=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-1830/Paper65
|storemode=property
|title=Managing Academic Library Services in Nigeria in the 21st Century
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1830/Paper65.pdf
|volume=Vol-1830
|authors=Isah Abdullahi Yahaya,Ango Abubakar Aliyu,Abu Ahmed Adamu
}}
==Managing Academic Library Services in Nigeria in the 21st Century==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1830/Paper65.pdf
International Conference on Information and Communication Technology and Its Applications
(ICTA 2016)
Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria
November 28 – 30, 2016
Managing Academic Library Services in Nigeria in the 21st Century
Isah Abdullahi Yahaya1, Ango Abubakar Aliyu2, and Abu Ahmed Adamu3
1,3
University Library Services, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria
2
University Library Services, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Nigeria
1
esahy1@gmail.com, 2angoabubakar@yahoo.com, 3ahmed.abu@futminna.edu.ng
Abstract—This paper discussed on the management of library changed libraries from store houses for books to an
services in the 21st century. Library services like circulation, intellectual information centre where computers and
serial, cataloguing services have all improved with the aid of telecommunication devices are used to improve routine
Information and Communication Technology. Libraries are library operations in order to have access to global
now introducing social media service to cater for the tech savvy information resources.
clienteles. The paper also focused on the impact of information In Nigeria, before the advent of Information and
technology on library routine services like circulation, serial, Communication Technology (ICT), routine library services
electronic library, Online Public Access Catalogue and social were mostly carried out manually. For example, acquisition
media services. Furthermore, the paper identified challenges
services involved library staff stamping each book and
faced with management of Library services in the 21st Century.
The study recommended change of LIS curricula to suit the
assigning handwritten accession numbers, which was quite
application of ICT in Libraries, need for Librarians to have tedious and tasking. Other services like registering new users
the requisite ICT skills and improve funding for procurement which are carried out by circulation staff required entry on
of ICT infrastructure. registration cards to be done either handwritten or by the use
of manual typewriter. Same goes for other services in the
Keywords- library; library service; ICT; 21st century library like serial services and Selective Dissemination of
Information.
I. INTRODUCTION
II. LIBRARY SERVICES IN THE 21TH CENTURY
Library and Information Science (LIS) is an old
profession and dates back to the period before paper was Library services in the 21st century are mostly done with
invented in China. LIS is a profession that deals with the the aid of Information and Communication Technology.
collection, organization, retrieval and use of information Information and Communication Technology has impacted
resources to clientele. “Librarianship is the discipline and and improved all sectors of the economy and the library is
profession that is concerned with helping individuals obtain not left out of this. The growth of ICT has led to increase
reliable information to increase their knowledge in all demand for information and its changing the way to which
spheres of their lives from the cumulated information store information is handled. With ICT in libraries, Librarians are
of mankind” [1]. It is a profession that deals mostly with faced with a great task of incorporating ICT to the services
rendering library services to users and the community it they render. ICT has aided a fast delivery of library services
serves. as such clienteles need not to spend much time within the
Academic libraries are libraries that are found in library before they needs are meet. Furthermore, ICT has
higher educational institutions of learning like the revolutionised library services in the 21st
Universities, Colleges of Education and Polytechnics. In Nigeria, University of Ibadan was among the first
Academic libraries serve to meet the information needs of its tertiary institution to adopt the use of Information and
clientele and serve as the backbone of its parent institution Communication Technology in 1978 using CD-ROM
by providing current information resources. Academic extensively to produce bibliographic information [2].
libraries provide information services to students, faculty Furthermore, over the last decade many libraries have been
members and its immediate community with a mission of adopting ICT in its operations and academic libraries are
aiding research, teaching and learning. Academic library leading the pact in the adoption of these technology.
services include circulation, serial service, social media Information and Communication Technology could be
service, selective dissemination of information and current referred to as the change agent that has led to significant
awareness services among others. advancement in library routine activities. With ICT libraries
ICT in libraries is one of the most exciting thing that has are moving from the centres of printed publication to centres
happen in the field of science and technology which has of electronic sources of information where information
brought tremendous changes to Library and Information resources are term as electronic journal, electronic books,
Technology. Application of ICT to library functions has electronic magazines among others. Libraries are expected to
173
International Conference on Information and Communication Technology and Its Applications (ICTA 2016)
provide fast and effective services especially amongst the subscribe to these sources of information at an affordable
teeming tech savvy users [3]. Most literature on students’ use cost. Furthermore, there are other foundations like
of electronic resources indicated that there was increased Research4life Foundation and The Essential Electronic
preference for e-resources over print resources because of its Agricultural Library (TEEAL) that provides these services at
several advantages. This is as a result that bulk of the current affordable prices especially for developing countries like
generation of library users are highly tech-savvy [4]. Nigeria, Zambia, India, Kenya and other developing
Consequently, there is the need to provide services that will countries which the foundation covers. With these
meet the needs of its users. With the advances in ICT programmes, electronic journals are now easily accessible
applications in libraries, librarians are looking for new ways and affordable to libraries in order to meet the scholarly
to meet the user’s new demands and expectations. However, needs of students and faculty members.
this has encouraged the creation of new and innovative Librarians are now left with the need to develop digital
services that would meet up with these technologies and still literacy skills in order to navigate the complexities of
keep the traditional roles/functions of Libraries. locating and searching for the needed information for its
Application of ICT to library services has brought a lot of clientele and also organise literacy programmes to create
changes to library operations there by making access to awareness to the subscribe electronic journal and also train
knowledge more convenient to user. As a result of these, students and lecturers on how to get their information within
libraries in Nigeria are now spending huge sums of money to the shortest possible time.
invest in infrastructural development of libraries and
provision of improved technological services to meet the C. Electronic Library Services
information needs of its 21st century library clienteles in the
best global best practices. Electronic library could be referred to as library without
These are the following ways library services are offered walls. Electronic libraries are libraries that use computers
in the digital age; and telecommunication devices to provide information
resources in digital formats to its patrons. Many academic
A. Circulation Services (Reader Services) libraries could be termed as hybrid libraries providing access
The circulation service is the major service that the to electronic resources and services while maintaining and
library does because this service involves the registration of supporting the use of physical collections housed in the
prospective library users. In the 21st century, this service is library building. With the rapid growth and penetration of
now automated. Different libraries are using different internet in the 21st century, students and faculty members
Integrated Library Software to automate their circulation now have access to vast amount of information resources
functions. With the automated circulation, registration of online with just a click of the mouse [4].
library users becomes easy, charging and discharging of Electronic library services has led to the provision of
books are done within some few minutes unlike during the Online Reference Services to clienteles that are not able to
manual process. come to the library and this service could be done by sending
Automation of circulation function makes it easier for messages through email to the librarian and wait for his
students to search for the book/materials that are available in response.
the library without them coming into the library. This could Traditionally, before the digital age, librarian’s duty is to
be done remotely from any part of the world as long as the select and organise sources of information for easy retrieval
lists of materials are present online. and use. But with electronic library services, the librarian
There are different types of Integrated Library directs users on how to get the information he needs in the
Management software. Some are open sources while others world of information overload. Despite the benefits
are proprietary. Examples of Integrated Library Management attributed to the use of electronic library, print sources of
software are Millennium and Sierra by Innovative, Koha. In information continue to be available since it’s not all the
Nigeria the process of automating library is slow due to users that have the requisite skills to access networked
financial constrain and administrative bottleneck but despite resources. It therefore becomes necessary for librarians to
that some Federal Universities in Nigeria have automated provide information literacy training to all its users.
their library functions. Universities like University of Ilorin,
University of Jos are operating on Koha Integrated Library D. Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC)
Management while American University of Nigeria uses Online Public Access Catalogue has been in existence
Millennium Integrated Library Management software by since the early 1980. Catalogue is an entry that contains the
Innovative. information about a library material. Cataloguing is the
process of getting the detailed description of library
B. Serial Services materials.
With the advent of ICT, serial publications are now in Cataloguing is the backbone of Librarianship, as such it
electronic format term as electronic journal and electronic leads clientele to the information they require [5]. Before
newspapers. These sources of information are easily the advent of ICT, only catalogues (book, card or sheaf) were
accessible from any part of the world. Among all the used to get the bibliographic information of library materials,
electronic sources of information, electronic journal are the even in the digital age, catalogue cards are still in use in
mostly used sources of information. Due the cost of purchase some universities library in Nigeria. Online Public Access
and subscription, University libraries in Nigeria are coming Catalogue (OPAC) is an online information retrieval system
together under the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and which uses Boolean search interface to retrieval records of
Committee of University Librarians to form a consortium to library information resources.
174
International Conference on Information and Communication Technology and Its Applications (ICTA 2016)
OPAC is defined as an information retrieval system clienteles on a real time basis, so also share and collaborate
characterized by short bibliographic records, mainly of with other institution to improve service delivery.
books, journals, and audiovisual materials available in a
particular library could be accessed remotely or within a III. CHALLENGES FACED BY ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN THE
local network [6]. Access to the list by library patrons, staff 21TH CENTURY IN NIGERIA
and the public is usually through computer terminals within
the library, home, café etcetera through the Internet. OPAC Academic library services in the 21st Century are faced
consist of nothing more than a simple index of the with the following challenges:
bibliographic data cataloged in the system which allows Inadequate power supply is the major problem faced
searching the entire catalogue online, conveniently and in Nigeria and since these facilities rely on power
quickly, using one or more search criteria. Management of supply to function these becomes a problem and
OPAC in some libraries has brought improved library affects the use of these library services.
services to users. Librarians not having the requisite skills to
These OPAC are mostly modules in an Integrated effectively manage these facilities
Library Management Software. With OPAC, longer time Inadequate funding from the University management
spent searching through the catalogue cabinets have been to procure the necessary equipment.
eliminated with a click of a mouse. Software like KOHA and Library School curriculum is outdated and does not
MILLENIUM have OPAC modules. reflect the changing environment and does not also
include emerging technologies in the field of LIS.
E. Social Media Services Attitudinal problem of librarians not willingly to
The shift from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 has brought a lot of embrace change and still prefer the traditional way
changes to web technology. At present, we are in the era of of rendering services.
Web 3.0 which is referred to as the intelligent web. Though
web 3.0 is in its initial stage it has assisted users to access the IV. RECOMMENDATIONS
web through multiple devices like television and mobile
The following recommendations are proffered;
phones [7].
Furthermore, Web 3.0 has led to Library 3.0 where Provision of alternative power supply that will
libraries are now learning spaces conducive for exchanging complement the general power in order for
ideas, experimentation and solving problems [8]. In the equipment and facilities to be functional always.
context of this study, web 2.0 applications were discussed Librarians should acquire the relevant skills to in
not dwelling much into web 3.0. Web 2.0 is a more order to provide better services to its clienteles
interactive web interface than the static Web 1.0. Web 2.0 is through training and attending workshops and
defined as the emergent generation of web tools and conferences.
applications [9]. These applications include social The Library and Information Science curricula
networking sites, blogs, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) should be reviewed in order to meet international
and podcasts among others. Among these applications, social standards. The curricula should be more practical
networking sites are the most widely used. oriented rather than been theoretical. The
Social networking sites are web-based services that allow universities should work together with the Nigerian
individuals to either construct a public or semi-public profile University Commission (NUC), Library Registration
within a bounded system, or articulate a list of other users Council of Nigeria (LRCN) and the Nigerian Library
with whom they share a connection, view, and traverse their Association (NLA) to come up with a minimum
list of connections and those made by others within the standard required for each Library school in the
system [10]. country.
These sites are interactive and it enables individuals to Funds should be readily available to procure the
exchange or share information and digital contents like needs infrastructure and for training of librarians in
videos, pictures and instant messaging. Libraries in fields that will meet the yearnings of librarians in the
developed countries have incorporated social media into the 21st century.
services they render. With social media platforms like Librarians are expected to embrace the change and
Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp clienteles can be informed join in developing new policies and trends in the
about new trends and services the library offer through the profession. Also for them to know that technology is
creation of library Facebook pages and clienteles following not here to displace them rather it’s here to make
the library twitter accounts. library routine services better and efficient.
In Nigeria, academic libraries have started implementing
its usage with no clear cut policy to back its use for library
routine services. Research studies in Nigeria have found that V. CONCLUSION
social media sites like Facebook, Twitter are used to market Academic libraries are the backbone of the university as
library services and for provision Reference Service[11][12]. such Librarians need to recognize the changes that have
Furthermore, in a study [13], a respondent stated that taken place over time. Many library functions have been
“important doesn’t really do it justice. Any library that is not migrating to an information technology driven environment.
using Web 2.0 technology is not only hurting itself but it is Information Technology has led to improved library services
also hurting the future of all libraries”. With these social in the 21st Century. Academic libraries are gradually
media platforms librarians can now interact with their
175
International Conference on Information and Communication Technology and Its Applications (ICTA 2016)
integrating ICT to improve their operation due increase in [4] S. Berg, K. Hoffman and S. Dawson, “Not on the same page
budgetary allocation. undergraduates’ Information Retrieval in Electronic and Print
Books,” The Journal of Academic Librarianship, vol. 36, pp.518-525,
To satisfy the information needs of their clienteles in an Nov. 2010.
information driven world, there is need for Librarians to [5] T. Purushotam, Information technology and library evolution, APH
acquire the relevant skills in information technology to Publishing: New Delhi, 2008, pp.256
overcome the challenges that could probably suffice in this [6] C. Omekwu, “Cataloguers in the global network environment,” The
age. Electronic Library, vol. 26, pp.188-201, Nov. 2008.
[7] D. Prabhu, “Application of web 2.0 and web 3.0: An overview,”
International Journal of Research in Library Science, vol.2, pp.54-62,
REFERENCES May. 2016
[1] F. Choy, “Librarianship: What is it about now??,” in LAS [8] F. Kalelioglu and Y. Gulbahar, “Investigating the usage of blogs in
CONFERENCE: Innovate to Serve, 2008, pp. 1- 10. [Online]. educational settings from multiple intelligences perspective,” The
Available: www.las.org.sg/pa_cf.pdf Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, vol. 9, pp.132-
144, Sept.2010.
[2] G. Ekpenyong, “Automating a large library in Nigeria: the story so
far,” New Library World, vol. 98, pp. 106-110, 1997. [9] S. Thanuskodi, “Use of Online Public Access Catalogue at
Annamalai University Library,” International Journal of Information
[3] S. Adetoro and A. Obaje. “Management of Library and Information Science, vol. 2, Feb. 2012, pp. 70-74, doi: 10.5923/j.ijis.20120206.01
Services in the Digital Age: Challenges Prospects and Solutions.”
2015. [Online]. Available: [10] D. Boyd and N. Ellision, “Social Network sites: Defination, history
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sadiat_Salau/publication/28083 and scholarship,”Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, vol.
5209_Management_of_Library_and_Information_Services_in_Nigeri 13, Oct. 2007, pp. 210-230, doi: 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00393.x
a_in_the_Digital_Age_Challenges_Prospects_and_Solutions/links/55 [11] C. Ezeani and U. Igwesi, “Using Social media for dynamic Library
fa9cfd08ae07629e03de0c?origin=publication_detail&ev=pub_int_pr Service Delievery: The Nigerian Experience”. 2012. [Online].
w_xdl&msrp=XUJrj5151P48fdsCV4Lh6AEl9uPLrR4jb63UMRALiv Available: http://digital commons.unl.edu/libphilprac/804
qVQfjVbUnahGKSsXmv1lU4X5WpbWwGnwB47KRinmv15hK4Jb [12] R. Opeke and U. Onuaha, “Librarians’ Use of Social Networks in
7KmyxcklXoiXV5q7E.ZU29fDLj3RNAKIZo0AdRXw75fc- Nigera,”PNLA Quarterly, vol. 77, pp.95-103, Oct. 2013.
Vt5G2pHZ83rNSIkmgHKJz6T8AeGbbqO3LXlzUvKt7653CchsWZt
vEK79v4Q.Jv2NxaBKWhGr3zusor3QoEOHm6mPk4YdOGMr4e8rJ [13] C. Rogers, “Social Media, Libraries and Web 2.0: How America
fCUrIW-h79yTE5N8ks865CyR5WJeEia58fMz9M34_s-fQ Libraries are Using New Tools for Public Relations and to Attract
New users,” pp.1-7, May 2009.
176