very effective in the provision and use of library resources in cyberspace, adequate funding, collection development and information technology skills. The main constraints are: poor Internet penetration, low bandwidth, unreliable power supply and weak Internet proficiency. This paper suggests that adequate funding, benchmark performance and multi-skilling can serve as strategies against these constraints in developing regions.Practical implications– This study contributes to library staff assessment because it links strategic objectives to performance measures and associated long-term targets. It broadens issues which affect sustainable performance in academic libraries in Nigeria, as well as in Africa and other developing countries.Originality/value– While performance measurement is well established in developed countries, it is less or not so well established in Nigeria and other developing countries. The current research seeks to develop a performance measurement framework for academic libraries that is testable and expandable to Nigeria and the whole African context.
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Purpose: This paper identifies ICT tools and programmes that are relevant to Igbo studies in tertiary institutions in the South East Nigeria; it examines the opportunities and challenges in applying these technologies in the enhancement... more
Purpose: This paper identifies ICT tools and programmes that are relevant to Igbo studies in tertiary institutions in the South East Nigeria; it examines the opportunities and challenges in applying these technologies in the enhancement and promotion of teaching and learning Igbo in Nigeria universities. Methodology/Approach: Questionnaire, interviews, and observations were used in collecting data for this study. The population was 118, comprising 31 lecturers and 87 students randomly drawn from the Department of Igbo Studies in six selected tertiary institutions in the South East Nigeria. Findings: Flash drive, video camera, electronic white board, cassette recorder and tapes, television, and a number of ICTs tools and programmes were considered relevant to Igbo studies in tertiary institutions in the South East Nigeria. These technologies enhance e-teaching, e-learning and distance education, and can simultaneously involve large class of Igbo learners in different locations. It re...
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This paper assessed the extent to which federal university libraries in Nigeria have prepared for management of their records in electronic format. Specifically it investigated the extent to which university libraries have provided ICT... more
This paper assessed the extent to which federal university libraries in Nigeria have prepared for management of their records in electronic format. Specifically it investigated the extent to which university libraries have provided ICT infrastructures for digital records, made institutional plans for e-records management, and enacted policies that guide e-records management, among other areas. Survey research design was used. The instruments for data collection were questionnaire, observation checklist, and oral interviews. The population of the study was 84 librarians drawn randomly from 18 federal university libraries in Nigeria. Data was analyzed using mean scores and simple percentages. The criterion of judgment was that if the mean value of any item of the research instruments scored 2.50+ and above, it was rated high; if otherwise, it was considered low. The study found that ICT facilities were available in all the libraries, but the state of preparedness for their utilization...
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This paper examines the e-government initiative as a strategy for reducing corruption in Sub Saharan Africa. Many governments globally have started appreciating the need for increased openness and transparency in their government and this... more
This paper examines the e-government initiative as a strategy for reducing corruption in Sub Saharan Africa. Many governments globally have started appreciating the need for increased openness and transparency in their government and this has led to the adoption of e-government as a means of curbing corruption by some African leaders. The purpose of this study was to examine corruption levels in South Saharan Africa, identifying the least and most corrupt areas and to investigate factors hindering the use of e-government to fight corruption and proffer strategies to curb corruption through e-government. The population was all forty five countries that adopted e-government in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). The Cumulative Corruption Index (CPI) extracted from Transparency International over the period from 2012 to 2017 was calculated and the average score used to measure the level of corruption in the various regions of the zone. This study revealed the least corrupt states as Botswana, Se...
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INTRODUCTION Igbo is one of the indigenous Nigeria languages that is spoken by over 16million (16,381,729) people in the South East Nigeria (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2007). Igbo language is the supreme expression of the cultural... more
INTRODUCTION Igbo is one of the indigenous Nigeria languages that is spoken by over 16million (16,381,729) people in the South East Nigeria (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2007). Igbo language is the supreme expression of the cultural heritage of the people of the South East Nigeria. Without the language, it would be difficult to talk about cultural revival, research, teaching and learning of Igbo in schools or in the world. It is the language of tradition and cultural communication in the markets, farms, village meetings and day-to-day transactions outside the offices, in the churches, public gathering, and in Igbo social and political arena. It is learned at home, schools, and colleges and in tertiary institutions, but today it is being feared of extinction due to the inversion of Western culture and the attitudes of Ndiigbo towards the language. In teaching and learning Igbo in schools today, both the teacher and the learner are no longer interested in the methodologies that would ...
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PurposeThis study examined the state of digital records management in Nigerian university libraries. It investigated the extent university libraries have captured/created, utilized, planned, organized and developed the skills of... more
PurposeThis study examined the state of digital records management in Nigerian university libraries. It investigated the extent university libraries have captured/created, utilized, planned, organized and developed the skills of librarians, etc. for effective management of electronic records.Design/methodology/approachDescriptive survey design was adopted. The area of the study was Nigeria. The population of the study was 231 academic librarians and senior technical and administrative staff drawn from 12 federal university libraries. Data were collected and analyzed using questionnaire, checklist and version 20 of Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). Information obtained through oral interviews was analyzed qualitatively and incorporated in the discussions. The analytical framework was the Readiness Assessment Guide developed by the International Records Management Trust/World Bank in 2004. The criterion of judgment was that any item or statement of the research instrume...
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Purpose Agitation for adoption of freedom of access to government information is an emerging issue in Africa and has gathered momentum since 2000 when South Africa passed the first freedom of information (FoI) law in the continent. This... more
Purpose Agitation for adoption of freedom of access to government information is an emerging issue in Africa and has gathered momentum since 2000 when South Africa passed the first freedom of information (FoI) law in the continent. This paper aims to discuss the extent of passage of FoI laws in Africa, the reality of their implementation in some of the countries and the critical challenges and recommendations. Design/methodology/approach A document analysis approach was adopted for gathering vital information on the realities and challenges of FoI implementation in Africa. Literature on the concepts, principles and practice of FoI were reviewed, and relevant facts and figures were extracted to buttress the authors’ argument. Findings Only 14 (25.5 per cent) of the 55 countries in Africa had signed FoI law as on January 31, 2015; 16 (29.0 per cent) are still lobbying, while 25 (45.5 per cent) of the states had no significant plan yet. Political factors like colonial legacy, poor lead...
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Purpose The use of the internet and World Wide Web to source information is now an emerging practice in developing countries and seems to be obscuring the use of printed resources in libraries. This paper aims to investigate the impacts... more
Purpose The use of the internet and World Wide Web to source information is now an emerging practice in developing countries and seems to be obscuring the use of printed resources in libraries. This paper aims to investigate the impacts of internet services on the use of prints in academic libraries in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The design of the study was ex post facto. The population of the study was the 131,670 students registered in the library from 2005 to 2014 academic sessions. The instruments for data collection were documentary records, oral interviews and observations. Statistics of past physical transactions at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Libraries University of Nigeria, Nsukka, were consulted and adapted for the study. Tables, graphs and a benchmark for assessment guided the analysis and discussion of the data. Findings Readers’ registrations, average daily readership and consultation of theses/dissertations were among the physical services that are multiplying and exerting pressures on existing facilities in the library. Books and periodicals consulted were constantly declining since the advent of internet services. Academic libraries in Nigeria should be adequately funded to sustain information and communication technology (ICT) backbone for internet usage and better marketing and stabilization of library services to retain users in academic libraries. Practical implications Increased availability of full-text online could force academic libraries in developing countries to cancel much of their online subscriptions. Serious efforts must be embarked by academic libraries to bring back the users to the library. Originality/value This article is the first to investigate the impacts of internet usage on printed resources in academic libraries in Nigeria. The originality lies in its contribution to internet use on information resources in academic libraries in developing regions.
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Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the quality of online services in academic libraries in Nigeria. It seeks to assess the functionality of electronic infrastructures, to expose areas where the service needs of users are... more
Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the quality of online services in academic libraries in Nigeria. It seeks to assess the functionality of electronic infrastructures, to expose areas where the service needs of users are not adequately provided and to recommend solutions.Design/methodology/approach– The sample population was 210 staff and students who used electronic resources in Nigerian university libraries during the 2012-2013 academic session. A questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. Modified WebQual four performance indicators were designed and used to measure: library equipment, library website, online public access catalogue (OPAC) and e-user education in the university libraries. The five-point service performance scale that ranged from very poor performance to excellent was used in measuring the views of the respondents.Findings– None of the indicators was rated excellent; six were rated good; nine were average; two and five indicators sco...
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Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to measure the competencies of libraries in Nigerian universities, identify constraints to their performance and recommend infrastructures and competencies required. Institutional accreditation has... more
Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to measure the competencies of libraries in Nigerian universities, identify constraints to their performance and recommend infrastructures and competencies required. Institutional accreditation has compelled academic libraries in Nigerian to improve their quality, competencies and performances for accountability.Design/methodology/approach– A questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. The population of the study was all the university librarians in the 89 universities in Nigeria that the author selected from federal, state and private universities. Of the 81 sets of questionnaires emailed, 49 were returned, which represents a 60.5 per cent response rate and provides the working population of the study. Data were analysed using frequency tables, simple percentages and bar charts.Findings– The results indicate that academic libraries and librarians in Nigeria are competent in three key areas – educational roles, professional develo...
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Purpose – The purpose of this study was to survey the level of readiness of three universities in Nigeria towards managing their digital records by assessing the e-records frameworks, infrastructures, and structural facilities that are... more
Purpose – The purpose of this study was to survey the level of readiness of three universities in Nigeria towards managing their digital records by assessing the e-records frameworks, infrastructures, and structural facilities that are available. Design/methodology/approach – The population of the study was 30 staff of the Registry Department in three Nigerian universities. Questionnaires, oral interviews, and check list were used during data collection. Data were analyzed using frequency tables, simple percentages, and bar charts. Findings – The paper found that universities in Nigeria are not ready to manage electronic records due to weak legislative and organizational frameworks. The paper recommends creation of awareness about e-records management, training of records personnel, adoption of hybrid records management and periodic auditing, provision of sustainable framework and infrastructure, among other things in Nigerian universities. Research limitations/implications – This s...
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PurposeElectronic records management is new to most records officers and archivists in contemporary sub Saharan Africa. It transformed the traditional mode of recordkeeping and brought with it some constraints which records managers have... more
PurposeElectronic records management is new to most records officers and archivists in contemporary sub Saharan Africa. It transformed the traditional mode of recordkeeping and brought with it some constraints which records managers have to contend with if they are to remain relevant in the information society. This paper aims to examine the background of these problems as well as the strategies for e‐records management in Africa.Design/methodology/approachRelevant literature on archives development in Africa, electronic records, information technology, and records management were reviewed and the author gathered much insight on electronic records management in a digital environment. These were applied to fortify the author's arguments.FindingsThe study shows that the major problems of e‐records management in Africa are administrative and the technically induced challenge and the benefits of managing hybrid records in Africa can only be realized if the appropriate infrastructure...
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PurposeNigeria has set up an e‐government initiative termed the “National e‐Government Strategy” (NeGSt) for the purpose of using ICT infrastructure to enhance public services. It was expected that e‐government would enable the Nigerian... more
PurposeNigeria has set up an e‐government initiative termed the “National e‐Government Strategy” (NeGSt) for the purpose of using ICT infrastructure to enhance public services. It was expected that e‐government would enable the Nigerian government at all levels to render efficiencies in the public sector, ensure higher productivity and economic growth, foster national competitiveness and lead to the attainment of the vision 20‐2020. Regrettably, the e‐services envisaged seem not to be impacting much on public service delivery in the country. The aim of this paper is to examine the benefits and the status of e‐government in Nigeria, the barriers to the accomplishment of the goal, and some ways out.Design/methodology/approachA total of ten federal government ministries in Nigeria that have an official website were sampled. The study population was 100 randomly drawn employees in the ministries, and a structured questionnaire and oral interviews were used. Data were analyzed using freq...
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... pnla. org 115 The Challenges of Preservation of Archives and Records in the Electronic Age Brendan E. Asogwa Ifeanyi J. Ezema Brendan E. Asogwa is Librarian 1 at Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She can be... more
... pnla. org 115 The Challenges of Preservation of Archives and Records in the Electronic Age Brendan E. Asogwa Ifeanyi J. Ezema Brendan E. Asogwa is Librarian 1 at Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She can be reached at: asogwabeze@ yahoo. com. ...
The influence of globalization and information revolution on higher education in Nigeria was investigated through the authors’ structured questionnaire. The design of the study was descriptive survey. Fifty-three professional librarians... more
The influence of globalization and information revolution on higher education in Nigeria was investigated through the authors’ structured questionnaire. The design of the study was descriptive survey. Fifty-three professional librarians from Nnamdi Azikiwe Library University of Nigeria Nsukka, lecturers from Department of Library and Information Science University of Nigeria, Nsukka and librarians in Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) library were surveyed. The instruments for data collection were questionnaires and observation. Findings from the investigation reveal that globalization and information revolution have positively impacted on higher education in Nigeria in terms of access to information, collaboration and contact among faculty members, better and faster scholarly communication among researchers as well as students throughout the world. The implication of these revelation is that professional librarians in this environment should try to embrace the...
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Information technologies are increasingly changing the speed and formats with which cultural elements are distributed. The purpose of this paper therefore, is to examine some of the emerging issues, impacts, and inevitable challenges... more
Information technologies are increasingly changing the speed and formats with which cultural elements are distributed. The purpose of this paper therefore, is to examine some of the emerging issues, impacts, and inevitable challenges posed by globalization of Nigerian cultural heritage and make some recommendations. A review of literature on current issues on culture, globalization, and digitization was conducted and this revealed much about the new concepts, issues, and modern techniques on cultural heritage management to the authors. The paper finds colonialism, multiculturalism, weak cultural policy in Nigeria, and environmentalism, as some of the emerging issues. The paper saw the positive impacts of globalization to include; integration of Nigeria’s diverse cultures, speedy access to cultural information; digitalization, preservation, and commercialization of cultures. It has some corrosive impacts of Nigerian traditional religion, families, languages, and library operations. The challenges or the practical implications are that Nigerian governments, library and information science professionals, and cultural institutions must reposition their stand if they are not going to be by-passed in the global cultural information superhighway. This study contributes to other researches which were conducted in the past on culture, artifacts, cultural heritage, and cultural globalization in Africa. Its originality rests on the application of information technologies in cultural intercourse dissemination and internationalization.
The aim of this paper is to survey the services users obtain in Circulating Department in three university libraries in the South Eastern Nigeria; ascertain whether users are satisfied, determine causes of this dissatisfaction, and make... more
The aim of this paper is to survey the services users obtain in Circulating Department in three university libraries in the South Eastern Nigeria; ascertain whether users are satisfied, determine causes of this dissatisfaction, and make appropriate recommendations. Observations, interview, and questionnaire were used for data collection. The population of the study was 5547 users drawn randomly from three university libraries in the South East Nigeria. Data was analyzed using criterion mean (2.50), item mean (x), frequency tables and simple percentages. It was found that the services most users received in the Circulation Department include; charging and discharging, orientation, registration, renewal, overdue charges and so on.56.2% of users were satisfied with these services and 43.8% were dissatisfied. Users were not satisfied with constant power outage, shortage of qualified and experienced personnel, inadequate facilities, obsolete textbooks and working tools, and poor maintenance of books on the shelf, among other factors. Library management should equip the libraries with modern facilities, train the personnel in ICT, and give them adequate motivation.
The aim of this study was to identify the types of collections in Nnamdi Azikiwe Library that are referred to as government documents; expose some of the major factors that impinge on user’s access to government publications in the... more
The aim of this study was to identify the types of collections in Nnamdi Azikiwe Library that are referred to as government documents; expose some of the major factors that impinge on user’s access to government publications in the library, and make recommendations. The design of the study was survey. Questionnaire, interviews and observation were the instruments for data collection. The population of the study was 81 and comprised 11 staff in the Special Collections Division, and 70 users of the government documents section of the library. Due to the small size of the population, the author has to sample all the subjects. Eighty sets of 33-item questionnaire was designed and administered to all the subjects and their responses were used for analysis and results. The study found that there were abundant volumes of non current government publications in analogue format in the library. The restraining factors for accessing these resources include absence of internet connectivity and online public access catalogue, inadequate ICT infrastructure, and skilled human capital among others. Subject indexing of government publications, digitization, and periodic update of the finding aids were some of the improvement strategies.
Keywords: Nigeria, government publications, information technology, and academic libraries.
Type of Paper: Empirical Study.
Keywords: Nigeria, government publications, information technology, and academic libraries.
Type of Paper: Empirical Study.
"Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review some of the inherent setbacks in the acquisition, management and use of government publications in Nigeria. It examines the challenges, benefits and opportunities by information technology... more
"Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review some of the inherent setbacks in the acquisition, management and use of government publications in Nigeria. It examines the challenges, benefits and opportunities by information technology over the management and use of government information.
Methodology/Approach: The views of various writers on government publications around the world and the new information technologies were reviewed as theoretical orientation for this study.
Finding: There is a paradigm shift in the approach to the generation, acquisition, management and access to government information in the electronic age.
Practical Implications: libraries are now operation a context of rapid changes which consequently affect the methods, tools and formats in which library and information services are delivered.
Originality: There is urgent need for governments, librarians, and information professionals to transit to electronic publications, acquisitions, preservation/digitization and use of government publications in a digital environment.
Keywords: Digitization, government publications, university libraries.
Paper Type: Conceptual Paper.
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Methodology/Approach: The views of various writers on government publications around the world and the new information technologies were reviewed as theoretical orientation for this study.
Finding: There is a paradigm shift in the approach to the generation, acquisition, management and access to government information in the electronic age.
Practical Implications: libraries are now operation a context of rapid changes which consequently affect the methods, tools and formats in which library and information services are delivered.
Originality: There is urgent need for governments, librarians, and information professionals to transit to electronic publications, acquisitions, preservation/digitization and use of government publications in a digital environment.
Keywords: Digitization, government publications, university libraries.
Paper Type: Conceptual Paper.
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Archival repositories all over the world are databanks for preservation and retrieval of the cultural heritage of the past. Archives give invaluable information for administration, research, and scholarship, but most of the archival... more
Archival repositories all over the world are databanks for preservation and retrieval of the cultural heritage of the past. Archives give invaluable information for administration, research, and scholarship, but most of the archival repositories in Nigerian university libraries are not properly organized to achieve the purpose for which they were set up. This study therefore exposes the factors militating against efficient management of archival collections in Nigerian university libraries using the Nnamdi Azikiwe libraries, university of Nigeria Nsukka as a reference. Survey research design was used while observation, questionnaire, and oral interviews were employed as instruments for data collection. The results revealed that the problems of archives administration in Nigerian university libraries include: poor funding, absence of professional and experienced archivists, inadequate space, erratic power supply, poor collection technique, and lack of sustainable interest by scholars among other factors. Archives and records management in Nigerian university libraries should have administrative support. Professional archivists should be employed, and archival operations should be computerized to meet global standard