Integrating Data Literacy into Information Literacy Programmes: Any Difference? (Published)
There is an urgent need to address data literacy in undergraduate library instruction. In Africa and especially in Nigeria, the need for a data information literacy program (DIL) to prepare students to engage in an electronic research environment is also articulated by scholars in recent literature. However, the question as to whether data literacy should replace information literacy has not been properly articulated in recent times in Africa even though it is acknowledged that the resultant effect of this data literacy is expected to precipitate the advent of the data revolution and the rise of digital technologies which are needed in today’s information age. The question of the degree of the nature of the integration of data literacy into information literacy programs and how it could be taught synergistically and push data literacy strategically for the fourth industrial revolution is a major fulcrum of this study. This paper, therefore, involves a theoretical and systematic literature engagement with a focus on integrating data literacy into information literacy programs in academic libraries and in undergraduate library instruction and curriculum.
Keywords: Academic Library, Information literacy, data literacy, fourth industrial revolution, library instruction
Citation Analysis of Serials in Graduate-Students’ Thesis: A Functional Tool for Effective Serials Management in University Libraries (Published)
Serials being important to students and researchers as they contain the most current and relevant information that can be used for academic and research purposes needs to be assessed periodically to determine if they are still relevant to the users. This study therefore examines the analysis of serials citations in graduate-students’ theses as a functional tool for effective management of serials in university libraries using theses submitted from 2013 to 2021 in Library and information Science of four government owned universities in eastern region of Nigeria as case in point. The study was meant to provide answers to three research questions which formed the guide while a descriptive survey design was applied with a population of 203 which stood as the total number of masters’ degree theses produced by the four universities within the period under study. The main instruments used in collecting data for this study were the researcher-designed checklists with which 8445 serials citations were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics of mode, mean and range and data presented in tables, charts and graphs using frequencies and percentile. The outcome of the study revealed that journals with 76% citations were the most cited against conference proceedings/reports with 20% and the least cited being government publications with only .5% citations. It was further established that multi authorship is the most cited authorship pattern in the graduates’ theses whereas the average age of serials cited were within the age bracket of 0 – 18. The conclusion drawn is that with the most cited type(s) of serials, serials titles, ages of serials and preferred authorship pattern known through citations analysis of serials in research reports, the university librarian is better placed as to knowing which serials to select, acquire and how to have them organized for easy accessibility and retrieval by users as well as the amount of money to be earmarked for their acquisitions which invariably will bring about prudent management of the library budget in this period of shrinking budget for academic libraries.The study therefore recommended among other things that for effective application of serials citations analysis as a functional tool for effective serial management, staff of serials unit most partner documentation unit as to ensuring proper citations analysis of serials submitted to the library by every department as this can be used as a guide for the unit to identify the core serials for selections, acquisitions and also as a guide for total serials collections maintenance.
Keywords: Academic Library, Graduate Students, citation analysis, library and information science, serials, serials management, theses, university library
Challenges of Effective of Circulation Services in Academic Library: A Case Study of Muhammadu Wabi Library, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi (Published)
The focus of this study was to examine the problems to effective circulation services in academic library, the selected library for the study was Muhammadu Wabi library, Federal polytechnic Bauchi. the objectives of the study was to find out the services provided to users by the circulation unit, to ascertain whether the users are satisfied with the services, to determined the problems to effective use of circulation resources and to find out strategies for effective service delivery. Survey research method was used for the study and questionnaire was the instrument for the collection of relevant data for the study. 43 questionnaires were distributed to the library staff (respondents) and 36 copies were returned, while 95 were distributed to the library users out of which 78 copies were returned. Data was analyzed using simple statistical methods (frequency and percentage). The major findings of the study revealed the most common service provided to the section is lending service, registration of user, and inter library loan and the services were indentified as relevant to the need of users. Lack of fund is the major problem of the section, other problems are lack of awareness, staffing, over population, lack of facilities and overdue cases. the strategies for improving the services in the section is library management support, majority of the respondents are satisfied with the services of the section and the results of the findings shows that the services are helpful to research and leaning activities of the users also, the problem encountered in the section are inadequate staffing, lack of awareness and absence of online circulation service. The study recommends that more financial support is required to boost the activities of the section, there is need to promote awareness on the activities of the section among users, circulation staff need to improve on their ICT skills, to more with the emerging changes, circulation services and other library services need to be automated.
Citation: Abdulhadi Abdullahi Muhammad Abdulhamid and Musa Muhammad Hayatu (2021) Challenges of Effective of Circulation Services in Academic Library: A Case Study of Muhammadu Wabi Library, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, International Journal of Library and Information Science Studies, Vol.7, No.5, pp.37-46
Keywords: Academic Library, Muhammadu Wabi Library, circulation services, federal polytechnic Bauchi
Evaluation Digital Library Services During Covid-19 Pandemic: Using Users’ Experiences in Academic Institution, Jordan (Published)
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of perception of university students of electronic library services as well as the extent of integration of the elements of electronic libraries into the services of classic and digital academic libraries. The qualitative approach to data collection has been employed by using four focus groups from 10 Public Universities summing up to a total of 40 graduate students using (Microsoft Teams). This approach revealed the level of perception of students of the digital content and services. The results indicated that users’ reactions were very good, and accessing databases through the Internet was the most perceived aspect. One of the implications for academic digital libraries is what is related to provision of digital content and services in Internet environment. Recommendations of users is demanding for more help through the Internet for search for information; improving their skills for accessing full texts of this information; provision of better guidance and directions.
Keywords: Academic Library, Digital Library, Jordan, databases, internet services
Awareness and Experience of School Library Usage among Undergraduate Students: A Review of the Literature (Published)
Tertiary institutions have academic libraries attached to them with the mandate to preserve and provide access to knowledge and information and support the mission of their parent institutions but before getting introduced to the academic library, users must have passed through a primary and secondary school expected to have a school library. The mission and goal of a typical school library is to ensure that students and staff are able to use ideas and information of the school library media center and have equitable access to books, reading space, information, and information technology. This is expected to help prepare students to live and learn in a world of information and their perception of the school library, its image, services and importance, which goes a long way in making them lifelong learners and potential users of other library types. Ironically, one still finds in Nigeria, some primary and secondary schools being run without libraries. This paper therefore discussed the extent of school library awareness and experience and its possible effects on the library usage by undergraduate students. Specifically, it discussed school library awareness and experience as well as library usage among the undergraduate students; and concluded on the extent to which school library awareness and experience are determinants of library usage among undergraduate students
Keywords: Academic Library, Experience, School library., Undergraduate Students, awareness, library usage
Level of Availability and Utilization of Information and Communication Technology Facilities by Students: A Case Study of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, Imo State Nigeria (Published)
This paper is an attempt to evaluate the availability and utilization of Information and Communication (ICT) facilities by students in Federal Polytechnic Library, and also challenges the academic library faces in the area of adoption and utilization of ICT in their service delivery. Questionnaire survey approach was adopted. Primary data were collected with the aid of a four point likert scale questionnaire. Questionnaires were administered to Students of the study area. The Population for the Students at Federal Polytechnic Nekede is 870 which was obtained from the Universities’ Information and Communication Technology block (ICT, 2017). The sample size is 290. The sampling technique used here is stratified simple random. To guarantee the reliability of the instrument, it was administered on ten(10)participants out of the envisaged population of the study. 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. To analyze data on the research questions of the study the researcher used descriptive statistical mean. The hypothesis was tested using the chi-square (x2) which is a statistical tool to test hypothesis about the relationship between means of groups. It was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that scanning machines, printer, CD-ROM, Computer, Flash Drives, Land Area Network (LAN) and Inverter were available but few. Also the majority of the students indicated that they use ICT to retrieve information (3.1), make research(3.1), disseminate information (3.0) chat with friends (3.1) and download files (3.0). Challenges such as unreliable telecommunication network (3.3) insecurity in the library (3.3) epileptic power supply (3.3) unreliable internet (3.0) and high cost of ICT hardware/software were identified as major challenges of availability and utilization of ICT in the school’s academic library. It was recommended however that these challenges be looked into both by the institution and government in order to address the challenges.
Keywords: Academic Library, Education, ICT, Information and Communication Technology, Nigeria, Students, Utilization