ABSTRACT
This study investigated the
utilization of library oriented software packages in academic libraries in Akwa Ibom and Cross
River States. Six research questions were formulated to guide the study. A
descriptive survey design was used and purposive random sampling was adopted.
The population consisted 412 library staff which includes librarians, system
analysts and library officers in these academic libraries. Sample used was 120
library staff. The instruments for data collection were observation checklist
and questionnaires. Data obtained were organized and analyzed using simple
descriptive statistic which includes simple percentages, mean scores and
frequency tables. The result showed that the library oriented software packages
available in these academic libraries are Tinlib software which was not in use
and SLAM which is presently in use in these libraries. The method of
acquisition of these software were through gift from NUC and purchase from
computer firm and vendor. The purpose of utilization of these software was for
searching for information online and internet surfing/browsing. The extent of
utilization of these software was only in internet browsing and information
retrieval. The problems associated with software utilization are computer
incompetency among library staff, lack of steady power supply, lack of
appropriate funding. The strategies for enhancing software utilization includes
provision of adequate power supply, provision of adequate funding, provision of computer training among library
staff, involving library staff in decision making. The researcher recommended
that There should be a good feasibility study by the library management on the
proposed software to be acquired for library automation and also there should
be compulsory staff and user training on computer and software for all library
staff so as to be able to fit into this new era of information delivery.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page – – – – – – – – – i
Approval Page – – – – – – – ii
Certification – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – v
Abstract – – – – – – – – – vi
Table of Contents – – – – – – – vii
List of Tables – – – – – – – – ix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study- – – – – – – 1
Statement of the Problem – – – – – – – 7
Purpose of the Study – – – – – – – 8
Research Questions – – – – – – – 9
Significance of the Study- – – – – – – 9
Scope of the Study- – – – – – – – 10
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Conceptual Frame Work – – – – – – – 11
Types of Application Software Packages in Library – – – – 13
Methods of Acquisition of Library Oriented Software Packages- – 20
Purpose of Utilization of Library Software – – – – 23
Extent of Utilization of Library software Packages – – – 27
Problems Associated with Software Utilization – – – 28
Strategies for Enhancing Software Utilization in Academic Library 31
Review of Related Empirical Studies- – – – 38
Summary of Literature Review- – – – – – 41
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD
Research Design- – – – – – – – 43
Area of the Study – – – – – – – 43
Population of the study- – – – – – – 44
Sample and Sampling Technique- – – – – – 44
Instrument for Data Collection- – – – – – 44
Validation of Instrument- – – – – – 45
Method of Data Collection – – – – – – 46
Method of Data Analysis- – – – – – – 46
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF DATA- – – – 48
Research Question 1 – – – – – – – 49
Research Question 2 – – – – – – 50
Research Question 3 – – – – – – – 51
Research Question 4 – – – – – – – 52
Research Question 5 – – – – – – – 53
Research Question 6 – – – – – – – 54
Summary of Major Findings – – – – – – 55
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION AND SUMMARY
Discussion of findings – – – – – – – 56
Implication of findings – – – – – – – – 59
Conclusion – – – – – – – – 61
Recommendation of the study – – – – – – 62
Limitations of the study – – – – – – – 63
Suggestions for further research – – – – – – 63
Summary – – – – – – – – 64
References- – – – – – – – – 66
Appendix A – – – – – – – – 72
Appendix B – – – – – – – – – 73
Appendix
C – – – – – – – – – 74
Appendix D – – – – – – – – 75
LIST OF TABLES
Table
- Types of Software used in Academic Libraries in
Akwa Ibom and Cross River States – – – – – –
49
- Method of Acquisition of Library Software in
Academic Libraries in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States – -50
- Purpose of Software Utilization in Academic Libraries
in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States – – – – -51
- Extent of Software Utilization in Academic Libraries
in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States – – – – -52
- Problems Associated with Software Utilization in
Academic
Libraries in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States – – -53
- Strategies for Enhancing Software Utilization in
Academic
Libraries in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States – – -54
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Academic
libraries are libraries which serve institution of higher learning such as
Colleges of Education, Universities and Polytechnics. Academic libraries serve
the teaching and research needs of students and staff. It always serves two
complementary purposes which are to support the school curriculum and to
support the institution, faculties and students. Since they are higher
institutional libraries, they are charged with the duty of gathering and
assembling all the necessary resource materials the students and researchers
may need. The totality of the students and researchers performances is highly
dependent on the quality and effectiveness of the library the institution
breeds. Modern libraries provide resources to students and researchers through
the online search. It also provides avenue for students and researchers to
access resource materials across other automated libraries.
Library
automation is one of the latest technological development which involves the
application of computer technologies, library software, C.D.-ROM, telephones and
other ICT facilities in library functions to make library resources available
to users and also accessible online. An automated library refers to library
which consists mainly of materials and services in electronic format
transmitted over network and also accessible online (Geisler 2005).
Since
the development in software technologies has made it less expensive to compile
and disseminate scholarly information to users, many academic libraries are on
the race to join the library automation in order to provide a comprehensive and
up-to-date resource materials to their users. According to Calhoun (2006),
libraries of the future may be evaluated based on their ability to provide
their users with technologies that allow application to communicate across platforms
and programming languages using standard protocols based on extensible markup
language (XML) to connect catalogue and other library resources to search
engines, e-learning system, portals, amazons etc. This is however hinged on
libraries running operating systems that will leverage their automation
projects on the “switching layer” platform. This “switching layer” platform
runs on computer software.
Computer
software package is a collection of computer programs and related data that
provides the instruction, telling a computer what to do and how to do it.
According to Oketunji (2006), computer software packages refer to one or more
computer program and data, held in the storage of the computer for some
purpose. It is a series of instruction designed for a computer to carry out specific
functions. According to Ceruzzi (2000), there are two main types of computer
software packages which are system software and application software. System software
is responsible for managing variety of independent hardware components so that
they can work together harmoniously. It provides the basic function for
computer and helps run the computer hardware and system. It includes the
combination of the following-device drivers, utilities, operating system,
window system, and servers. Application software is the second type of software
which is developed to aid in any task that benefit from computation. It is a
broad category and encompasses software of many kinds, including the internet
browser, library software, business software, computer aid design, spread
sheet, mathematical software, educational software etc. For the purpose of this
study, emphasis will be placed on the application software since it embodies
the library software.
Library
software packages are computer software packages designed to perform and
accomplish library functions. The tasks designed for the software to accomplish
in the library are in cataloguing, acquisition, circulation, reference sections
etc. The advent of computer and software as a product of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) makes it easy to automate library operations,
thereby facilitating students and staff in higher institution in searching
information and carrying out research in their respective fields. Raseroka (1999) asserted that the application
of ICT has created in the library a new information service unit providing
electronic acquisition, electronic cataloguing, electronics serial control
Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), inter library loan and electronic circulation
control. The application of computer and software in the library has brought
into the world a data base for students and researchers to acquire knowledge or
engage in participatory research. Illorah et al (2007) posited that computers
are now being made use of in importing knowledge acquired. They also maintained
that the application of computer and software in the library enables the
library user to take charge of their own learning through direct exploration,
expression and experience.
The advances in the area of software
as well as breakthrough in the field of communication brought about a great
revolution in the way libraries deliver their services. Also the arrival of the
internet has moved the revolution beyond the imagination of information seekers
both in terms of speed with which queries are answered and the volume of
materials available in response to the given query (Olanlokun, 2003). Some of
the library oriented software packages which are commonly used in academic
libraries includes:- TINLIB Software, Resources Mate, Polaris ILS, Atrium,
SLAM, X-Lib, Evergreen Software, CDS/ISIS, D-space, Alice for window, Oliver Koha,
Fedora etc. From previous research reports,the methods of acquisition of
library oriented software includes purchase, gift and exchange. In acquiring
software for library, there are things to be considered before acquisition. The
choice of software is an important, issue, its price, availability of manual
and the type of training it gives (onsite or online) matters. Idahosa (2001)
confirmed the in house development of software to be one of the best way of
acquisition because it allows the developer to access the hardware and software
available, the purpose of the software and other requirements before developing
the software. Such software is only meant for the purpose it was created and
cannot fit into any other library.
The purpose of utilization of
software is to make resource materials available on line for students and
researchers. These library software support library functions and are designed
to meet all the library requirements which include online catalogue,
circulation control, acquisition (Monographs), serial control, data import,
data export, inter-library loan, report generation, CD-ROM interface and
telecommunication and above all, most of
them are available separately as well as together in a fully integrated system.
Moreover, to ascertain the extent of
usage of these software, UNESCO developed CDS/ISIS to benefit developing
countries in which library and information services had to easy and affordable
access to software. It is a package that has been developed for bibliographic information,
which is information about documents such as books, journals articles or
conference proceedings. Some academic and special libraries have used the
software for instance the Lagos Business School (LBS) which adopted the
CDS/ISIS because of its no-cost nature (Idahosa 2001).
On the other hand, Tinlib, widely
used system application software in library was introduced in 1993 as part of
the World Bank Loan Project in Nigeria.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) introduced Tinlib software for
online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) for use in Federal University Libraries.
It is user friendly and only easy to understand. Oyinloye (2004) listed some of
the features that make Tinlib preferred over other library software as
availability of catalogue and retrieved module, circulation control,
acquisition module, and serial management module.
Software Library for Appearance
Matching (SLAM) is widely used library software recently licensed and
distributed by the Columbia
University to a number of
educational institutions for appearance learning and matching problems in
computational vision. Appearance learning involves use of principal components
analysis for compression of a large input set to a compact low-dimensional
subspace, called the eigenspace, in which the image will reside as
parameterized manifold. SLAM enables the user to obtain this parametric
representation by providing modules for eigenspace computation, projection of
image to eigenspace and interpolation of multivariate manifolds through the projection
( Nayar et al, 1994).
Also, x-lib is library oriented
software that is being used in most academic libraries in Nigeria. It was
developed at the Raw Material Research and Development Centre (RMRDC) Abuja, as a local library software developed to meet the
immediate needs of academic libraries in Nigeria (Bozimo 2006). It is
commonly used in Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, although some
Universities have adopted it. The system according to Oyinloye (2004)
completely automates the management of the library in acquisition, catalogue
and other allied readers services. It has been used in Nigeria
libraries since 1996. However, it has been improved upon and the latest version
of it is the lib +. The only difference between the two is that, the latest one
has some new features incorporated in it.
According to previous studies, the
problems militating against proper utilization of software in library includes
erratic power supply, lack of staff training, and wrong choice of software.
There are ways of enhancing software utilization in academic libraries of Nigeria which
includes adequate power supply, proper choice of software, adequate maintenance
of software and installation of antivirus in the systems. Despite the efforts made by some higher
institutions in Nigeria
to get their library automated, effective utilization of the library oriented
software is yet to be achieved.
This study aims at determining the acquisition
and utilization of library oriented software packages in academic libraries in
Akwa Ibom and Cross
River States.
Six higher institutions were examined in both states which includes two Federal Universities,
two State Universities and two Colleges of
Education. The two Federal Universities are the University
of Uyo located in Akwa Ibom State and the University
of Calabar located in Cross River
State. These two
Universities are degree awarding Universities. The State Universities include
the Akwa Ibom State University Mkpat Enin and the Cross River University of
Science and Technology (CRUTECH]. Also, the Colleges of Education include the
Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit located in Akwa Ibom State and Federal College of Education Obudu, located
in Cross River State.
These Colleges of Educations are NCE awarding institutions. The above higher
educational institutions under study are located in the South-South
geo-political zone of Nigeria. Their libraries have been trying to improve upon
their service delivery to their users. Interaction with colleagues revealed
that some of them have had history of automation which dates back to late 2000.
Although the World Bank organized and distributed computers and software
through NUC to some Federal Universities in Nigeria to kick start their
automation projects, many academic libraries abandoned it while some migrated
to other software they found to be more user friendly.
The University
of Uyo library migrated to other
software because of the features they realized in the new package while the University of Calabar library abandoned the projects
thus making use of the manual system of librarianship couple with the existence
of LAN to make information materials available for users. However, the Akwa
Ibom State University and the Cross River State University of Science and
Technology, although they are planning to adopt a software for their library
automation, they are currently making use of the manual system of librarianship
in making information resources available to users, likewise the Akwa Ibom
State College of Education and the Federal College of Education Obudu. .
Although
software plays a vital role in developing more effective automated data
acquisition and control in academic libraries, the nature of its utilization is
yet to be determined in these academic libraries under study. At this juncture,
this study is therefore aimed at examining acquisition and utilization of
library oriented software packages in academic libraries in Akwa Ibom and Cross River
States.
Statement of the Problem
ACQUISITION AND UTILIZATION OF LIBRARY-ORIENTED SOFTWARE PACKAGES IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN AKWA IBOM
