Library and Information Science Commons^™

Digital Libraries In Africa: Challenges And Opportunities, Foluke Okocha

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The paper explores the challenges faced by digital libraries in Africa and highlights solutions to curbing these challenges that bridge the digital divide in Africa. Research of Digital Libraries in Africa is reviewed in order to identify challenges and opportunities peculiar to Africa.Findings from review showed sustainable funding, High Cost of Infrastructures, Digital Literacy, Copyright Issues and Equity of access are challenges facing digital libraries in Africa. It further proffered solutions by encouraging Library Consortia in Africa and promoting Open access policies The benefits of digital libraries are enormous and there is a need for African countries to leverage of …

Covid-19 And African Libraries: Perspectives Through Literature From The Library Philosophy And Practice (E-Journal), Liah Shonhe Mrs.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study sought to establish how African libraries have been thriving during the COVID-19 pandemic through systematic review of literature from the Library Philosophy and Practice e-Journal (LPP). The PRISMA guidelines were followed to review and select the twelve (12) articles used for qualitative analysis. The study findings established that research productivity pertaining to libraries and Covid-19 is very low in Africa based on LPP e-journal. Nigeria was established to be the most active country in this research phenomenon. Majority, of the studies were conducted in academic libraries, thus creating a gap in research. To sail through the pandemic, libraries …

Peer Learning Experience To Grow Public Library Innovation: The Initiative For Young African Library Innovators, Ramune Petuchovaite, Ugne Lipeikaite

New Librarianship Symposia Series: Fall 2021

In 2014/15, we commissioned research into how and why public libraries innovate, and what encourages take-up of innovative practices by public libraries in developing countries. One of the main findings was that peer-to-peer activities are essential for public library innovation. Besides facilitating learning and ideas exchange, they create a platform for mutual support, when initiating a new service. Library visits, in which librarians can see innovative services 'in situ', and events like workshops and other training, and conferences, where they mingle and exchange practical experiences, and work together on projects, are effective channels for inspiring innovation (Femenía, A. M. G., …

Professional Variables And Staff Readiness To Utilise Internet-Based Channels For Research Communication In An Era Of Covid-19, Valentine Joseph Owan, Levi Udochukwu Akah Phd., Mary Mark Ogbeche, Moses Eteng Obla

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study assessed the professional variables of academic staff in African varsities and their readiness to Utilise Internet-Based Channels for Research Communication in an era of Covid-19. Drawing from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, the study was guided by four null hypotheses. The quantitative research method based on the virtual cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A total of 8,591 academics in African universities were the targeted demographic of this study. However, data were collected from a virtual snowball sample of 1,977 respondents (males, N = 1347; females, N = 630) from 24 African countries. A validated electronic survey, with three …

The Role Of The Public Libraries In Enriching The African Rural Information Environment, Justina E. Ogbonna Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

Information has become a veritable currency for today's economic environment and efforts are made by every institution to enrich the information ecology for vibrant and sustainable economy. Although the entrant of information and communication technologies had altered and made great impact on information environment in other parts of the world, the situation in Africa is still bleak. Information is created every second and there is upsurge of big data on the information landscape and these developments have not only created a new society called the knowledge society but also brought about information and digital gaps in the society. In …

Libraries Without Walls And Open And Distance Learning In Africa: The Nigerian Experience, Ukoha O. Igwe

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is gradually gaining ground in Africa. Nigeria is a newcomer in the Open and Distance Learning paradigm. The experiences of several open and distance learning institutions such as the Open University of United Kingdom (OUUK), Athabasca University (Canada’s Open University), Open University of Hong Kong, Indira Gandhi National Open University, (IGNOU), and University of South Africa (UNISA), have provided a baseline for the take-off of the only Open University in Nigeria – the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). The successful take-off of NOUN is not without the incorporation of functional libraries. Effective library support …

Achievement Of The Sustainable Development Goals Through Lis Education In Africa, Tolulope Balogun

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations can be achieved through teaching, research and innovation. The Sustainable Development Goals advocate that all learners will have the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. The use of scholarly e-resources offers quality academic resources which contribute greatly to teaching, research and innovation. Thus, purpose of the study was to examine the awareness, perception and use of scholarly e-resources by Library and Information Science (LIS) students in Africa.

The paper is based on research paper related to the topic of the article. The study revealed that despite efforts by …

So What Made You Choose Librarianship? Reasons Teachers Give For Their Career Switch., Franklin Gyamfi Agyemang

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper explores the reason teachers choose to go into librarianship when leaving the teaching profession from Sub-Saharan Africa. Snowball sampling method was used to locate seventeen (17) participants for this study in Ghana. Mixed methods were used for data collection; questionnaire (open-ended questions) and interview. The data was analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. The study found the following as reasons teacher choose librarianship when leaving the teaching profession: Better Salaries and Remunerations, Relatedness of librarianship to teaching, Love for books, Employment Space and scope of opportunities for librarians. By the findings, this study corroborates researches on second-career librarianship …

The State Of The National Library Of Nigeria: Why The Nigeria Government Must Act Fast., Victor Tochukwu Ejechi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Nigeria, like many other developing countries, is passing through a critical period of educational, economic, political and social development. This established a truism that such development cannot be achieved in isolation. It is therefore felt by many that if Nigeria is to achieve its full potential in these core areas of human growth, development of her national library is imperative. This article help to state the problems of the National Library of Nigeria and the possible Solutions and Recommendations.

Review Of The Patchwork Bike By Maxine Beneba Clarke, Nicole Spencer

Library Intern Book Reviews

No abstract provided.

African Poetry Libraries-A Global Collaboration, Lorna M. Dawes, Charlene Maxey-Harris

UNL Libraries: Faculty Publications

In 2014, the African Poetry Book Fund (APBF) and the University of Nebraska (UNL)literary magazine-thePrairie Schooner established African Poetry Libraries in five countries; Ghana, Kenya,Uganda, Gambia and Botswana. The purpose of these libraries wasto support the creativity of aspiring and establishedpoets in their local communities. The University of Nebraska Libraries was asked toserve as consultants on the initiative by working with local volunteers to set up thelibraries and provideongoing assistance and advice to the new libraries during thefirst three years of their inception. The goal of the librariesis to support thelocal community of poets through access to contemporary poetry, and …

Digital Object Identifier And Their Use In Accessing Online Scholarly Materials In Africa, Joseph Kehinde Fasae, Chuks Daniel Oriogu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Digital Object Identifier (DOI) has been internationally recognized as a standard for identifying information resources on the web. It is an advanced tool that provides unique identification or permanent links to find specific journal articles and other information resources online. This paper discusses digital object identifier and their use in accessing online scholarly materials in Africa. It looks at the extent of Uniform Resource Locators (URL), understanding DOI functionalities, and benefits of DOI, scholarly materials with DOI in Africa with a critical examination of African Online Journals (AJOL) which is the biggest database in Africa. It was therefore discovered that …

The Role Of Institutional Repositories In Making Lost Or Hidden Cultures Accessible, A Study Across Four African University Libraries, Andrew Watson Malekani, George Kavishe

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study was undertaken to uncover the potential role that Institutional Repositories (IR) can offer to preserve in the long term the special collections (especially cultural heritage materials) so as to reap the advantages that these collections offer in terms of intellectual development in Africa.

The study involved use of scoping review which involves five stages: research question, identifying the relevant study, selecting the study, developing a narrative review (charting data), summarizing (collating) data and an optional consultation step. The study also involved a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) involving participants in the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme at the University …

African Indigenous Knowledge: An Underutilised And Neglected Resource For Development, Njabulo Bruce Khumalo, Charity Baloyi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Indigenous knowledge points to the fact that Africa has been able to generate, test and apply knowledge through its own methodologies and approaches. This knowledge sustained communities for years prior to colonialism which somehow downplayed the value of indigenous knowledge and promoted western knowledge systems. Colonialism created dependence on western knowledge systems and Africa has over the years neglected its own rich indigenous knowledge. This paper sought tohighlight challenges faced in the quest to incorporate IK into developmental goals and projects. Furthermore, the study also sought to recommend ways through which Africans can promote IK in its developmental projects. A …

Exploring Information Literacy Abroad: Librarians And International Service Learning, Jessica C. Mcintosh

Library Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Knowledge Systems And The Colonial Legacies In African Science Education, Edward Lehner, John R. Ziegler

Publications and Research

This review surveys Femi Otulaja and Meshach Ogunniyi’s (2015) Handbook of Research in Science Education in Sub-Saharan Africa, noting the significance of the theoretically rich content and how this book contributes to the field of education as well as to the humanities more broadly. The volume usefully outlines the ways in which science education and scholarship in sub-Saharan Africa continue to be impacted by the region’s colonial history. Several of the chapters also enumerate proposals for teaching and learning science and strengthening academic exchange. Concerns that recur across many of the chapters include inadequate implementation of reforms; a lack …

Exploration Of Appropriate Media For Satisfying The Information Needs Of Future Community Of African Farmers, Ngozi Blessing Ukachi Dr, Efua Mansa Ayiah

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study concentrated on finding out the most appropriate format and media for providing and communicating agricultural information that would help future community of African farmers in achieving high agricultural output. The exploratory research design was adopted for the study. Multi-stage sampling technique was also adopted in selecting the sample. First, the purposive sampling technique was adopted in selecting farmers that are involved in the area of plant and crop farming only while the simple stratified random sampling technique was employed in selecting 10 farmers each from 10 different villages in Nigeria and Ghana, respectively thus, bringing the sample size …

Knowledge Management Culture Among Library Cataloguers: The University Of Zambia Library Experience, Eness M. Miyanda Chitumbo Mrs, Christine Wamunyima Kanyengo Ms

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper assesses knowledge management processes and practices of the Cataloguing department of the University of Zambia Library; investigates factors that lead to poor working systems among Cataloguers; cause inconsistencies and data redundancy in the library’s database. A case study approach was adopted, with the aim of getting detailed information and insights into the experienced problem of inconsistencies and duplication of the data. Structured questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data. The results show that there is little knowledge sharing and transfer amongst the cataloguers; use of existing rules or standards such as Anglo American Cataloguing Rules and …

Enhancing Innovation In The Ugandan Agri-Food Sector: Progress, Constraints, And Possibilities, Travis Lybbert, Kritika Saxena, Julius Ecuru, Dick Kawooya, Sacha Wunsch-Vincent

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Worlds Away: A Photo Story From A Traveling Librarian, Jessica Crossfield-Mcintosh

Library Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Worlds Away captures observational moments from an outsider in a foreign land. This collection includes images taken during a librarian-exchange program in Shanghai, China in 2013 and a study-abroad course in Malawi, Africa in 2016. All photos were taken on an iPhone 5s.

The images can be viewed on the library's image gallery here:

http://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/libimages/#

Innovation Difussion Of Smartphone In Nigeria, Olukunle Ariyo Iyanda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rapid diffusion and use of smartphones in Africa are challenging, given the state of its infrastructural facilities. The problem addressed was a lack of information on the adoption behavior and the sociodevelopmental effect of smartphone acceptance among rural and urban users in Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to examine the adoption behavior and the sociodevelopmental effect of smartphone acceptance among rural and urban residents. Research questions examined the relationship of performance expectancy, social influence, price value, and habit on adopters' intentions to use smartphones, continued use of smartphones, and the sociodevelopmental effect on smartphone users lives and standard …

Review Of Old Mikamba Had A Farm By Rachel Isadora, Rebekkah C. Reisner

Library Intern Book Reviews

No abstract provided.

Reference Service Evaluation At An African Academic Library: The User Perspective, Lili Luo, Viscount Buer

Faculty Publications

Purpose – This paper aims to provide a detailed discussion of a large-scale library reference evaluation study conducted at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) in Ghana. The study seeks to evaluate the reference service from the user perspective, focusing on how users use and perceive the service. Design/methodology/approach – Self-administered survey was used as the data collection instrument. One thousand questionnaires were distributed to library users in a three-week period, and the response rate was 63.7 per cent. Findings – The reference service had a high non-use rate of 42.6 per cent, which was primarily attributed to library users’ …

Effective Innovation Policies For Development: Uganda, Julius Ecuru, Dick Kawooya

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Access To Information And Implications For Healthy Ageing In Africa: Challenges And Strategies For Public Libraries, Ifeanyi J. Ezema, Richard N. Ugwuanyi Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The elderly people are of intrinsic value to societies. Their health is Africa’s wealth. Unfortunately, Africa has serious health burden raging from diseases, poverty ignorance that hardly support healthy ageing. Development indicators from World Health Organization and the World Bank provide glaring evidence that Africa countries are far behind other regions of the world in health conditions of the citizens. This paper discusses the benefits that accrue from having a healthy old age population. Such includes poverty reduction, stress free ageing, assisting in taking care of young ones. It examines the role of information in enhancing healthy ageing in Africa. …

Agricultural And Water Harvesting Opportunities In Kenya, Via A Crowd-Sourced, Citizen Science Hybrid Paradigm, Benjamin D. Branch, James Tindall, Rosemary Moki, Peter N. Baker, Jai Xu, Elisa Bertino

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This is potential joint collaborative research between the Purdue University and citizens of Kenya via the Global Engineering Program in the areas of agriculture in water harvesting. Specifically, in the rural part of Kenya, outside of Nairobi, lives can be greatly impacted. Libraries of tomorrow will have global capacity and responsibility to serve all aspects of global citizenry. Herein is one possible Kenyan example.

In partnership with the Tinmore Institute, an International Food, Water, and Energy Security team of experts, such international collaboration with Purdue's Global Engineering program could be quite successful within the areas of agricultural and water security …

African Poetry Book Fund-African Poetry Library Manual: How To Manage And Set Up The Library., Lorna M. Dawes, Charlene Maxey-Harris

UNL Libraries: Faculty Publications

The African Poetry Library Initiative, an initiative of the African

Poetry Book Fund, is a collaborative venture to establish

accessible and user-friendly small poetry libraries on the African

continent to support aspiring and established poets and to give

them access to contemporary poetry in books and journals, and

to serve as a resource for poets interested in publication in Africa

and around the world. The initiative will be guided by

collaboration between US and UK publishers of poetry, literary

arts organizations, poet’s libraries and literary journals and

African libraries, writers co-ops or cultural centers, and poets and

will be coordinated …

Informal–Formal Sector Interactions In Automotive Engineering, Kampala, Dick Kawooya

Faculty Publications

This chapter provides findings from a Ugandan case study that examined innovation transfers between informal-sector automotive artisans and formally employed researchers at Makerere University’s College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT). Th e primary site studied was CEDAT’s Gatsby Garage, an automotive workshop where it was found that the informal-sector artisans were central to innovative processes but were at the same time driven more by sharing impulses than by concern for the intellectual property (IP) implications of their work. Based on these findings, it is argued that Ugandan policy-makers need to seek policy tools to support innovation transfers between …

Ethical Implications Of Intellectual Property In Africa, Dick Kawooya

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ict For Poverty Alleviation In Pacific Island Nations: Study Of Icts4d In Fiji, Deogratias Harorimana, Opeti Rokotuinivono, Emali Sewale, Fane Salaiwai, Marica Naulu, Evangelin Roy

Dr Deogratias Harorimana

ICT for Poverty Alleviation in Pacific Island Nations: Study of ICTs4D in Fiji There has been a vague and little knowledge on the role or potential of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in relation to addressing poverty in Fiji. This may be probably due to the newness of the technology in the South Pacific Region as a whole but also probably due to the fact that only 9.7% of the current Fiji 931,000 populations are internet users (ITC Figures 2011). This paper reports on finding how ICTs is contributing towards poverty alleviation in Fiji. On the basis of reviewed best …