ROLE OF THE LIBRARY IN THE UBIQUITOUS COMPUTER (INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY) ENVIRONMENT

ROLE OF THE LIBRARY IN THE UBIQUITOUS COMPUTER (INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY) ENVIRONMENT

ABSTRACT

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has brought unprecedented changes and transformation to academic libraries and information services. Taking into cognizance the recent trends in ICT and the Nigerian situation, this work elicits the impact of  ICT in Nigerian public academic Libraries. The primary objectives were to ascertain the level of automation; to determine the usefulness of ICT resources; the effectiveness of ICT resources; the required skills in using ICT resources and the factors militating against the effective use of ICT. University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state was used as case study. The survey research design was employed and the instrument used for data collection was the Questionnaire. Simple tables and percentages were used to analyze the data collected. The research work revealed that the University of Uyo Library is automated/computerized and that they apply Strategic Library Automation Management (SLAM); only three divisions of the libraries are computerized/automated which are Readers Services Division, Technical Services Division and Collection Development division;  the major reason attached to the use of ICT resources was for information storage and retrieval; the ICT resources mostly used are CD-ROM, online database, World Wide Web and the Internet. The study also revealed that ICT has an enormous impact based on its effectiveness. Inadequate training and retraining of staff by management; inadequate funding, epileptic power supply and lack of search skills are the major factors militating against the effective use of  ICT in Nigerian University libraries. Amongst others, inadequate funding, capacity building, regular power supply were recommended.