ABSTRACT
This
study was undertaken to find out the information and communication technology
literacy skills level of staff of National library of National. The design of
the study was a descriptive survey. Six
research questions were formulated to guide the study. The population consisted
of the entire 663 staff of National library of Nigeria. A sample size of 161 of
the population was used. Data was collected using structured questionnaires.
Validation was carried out by three experts; the comments, remarks and
recommendations of the experts were collated and used in the final modification
of the instrument. Data were administered and analyzed using frequency,
percentage, and means standard deviations. The major findings of the study
showed that, ICT literacy skills level in digital technology, internet and
communication technology usage is at low level. Among all the level of digital
technology skills itemized, booting the computer, using Microsoft word,
creating a file, opening a file, deleting files, cut & paste, copying data,
from other files, use of printer to print documents, use of scanners were the
only high level of digital technology
skills possess by the staff of NLN. Majority of the staff do not possess digital
technology skills. Creating an e-mail account, open e-mail (Signing in),
sending ordinary messages, sending attached files, and downloading attached
file were the only internets skills possess to a high level internet skills
possess by staff. Majority of the staff
do not possesses internet kills. Using telephone to communicate and use of
cellular phones were the only communication technology skills indicated by
staff of NLN to have possessed. Through formal education, colleagues,
workshops, conferences and attending IT programmes, and seminars were the
methods claimed by staff of NLN to which they have acquired ICT literacy
skills. Problems ranging from inadequate
of funds, inadequate government involvement in staff training, poor attitudes
of NLN staff towards ICTs, inadequate ICT resources, inadequate ICT literacy
skills level of management staff,
inadequate ICT instructor, were
associated with staff of National
library of Nigeria ICT literacy skills level acquisition. Pay more attention to
ICT literacy funding (budgets); Government should encourage staff training
through seminars, workshops etc.; procurement of adequate ICT resources;
improve adequate power supply; reduction
of workload of staff who are engaged in ICT literacy skills were suggested as
the strategies that could be used for enhancement ICT literacy skills level of
staff of National library of National.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
The National library of Nigeria is the apex library of Nigeria. It was
established under the National library of Nigeria Act NO.6 of
1964 and National Library Decree No. 29 of 1970 with the aim of extending
library and information services to the nation. The major objectives of the
library include the following: To assemble, maintain and extend a collection of
information materials of different types and in all forms (print and
electronic) appropriate for a library of the highest standing; To make the
facilities of the National library of Nigeria available to members of the
public and others in proper terms; To prepare and publish catalogues, indexes,
etc. To provide assistance to persons and organization libraries and to develop
National Bibliography of Nigeria and National Bibliographic services. Others
are: To collect books on contemporary or
new ideas from international organizations; To issue International Standard
Book Numbers (ISBN) and International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSN) to publishing
organizations and individuals (Enyia, 1992).It is also expected to stay afloat
intellectually by receiving legal deposits(all
works by Nigerian writers).
Efforts have been made over the years on the use of
traditional library tools to provide effective library services to library
users and consequently achieve the objectives of the library. The use of
catalogue cards, newspaper indexing and press cuttings, use of post offices for
document delivery and correspondence were some of the commonly used traditional
library tools. However, the traditional library tools were soon found to be
incapable of coping with the management of large volumes of information
materials that emanated from information explosion and global information
management (Oyelude, in Madu, 2004). There was therefore need to introduce Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and
ensure that the staff acquire the requisite ICT literacy skills. This was to
help improve services to users and help the staff perform their functions more
effectively.
Information and communication
technology refers to the technology that is used to process, store, disseminate
and communicate information between people and organizations. It is “the set of
activities which are facilitated by digital technology means in processing,
transmission and display of information” (The World Bank (1999) as cited in Abdullahi
and Haruna (2008, p24).
According to
Rodriguez and Wilson, (2000), ICTs “refer to technologies people use to share,
distribute, and gather information and to communicate through computers and
computer networks/Internet; (including) e-mail – exchange of mails,
text, graphic programmes, audio, video, Telnet, File Transfer Protocol (FTP),
World Wide Web (WWW) etc. The technologies can only work effectively if the
human expertise is employed in which case the literacy skills of the staff.
From the researcher’s point view, information and communication technology
(ICT) is defines as the technologies that consists of the hardware, software
networks and media (communication tools) for the collection, storage,
processing, transmission, and presentation of information.
The need for the staff of National Library of
Nigeria to acquire ICT literacy skills for effective Information service
delivery to their users is fundamental. It will enable them operate better in this era of digital libraries, electronic
libraries and globalization occasioned by the use of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT). The introduction of ICTs and the
acquisition of the ICT literacy skills will help to
improve communication provide improved library services to users’ especially
better information and faster responses to enquiries facilitate administrative
process by implementing financial information system and office automation
systems. It will also improve flexibility and responsiveness to change of
library processes and reduce cost by automating routine tasks and other
repetitive library jobs.
Information
and communication technology is set of technological tools and resources used
to communicate and create, disseminate, store and manage information. ICTs
encompass a range of rapidly evolving technologies and they includes
telecommunication technologies (telephony, cable, satellite, Tiv and radio,
computer-mediated conferencing, video, as well as digital technologies
(computers information networks (Internet, World Wide Web) and software
applications (Chisenga 2006).
The
major purpose of any library is to provide a quality service: access to
relevant information, through the use of computer information network and
software applications. These ICT are making it possible for libraries to
provide a variety of library and information services to library users. All
functions and services that librarians used to provide manually can be provided
now through the use of ICTs which can do things better and faster. Haliso
(2007) mentioned some of the opportunities presented by ICT to the libraries
such as: organization of information for use, capacity building, management
information system.
Digital
system and resources sharing/information or document delivery can only be enjoy
when library is automated and library staff acquired ICT literacy skills.
National library of Nigeria are library that are established to take care of
information need of users. Therefore, their expected to provided quality
information service to library users.
The
use of information and communication technology provide significant benefits in
work measurement, cost reduction, productivity, improvement and better services
to library users (Ajayi 2005). Actually it is availability and acquisition of knowledge
which makes use possible and it is the skills to use that make performance attainable.
So, the combined effect of availability of information and communication
technology/acquisition of ICT skills can enhance the library and information
services/jobs of librarians.
There
is need for all developed and developing nations of the world to take
information and communication technologies (ICTs) as tools that aid the
enhancement of function, performance of the library staff through use of ICTs
depend solely by the acquisition of ICT literacy skills of that library staff.
This cannot be achieved unless National library of Nigeria realize the
tremendous role that information and communication technology could play to
enhance effective service. The benefit of ICT can only be enjoyed by library
when ICT resources are on ground and the staff of that library acquired the ICT
literacy skills.
At present, the state of ICT literacy skills of
staff of National library of Nigeria library is still at infancy level.
National library of Nigeria attempted to introduce information and
communication technology in order to automate library functions and the attempt
still continue. National library of Nigeria began with the establishment of the
LAN and internet connectivity, online public access catalogue which is database
containing the library’s collection that can be accessed by individual on-line
was equally created but NLN are still on the race to make their library and
information services totally ICT – based.
Moreso, Mac Arthur (2005) titled “developing strong
university libraries in Nigeria” pointed out that, develop effective
information delivery system as a key component of university teaching and
learning and modern technology greatly enhances such system.
Information and communication technology enhance
services provision to library users, this can only be achieved when librarian
are skilled in use of ICT. Digital technology communication technology and
network/internet to perform functions like cataloguing and classification
serials management, collection development, referencing, indexing and
abstracting in order to improve library and information services to library
users. In order to function and provide timely information at a faster spread
to library users, NLN must released the important role ICT play in enhancing
library function. This can only achieve when staff of that library acquired
information and communication literacy skills necessary for them to performance
their functions.
However, the researcher observed that, majority staff
of NLN still struggle with manual library operation method. Consequently,
library users show dissatisfactions and complain of poor information services
delivery by the staff of the national library of Nigeria.
Lack
of funds, erratic power supply and poor communication network are some of the
challenges of ICT literacy skills (Jagboro (2003), and Onmuama (2006). These
constraints appeared to be factors hindering the acquisition of ICT literacy
skills and utilization of ICTs in Nigeria and other developing countries. Other
challenges that confront effective deployment of ICT literacy skills in the
National library of Nigeria include poor bandwidth, insufficient skills
acquisition by staff of the library, insufficient ICT facilities etc.
Safahieh and Asemi (2008)and Ugwuanyi
(2009) who carried out studies on ICTs
literacy skills among librarian both in Nigeria and in developing countries,
recommended provision of funds and training for librarians. Despite all the
benefits associated with ICT literacy skills, ICT literacy skills is still
lacking among staff of National library of Nigeria. Therefore, there is need to
investigate Information and communication technology literacy skills level of
staff of Nigeria Library of Nigeria.
Statement
of the Problem
ICT
helps to gather, process and distribute information through computing, data
storage, and communication. It also provides access to storage and
dissemination of information, facilitates global interconnectivity, and
accelerates information exchange. However, most of our libraries have not been
able to harness these benefits due to several reasons ranging from inadequacy
of the facilities, inadequate funds, total lack of or insufficient ICT skills
by the staff of the respective libraries etc.
Ukachi (2010) postulates that, “even when the technologies (ICT) and
accompanying resources in electronic format are available in libraries, the
challenges of getting skillful personnel to man the facilities are inadequate
because staff lack adequate ICT literacy skills in accessing electronic
materials, downloading information online and acquiring electronic books,
therefore librarians needs skills that go beyond the traditional library
skills.’’
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) LITERACY SKILLS LEVEL OF STAFF OF NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NIGERIA
