Building Institutional Repository: Knowledge Management, Content, Understanding of Key Issues and the Librarians Role (Published)
Institutional Repositories (IRs) are increasingly becoming crucial library resources, and more use of digitized material is fundamental in building sustainable IRs. With a series of universities and research sites distributed throughout the continent, a lot of researchwhich requires preservation is obviously carried out in the institutions. However, a majority of the research generated from these institutions ends up in various libraries which are hardly accessed by learners. As such, many African scholars rely greatly on information from developed nations and reduce Africa to just a consumer of information, rather than a source, hence building an accessible IR allows the display of the works of scholars to the broader community and considerably assists in the advancement of an institution and its outreach. The successful establishment of an institutional repository needs careful arrangements and enthusiasm from the entire institutional community such as students, faculty members and academic staff. Critical decisions have to be made before making any designs and redesigns on IRs such as the funds, staff, technology, metadata, content, building operations and successful management and running of the IRs. This paper explores knowledge management in terms of software and the evolution of how knowledge is managed, the inclusion process of content through structured content organization and modular content publishing, issues of IRs in Nigerian Universities, and the roles of the librarian in building institutional repositories.
Keywords: Academic, Digital, Institution, Nigeria, librarian, repository
University Library Services and Academic Success of Students: A Case Study of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria (Published)
This research is a venture into a study of the impact of some selected library services on the academic success of students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria with a view to establish if there exists any relationship between specific library services and academic performance of students. A test-retest reliability method of two weeks interval was conducted. Responses obtained were subjected to Pearson Products Moment Correlation (PPMC) method and a reliability coefficient of 0.83 was obtained. Multistage sampling technique was employed. 1656 respondents were selected for the study, with 89% response rate. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in the study. The study found that the significant mean score of Internet services (3.33), Selective dissemination of Information SDI(2.93), and circulation services(2.97) were above average (2.5) with reference services(2.46) alone being below average. However, only Internet Services(R=0.880 p-value=0.049<0.05) was found to correlate significantly with the student academic performance. The most utilized services at FUTO library are the internet services, seconded by Book Loan services. It was recommended that more effort should be put to ensure the sustenance of internet and circulation services as they help students achieve higher test scores.
Keywords: Academic, Internet, Library, Success, services
Awareness and Utilization of Databases Subscribed to by FUTO Library among FUTO Academic Staff (Published)
This paper is an attempt to study the issues of database Awareness and utilization by Academic Staff members in Federal University of Technology, Owerri with a view to study the exposure of Academics staff to the University’s subscribed database resources. It also aims to bring to light the challenges that confront the users and recommend some remedial measures for its improvement. A test-retest reliability method of two weeks interval was conducted, response obtained were subjected to Pearson Product Moment Correlation method and a reliability co-efficient of 0.78 was obtained. The Random Sampling Technique together with a Questionnaire was used for data collection on 100 out of a population size of 1,003 academic staff members and only 74 responded giving a response rate of 74 percent.Descriptive and inferential Statistics including Frequencies count, charts, mean score, Relative Important index (R.I.I) and Percentages were used in reporting the findings. The study confirmed that the level of awareness of the subscribed electronic information resources or databases by the Library Management is rather low as well as that of the level of utilization. The paper records that the reasons why academic staff members of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri use databases; were mainly for research (48%) and current awareness (49%). It suggests further for an improvement in the training of the academic staff members , efficient power supply, and access to facilities with high Internet speed and subscription to more databases (e-resources) by the University Library.
Keywords: Academic, Database, Subscribed, Utilization, awareness