CONSULTANCY SERVICES IN FIRST GENERATION FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN NIGERIA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page        –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –                         i

Approval Page           –           –           –           –           –           –                       ii

Certification Page      –           –           –           –           –                       iii

Dedication        –           –           –           –           –           –                         iv

Acknowledgements        –           –           –           –           –                         v

Table of Contents        –           –           –           –           –                       vi

List of tables       –           –           –           –           –           –                       x        

Abstract        –           –           –           –           –           –                       xii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study         –           –           –           –                       1

Statement of Problem            –           –           –           –           –                        5

Purpose of the Study     –           –           –           –           –                       7

Research Questions     –           –           –           –           –                       7

Significance of the Study          –           –           –           –           –           8

Scope of the Study          –           –           –           –           –                       9

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Conceptual Framework                –           –           –           –                       11

Benefits of rendering consultancy services to university libraries in Nigeria –                 –           –           –           –                 –           –           –           –           12        

Consultancy Firms: Modalities             –           –           –                       14

Historical Development of First Generation Federal Universities in Nigeria –               –           –           –           –                 –           –           –           –             17

Consultancy Services in First Generation libraries in Nigeria –            18

Perceived Problems of Rendering Consultancy Services to Libraries –                  –           –           –           –                 –           –           –           –        –           22

Strategies for Improving Consultancy Services in University Libraries –                 –           –           –           –                 –           –           –           –        23

Empirical Studies        –         –           –           –           –                       26

Summary of Literature Review  –           –           –                       29

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS

Research Design         –           –           –           –           –           –           –                     31

Area of Study –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –                     31

Population of the Study        –           –           –           –                     32

Sample and Sampling Technique             –           –                                 32

Instrument for Data Collection             –           –           –                     33

Validation of the Instrument-           –           –           –                     34

Method of Data Collection      –           –           –           –                    34

Method of Data Analysis      –           –           –           –           –                     34

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF DATA

Answers to Research Questions            –           –           –           –           37

Research Question One               –           –           –           –           –           39

Research Question Two               –           –           –           –           –           40

Research Question Three             –           –           –           –           –           42

Research Question Four                    –           –           –           44

Research Question Five                  –           –           –           –           –           44

Research Question Six                  –           –           –           –           –           45

Summary of Major Findings       –           –           –           –           –           48

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION.

Discussion of the Findings            –           –           –           –           –           50

Implication of the Study      –           –           –           –           –           –           54

Recommendations            –           –           –           –           –           –           55

Conclusion          –           –           –           –           –           –           –           57

Suggestions for Further Studies           –           –           –           –           57

REFERENCES                    –           –           –           –           –           –           –           59

 Appendix A; Letter to respondents        –           –           –           65

 Appendix B; Set 1: Questionnaire for librarians          –           –           66         

Appendix C; Set 2: Questionnaire for Consultancy Firms            –           70                   

Appendix D; Set 1 Analysis with Excel ranking for Librarians   –           75                    

Appendix E; Set 2 Analysis for Consultants                 –           –           77                   

Appendix F; Set 3 Analysis for Librarians       

Appendix G; Set 4 Analysis for Consultants                       

Appendix H; Population of librarians and consultants                        

LIST OF TABLES

Table

 1a.      Responses on Nature of consultancy services In University Libraries –         –                 –           –   37

 1b.      Responses on the Nature of Services Offered By Constancy Firms  –           –             38                                                                                                

 2.        Responses on factors that motivates libraries –    –          –             39

 3.        Responses on factors that motivates consultancy Firms to offer          services to libraries       –          –         –           –        –     –           40

  4.       Responses on the consultancy firms that work- –           –          

For university libraries in Nigeria                   –           –             –         41

  6.         Responses on the level of satisfaction of libraries with Consultancy services rendered         –           –           –           –           –           –             42

7.       Responses on the level of satisfaction of consultants With services rendered to university libraries in Nigeria      –           –           –            43

     8.    Responses on the benefits or rendering consultancy services To university libraries –      –     –      – –     –      –           –       –        –         –      –          44

      9.   Responses on the perceived problems facing librarians-     –              45

    10.   Responses on the perceived problems facing consultants in rendering Services to federal university libraries in Nigeria        –             46

11.    Responses on the strategies libraries consider in improving services rendered by consultancy firms   –          –        –             –              47

    12.    Responses on the strategies consultants consider in improving services rendered to libraries         –        –              –       –             –     –       48

13.     Showing the population of librarians and consultants in the six first Generation Federal Universities Libraries in Nigeria                                 

14.     Data on number of questionnaires distributed number Returned and Percentages.                           

15.    First generation federal Universities                             

16.    Names of consultancy firms                                  

     ABSTRACT

The study is on consultancy services in first generation federal university libraries in Nigeria. The  study was carried out with these purposes,  identifying the nature of consultancy services rendered to university libraries, determining the factors that motivates consultancy services in first generation university libraries,  verifying the consultancy firms that work for these libraries, determining the level of satisfaction with services rendered, determining the benefits of offering consultancy services to these libraries, determining the perceived problems involved in rendering consultancy services and identifying the strategies used for improving the  services rendered by these libraries. Seven research questions were formulated to guide the study. The survey design was used for the study. The population of the study was 306 and the sample consists of 103 librarians and 22 consultants. Major finding made were that, the nature of consultancy services rendered in university libraries in Nigeria are mostly in the areas    of library automation, retrospective cataloguing and retrospective conversion of records, and information and communication technology businesses. That area such as anti theft, indexing, current awareness and digital reference services are not yet fully utilized. The study determined that the factors that motivates consultancy services in university libraries are, demand for information delivery, to improve on services rendered to users, willingness to pay for services as at when due and technical know how.  The study discovered that eleven consultancy firm’s work for theses libraries and that most of the libraries are satisfied with the services rendered by consultancy firms. Recommendations made for the study were that, policy makers should help university libraries to render better service delivery by releasing more funds to help them improve on services rendered to users, that libraries on their part should consider the information needs of the users and types of products that they want to buy before engaging the services of consultants, so as to avoid paying for what is not needed.

CHAPTER ONE

Background of the Study

   The online dictionary for library and information science (2004), Genaway (1992) and Painter (1992) are of the view that a consultant is one who gives professional advice in a specialized field, hired by a library or other institution to analyze a problem and provide professional or technical advice concerning possible solutions especially when the required level of expertise is not available within the organization or the opinion of an outsider is desirable.

National Industrial chemicals notification and assessment scheme (2006) and World net (2007) sees consultancy as the practice of procuring external specialists to provide expert advice and services where staff do not have the expertise or have overriding obligations within a particular field. Babu, Ramaiah,Saxena and Bedi (2007) are of the view that Consultancy in library and information science is regarded as an occupation that is legitimate, professional and respectable. Dougherty (1980) while tracing the beginning of library consulting noted that during the 1940’s and 1950’s information services and library consulting begun to evolve as a profession and individual consultants and firms began to focus on particular kinds of libraries or technologies. The first attempt consisted primarily of simple surveys, questionnaires, and personal interviews. Association for information Management (ASLIB) was a pioneer, having established a consultancy services in the mid 1960s and is gradually catching up in India and other parts of the world

 Balikuddembe (2005) and Open System Management cooperation sees consultancy services as tapping talents  that are aimed at aiding a person, group, organization, or larger systems in mobilizing internal and external resources to deal with problem confrontation. Consultancy services in library and information science seems to feature prominently among the sources of information that are increasingly taped by information consumers whenever they need information.  Kurb (1996) reported that consultancy services involve the consultant who shares expertise with client (university libraries) instead of trying to hide it. The client (university libraries) who participates as closely and intensively as possible in the assignment. Both parties sparing no effort in making the assignment a valuable learning, thereby saving the client’s time, providing effective service by the consultant and helping university libraries meet user’s demands especially with new services and products. Consultancy services in library and Information science are gradually transforming libraries helping them to diversify library services rendered to users. According to the Gower Handbook(1998), the nature of consultancy services rendered to first generation federal university libraries are mostly in the areas of information communication technologies, other areas are abstracting and indexing, catalogue maintenance, binding services, current awareness services, CD-Rom search, database design,  online-research services, software and hardware supply, automation of libraries and information systems to mention but a few. Consultancy services are therefore advisory services contracted for and provided to organizations or by clients, by specially trained and qualified persons who assist in an objective and independent manner, the client or organization, to identify problems, analyze such as a problem, recommend solutions to these problems and help when requested in the implementation of solutions.

The university library is regarded as the heart of the intellectual life of a University. The role it plays in the University is to support the objectives of the University, which is promoting teaching, learning and research. The University library is the nerve centre or the hub around which scholarship revolves. It is an indispensable instrument for intellectual development. A well stocked university library is a storehouse of information, or a record of human experience to which users may turn to for data or information. Jubb and Green (2007) observe that university libraries have for centuries played critically important roles in supporting research in all subjects and disciplines within their host universities or colleges.  Oyesiku and Oduwole (2004) assert that in academic communities, libraries are indispensable. Guskin (1996) notes that the use of university libraries promotes active learning, thus contributing to students’ ability to think critically and work well independently or in group. An academic environment without a library is tantamount to a person without a brain.

Ifidon (1999) writing on the relevance of academic libraries stated the functions of academic library as: Provision of materials for undergraduate instruction, term paper as well as supplementary reading. Provision of materials in support of faculty, external and collaborative researches. Provision of postgraduate research. Provision of extensive standard work especially in the professional disciplines. Stimulation of researchers interest in the printed world. Provision of materials for personal development. External relationships and inter-library cooperation.

The library needs competent hands to help  meet up with the demands of the users it serve and if they must give quality services that would satisfy their users, they need to employ certain strategies to help them develop their libraries.

Debowski (2003) in defining information service listed six key outcomes aimed at achieving library and information service, which academic libraries can adopt in meeting the objectives of the universities they were created to serve. They include, ensuring that the needs of users and the accessibility of information sources are suitably matched at all times. Delivering those information sources to the users in a timely and appropriate fashion. Ensuring that the information is of high quality, accurate and appropriate. Assisting the user in interpreting the materials when necessary. Promoting users awareness of new services and information sources they need. Providing users with individualized guidance and support as they build their information search and application skills.

   Over the years university libraries in Nigeria have been striving to meet users demands, ensuring that information is of high quality, disseminated accurately and in a timely fashion.  Various patterns and trends have been driving the changes in the use of University libraries in Nigeria today. The effectiveness, viability and vitality of university libraries are increasingly at risk. The sophistication of the students and researchers needs makes them to place a lot of demands on the university library as to obtain the needed information. Ifidon B. (1995) reported that the university library is in a state of transition in terms of resources and users, that many information sources are only available online and in electronic forms, university libraries are faced with the challenges of finding ways to overcoming problems library users encounter in their bid to get the required information. The most pressing of such challenges is that of the concept of ICT’s (Information Communication Technologies) such as retrospective conversion from manual to computerization of all library activities and lack of technical know how. This observed transition make it difficult for libraries to stay on their own but to embrace consultancy services and the wealth of experience they come with.

The importance of consultancy services to university libraries are numerous, they help libraries develop information related technologies and storage devices  which makes university libraries focus on their core objective of meeting  user’s needs, they help libraries acquire a higher-level and greater  range of expertise,   they help university libraries to acquire skills and knowledge transfer than they could afford  themselves, they help libraries expand the delivery of specialized services within a confined budget,  they help libraries obtain access to new markets and product services, they help libraries migrate to new platforms and infrastructure without a drain on resources or capital.     

In Nigerian university libraries the opportunities for engaging consultants are already knocking on our doors, Libraries need to engage consultants to help train more staff on full time bases on current trends in libraries.

 The Gower Handbook (1998) mentioned an important factor to the success of consultancy services which university libraries should adopt to be improve services rendered to users, that they should take time to determine their objectives for engaging consultants and develop their strategy to match the objectives and all that remains to be done is for university libraries in Nigeria to widely open their doors to accept consultancy services.