ABSTRACT
The study investigated the management of university electronic libraries in North-east Nigeria in 11 public universities in the zone. Six (6) research questions and four (4) hypotheses guided the conduct of the study. The four hypotheses were formulated and tested at zero point zero five (0.05) level of significance. Relevant literature related to the research questions were reviewed. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The target population for the study are all the librarians in the eleven (11) public universities in North-East Nigeria totaling one hundred and sixty-six (166), There was no sampling since the whole population was used. A structured questionnaire titled “University Electronic Library Management Questionnaire (UELMQ)” was used as instrument for data collection, which was validated by experts in Library and Information Science and Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability of the instrument was .788 established using Cronbach Alpha formula. The instrument was administered personally and with the help of three research assistants. The data obtained from the survey were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Specifically, mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while Z-test was used to test the hypotheses. Findings, of the result revealed that planning, organization, competence of the librarians and budget implementation were of high extent at the federal university libraries. Some challenges were encountered in the management of the university libraries under investigation. The study recommends that, the university libraries should implement university budgetary allocation focusing more on the ten percent statutory allocation from the university to the library, continue to sustain provision of electronic information resource through electronic libraries for teaching, learning and research, among other things.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vii
List of Tables x
List of Figures xii
Abstract xiii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 6
1.3 Purpose of the Study 7
1.4 Research Questions 7
1.5 Hypotheses 8
1.6 Significance
of the Study 9
1.7 Scope of the Study 10
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW
OF LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual
Framework 11
2.1.1 Management of electronic libraries 11
2.1.2 Electronic libraries 13
2.1.3 University libraries 16
2.1.4 Planning of university electronic libraries 19
2.1.5 Organization of university electronic
libraries 22
2.1.6 Competency
of university staff in the management of the university
electronic
library 28
2.1.7 Funding/budgetary allocation 38
2.1.8 Management
challenges in university e-library 40
2.1.9 Strategies for improving management of
e-library 40
2.2 Theoretical
Framework 42
2.2.1 Administrative management theory by Henri
Fayol (1949) 42
2.2.2 Fredrick W. Taylor’s scientific management
theory (1909) 45
2.3 Empirical Studies 47
2.4 Summary of Literature Review 54
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Design of the Study 55
3.2 Area of the Study 55
3.3 Population of the Study 56
3.4 Sample and sampling technique 56
3.5 Instrument for data collection 56
3.6 Validation of the instrument 57
3.7 Reliability of the instrument 58
3.8 Method of Data Collection 58
3.9 Method for Data Analysis 58
CHAPTER 4:
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Results 60
4.2 Summary of Findings 71
4.3 Discussion of Findings 72
4.3.1 Extent of planning of university electronic
libraries 72
4.3.2 Extent of organization of electronic
libraries 72
4.3.3 Competencies possessed by staff in managing university
electronic
libraries 73
4.3.4 Budgetary implementation and allocation as a
source of funding of
university electronic libraries 74
4.3.5 Challenges to the management of university
electronic library 74
4.3.6 Strategies for overcoming the challenges to
the management of
university electronic libraries 75
CHAPTER
5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 76
5.2 Conclusion
78
5.3 Implications
of the Findings 79
5.4 Limitation
of the Study 79
5.5 Recommendations
80
5.6 Suggestions
for Further Studies 81
REFERENCES 82
APPENDICES
LIST OF TABLES
4.1: Return
rate of the instrument by the institutions 60
4.2: Mean
Scores (X) and standard deviation on the extent federal and
states university electronic are planned in Northeast Nigeria 61
4.3: z-test
on difference between mean rating/response of federal and
state university
librarians on the extent universities electronic
libraries are planned in
North-east, Nigeria 62
4.4: Mean scores and standard deviation
on the extent federal and states
university
electronic libraries are organized in Northeast
Nigeria 63
4.5: Z-test on difference between
mean rating/response of federal and
state university
librarians on the extent universities electronic
libraries are organized
in North-east, Nigeria 64
4.6: Mean scores and standard deviation
on competencies possessed
by
staff managing Federal and States University electronic libraries
in
Northeast Nigeria 65
4.7: Z-test
on difference between mean rating/response of federal and
state university
librarians on staff competencies in managing
universities electronic
libraries in North-east, Nigeria 66
4.8: Mean score and standard deviation on
the extent to which
federal
and states university electronic libraries implement the
budgetary
allocation as a source of funding in Northeast Nigeria 67
4.9: Mean score and standard deviation on
the challenges to
librarians
in the management of Federal University electronic
libraries
in Northeast Nigeria 68
4.10: Z-test on difference between mean
rating/response of federal
and states universities
on the challenges to librarian in managing
university electronic
libraries in North-east, Nigeria 69
4.11: Mean scores and standard deviation
on the strategies for
improving
the management of federal and states university
electronic
libraries in Northeast Nigeria 70
LIST OF FIGURES
2.1: Organization
as a managerial variable 24
2.2: Process- System Model of the
Organization 27
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF
THE STUDY
Rapid advances in information technologies have
revolutionized the role of libraries. Today, the electronic library is being
introduced into the library system worldwide because of the high value placed
on the users’ information needs, the availability and accessibility of
information and information resources. The increasing acceptance of the
electronic library might be due to the diverse materials they contain. The
option for what are available in an electronic library are virtually endless,
as well as becoming more and more broad as technology advances, hence, making
for a shift in library patterns and services delivery.
People ultimately look forward to a time when all
information services, machine searchable bibliographic services with
abstracting and indexing possibilities, database of primary materials, full
machine searchable text works of analysis with primary materials integrated
with it through hypertext function, downloading and printing options, flexible
protocol for communicating will be made available to a user on their own
computer. The only vehicle available now to carry out this dream, is an
electronic library (Sarah, 2015). There are various definitions of electronic
library. Molina (2010) defined electronic library as a system that provides a
community of users with a coherent access to a large organized repository of
information and knowledge.
Waters (2012) says electronic libraries are
organizations that provide resources including the specialized staff to select,
offer access to, interpret, distribute, preserve the integrity of and ensure
the persistence over time of collections of electronic works so that they are
readily and economically available for use by a defined community or set of
communities.
In the context of this study, electronic library is an
advanced form of information provision and retrieval system usually containing
the full context of electronic documents, often in multiple media and available
via computer networks. Since electronic information resources are gradually becoming
the most used in university libraries in Nigeria, there is need for libraries
and librarians in particular to manage electronic libraries successfully
because of their special features. According to Radjagopal (2012, p. 12), the
features of e-libraries are;
1. E-libraries
are the best tool for providing online resources for research which will make
it easy to users.
2. Retrospective
search is easy and most convenient than print resources.
3. Literacy
increases when searching is made by users
4. Searching
of index is also easy
5. It
supports searching with the combination of key words
6. Provision
for simultaneous access of multiple files
7. Provision
for print out and saved the download items for future reference
These electronic libraries need to be adequately and
properly managed. Trying to understand management of electronic libraries,
Kumar (2007) defined management as a process of coordinating the total
resources of an organization through execution of a group of interrelated
functions such as planning, organizing, staffing and budgeting. Similarly,
Biradas (2015) saw it as the procedure of setting and achieving goals through
the execution of vital management functions that utilize human, financial and
material possessions.
Consequently,
the management of university electronic library involves five principles
namely: planning, organizing, staffing, supervision and control (Poudyal,
2013).
Herein, planning involves determining the aims of university electronic library
services, setting targets for attaining the aims and preparing realistic
decisions to guarantee that the objectives will be reached through rational and
reasonable use of available resources (Penna, as cited in Ifeatu, 2005).
Planning also involves policy formulation, stating objectives and goals of the
section, budgeting, preparation of programme of services for the section as
well as procedure and methods.
Adding to
the managerial activities of the electronic libraries is organization.
Organization implies the systematic and orderly arrangement of the various
sections of the electronic library. In the library parlance, organization involves
classification, cataloguing, digitizing, preserving, shelving, indexing and
abstracting of information resources (Nnadozie, 2007). Staffing relates to
issues in terms of the adequacy, training and ethical conduct of the personnel.
The fourth principle, supervision encompasses the processes of scrutinizing the
job performance of the staff, instructing, guiding, correcting, and advising
the subordinate staff (Adio, 2006). Controlling, on the other hand, involves
ensuring quality of the services provided by the library (Wiggins, 2000). It
also involves conventionality with laid down standards in document management.
Yazidu,
Majiyd and Abdullah (2017) believe that adequate management has the potential
of reducing conflict of roles in the administration of organization through
leading, planning, controlling and organizing of different activities. One need
to recall that the mission of the library for several
decades has been to acquire information, organize, preserve and make it
accessible, hence, the need for adequate and proper management. Additionally, the
specific mission of university libraries is to provide information to support
teaching, learning and research. A library therefore is the main source of
information to the entire university. For proper planning, organization, and overall management of
the university electronic library requires competent staff and proper budgeting
allocation or funding. Adio (2006) observe that staffing relates to issues in
terms of the adequacy, training and ethical conduct of the personnel.
It is
important to understand and right to state that successful planning which is
defined as "active planning that ensures an organization will have the
right people in the right place at the right time for right job” is very vital.
Issues of the e-library services involve library staff
assuming more definitive and specialized roles (Daniel & James, 2009)
namely:
i.
Innovator not just
following the routine but also looking at improved ways to deliver the service.
ii.
Fund-raiser working for
greater income from the institution and beyond.
iii.
Metadata producer
creating records of information sources in a variety of ways.
iv.
Communicator formally and
informally liaising with users.
v.
Multi-media user
comfortable with a wide range of formats.
vi.
Intermediary with a good
knowledge of sources and user requirements.
vii.
Enabler proactively
connecting users with information they require.
viii.
Trainer/educator talking
on a formal role to teach information skills and information literacy.
ix.
Evaluator sifting free
and paid for resources on behalf of users.
x.
Negotiator dealing with
publishers and suppliers.
xi.
Project manager leading
on development projects to enhance the services.
These roles require a wide range of new or enhanced
skills, including:
i.
Technical and IT skills.
ii.
Ability to learn quickly.
iii.
Analytical and evaluative
skills.
iv.
Subject skills
v.
Project skills
vi.
Project management skills
vii.
Vision
viii.
Communication skills
ix.
Negotiating skills
x.
Ability to work under
pressure
xi.
Professional skills
xii.
Flexibility
xiii.
People skills
xiv.
Presentation skills
xv.
Teaching skills
xvi.
Term working skills
xvii.
Customer services skills
Management of university electronic libraries is an
important recurring theme in the literature. Most university libraries in
North-east Nigeria have been concerned with electronic resources, provision and
utilization. Interestingly, to the best of knowledge of the researcher, studies
on management of university electronic libraries in the North-East geopolitical
zone are lacking, thereby creating a major gap which needs to be filled. The
absence or inadequate studies on management of electronic libraries in
North-east Nigeria may be due to the presence of only few universities in the
last ten years. Consequently, it has become imperative to evaluate the
management of university electronic libraries in the zone. Thus the thrust of
this study is to investigate the management of university electronic libraries
in north-east Nigeria.
1.2 STATEMENT OF
THE PROBLEM
Management is getting things done through people and
technology, with the aid of basic management skills of planning, coordinating,
directing, organizing, staffing and budgeting. Research has shown that
management is the key to organizational success and excellence. Management of
electronic libraries in universities is not exceptional to this finding. It is
of interest to note that a library system (electronic library) is the strength
to acceptable performance of every higher institution in the world in terms of
contributing to teaching and learning. Hence the need to examine management of
electronic library in the university becomes imperative.
Inability to properly manage electronic libraries in
universities is the root cause of poor teaching and learning characterized by
poor access to information resources, poor maintenance of hardware, software
and above all poor training of human resource in the e-library. This situation
is similar in many university e-libraries in north-east Nigeria as
accreditation exercise are staged managed. This can be attributed to the fact
that things are not adequately managed, poor training of human resource
offering services in university e-library and poor control and budget
implication. Gbaje (2007) corroborates this view saying that; some of these
e-libraries are affected by the absence of basic information infrastructure,
poor policy implementation and lack of system librarians amongst others. This
implies that traditional method of managing e-library in universities must be
changed to suit the dynamic nature of university e-library for effective and
efficient service. Hence it has become imperative to examine the management of
these libraries in north-east Nigeria.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE
STUDY
The general purpose of the study is to evaluate the
management of university electronic libraries in Northeast Nigeria.
Specifically, the study;
1. Determined
the extent to which university electronic libraries are planned in North-east
Nigeria;
2. determined
the extent to which university electronic libraries are organized in North-east
Nigeria;
3. identified
competencies possessed by library staff in managing university electronic `libraries
in North-east Nigeria;
4. determined
the extent to which budgetary allocations to university electronics libraries
are implemented as a source of funding in Northeast Nigeria;
5. identified
challenges of librarians in the management of university electronic libraries
in North-east Nigeria; and
6. identified
strategies for improving the management of university electronic libraries in
Northeast Nigeria.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The following research questions were answered.
1. To
what extent are the university electronic libraries planned in North-east
Nigeria?
2. To
what extent are the university electronic libraries organized in North-east
Nigeria?
3. What
are the competencies possessed by staff in managing university electronic
libraries in North-east Nigeria?
4. To
what extent do university electronic libraries implement the budgetary
allocation as a source of funding in North-east Nigeria?
5. What
are the challenges of librarians in the management of university electronic
libraries?
6. What
are the strategies for improving the management of university electronic
libraries in North-east Nigeria?
1.5 HYPOTHESES
The following null hypotheses were tested at 0.05
level of significance.
HO1: There is no significant difference between
the mean rating/response of federal and state
university librarians on the extent to which university electronic libraries
are planned in North-east,
Nigeria.
HO2: There is no significant difference between
the mean rating/response of federal and state
university librarians on the extent to which university electronic libraries
are organized in North-east,
Nigeria.
HO3: There is no significance difference between
the mean rating/response of federal and state
university librarians on the staff competencies in managing university
electronic libraries in North-east,
Nigeria.
HO4: There is no
significant difference between the mean rating/response of federal and state universities on the challenges
of librarians in the managing of university electronic
libraries in North-east, Nigeria.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The findings of this study will be beneficial to the
university management, university library management, researchers; federal, and
state governments and also private sector organizations.
The findings of this study will provide empirical
evidence to the university management on the extent to which they are funding
and providing state of the art information resources. It will also enable to
understand the management tasks demanded of them to ensure adequate utilization
of their electronic libraries. This study will reveal these tasks and further
expose the university management to the importance of these management tasks
and the ways/strategies to apply them.
The university library management, in particular will
also benefit from this research as it will reveal and identify the commonalities
and trends in the management of electronic libraries thereby necessitating
managerial adjustment. It is also expected that the study would guide the
university library management and administrators in actualizing the central
purpose of the library and the electronic library, which is to ensure the
maximum use of library’s resources. The study will provide these library
managers and administrators with the routines that enhance effective and
efficient management and utilization of university electronic libraries.
Researchers/authors would also benefit from the
findings, as they could be encouraged to engage in further research on
management of electronic libraries not only in university libraries in
North-east Nigeria but also in other types of libraries, other geopolitical
zones of Nigeria, and other countries. This is because this study would expose
the gaps in literature and knowledge which researchers/authors could
investigate in furtherance of their quest for publication. It will also achieve
this as a result of the study adding to existing literature in librarianship,
academic librarianship, electronic librarianship, management of electronic
libraries, utilization of electronic library resources, etc. The study is also
theoretically significant as it seeks to prove that there management of
university electronic libraries is highly important for their use. This is in
support of theories reviewed in this study.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE
STUDY
The study was delimited to the management of
university electronic libraries in North-east Nigeria. Federal and state
universities will be covered. The study was restricted to federal and state
university electronic libraries in North-east Nigeria. Eleven universities were
chosen for this study. The study was limited to the following sub-constructs of
management, namely, planning, organization, staff skills, budgetary allocation,
as well as hindrances to and strategies for the management of university electronic
libraries.
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