Digital Commons Network^™

Rural Farmers' Problems Accessing Agricultural Information: A Case Study Of Nsukka Local Government Area Of Enugu State, Nigeria, Nnenna A. Obidike

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Rural farmers account for the greater part of the population of any developing country such as Nigeria. Governments of developing countries have a major responsibility of ensuring that there is adequate rural development in their various communities and local governments which would lead to effective and efficient agricultural systems that will not only supply food and animal protein but also foster the utilization of natural resources in a sustainable manner (CGIAR, 1995). When the rural farmers lack access to knowledge and information that would help them achieve maximum agricultural yield, they are not only grope in the dark but are …

Information Communication Techonology (Ict) Use As A Predictor Of Lawyers’ Productivity, J.E. Owoeye

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Information Communication Technology (ICT) is an umbrella term that includes all technologies for the manipulation and communication of information. The work of legal practitioners involves a high level of documentation and information processing, storage, and retrieval. The information intensiveness of a lawyer’s responsibility is such that tools and technologies that would speed up the documentation, management and information handling are not only important but professionally necessary. The value of accuracy, correctness, completeness, relevance and timeliness are characteristics of information which ICT systems do generate to meet lawyer’s information needs.

The role of lawyers in any society is essential. In the …

The School Library As A Foundational Step To Childrens’ Effective Reading Habits, Isaac Oluwadare Busayo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Reading is recognized as an art capable of transforming man’s life and his entire society. However, in the state of the World Children Report by (UNICEF,1999), it was stated that nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or write their names. The Hindu newspaper (2004) also put forward that in an age when browsing the net, playing with funky handsets and passing non-stop SMSs seem to be the order of the day, reading a book in a peaceful corner of a library has become an archaic idea for most people. While technology is slowly …

Internet Use By Social Scientists At The Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan: A Survey, Rubina Bhatti, Mahe Bushra Asghar, Sarwat Mukhtar, Tariq M. Chohan

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan South Punjab, Pakistan

Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan was established in 1975 by an act of the Punjab Legislative Assembly. To pay tribute to the Great Saint Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya, the name was changed in 1979. The University offers a wide range of programmes: M.A., M.Sc. MBA, M.Com., MCS, M.Phil and Ph.D. It is divided into seven faculties: Faculty of Arts and social Sciences, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Business Administration, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Islamia Studies and Languages, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Veterinary Science (Prospectus, 2009 p.14).

Bahauddin Zakariya University Library, Multan

The library …

Availability And Accessibility Of Internet Facilities In Nigerian University Libraries: A Case Study Of Two Federal Universities In South West Nigeria, Olusola Bamidele Bamigboye, Idayat Odunola Agboola

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study examines the availability and accessibility of Internet facilities in two Nigerian university libraries, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos. Three hundred copies of a questionnaire were administered to randomly-selected respondents, of which 280 (93.3%) were returned and found usable. The results showed that there is adequate Internet connectivity in the two libraries. Staff and students access the Internet with ease in their offices, hostels, and faculty libraries, and the two libraries render effective and timely services to users. The study recommends that government and university management should increase funding to universities and their libraries and …

Poor Reading Habits Among Nigerians: The Role Of Libraries, A. J. Aina, J. I. Ogungbeni, J. A. Adigun, T. C. Ogundipe

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Reading stimulates imagination, encourages quick learning, and expands horizons. It encourages imagination and curiosity. Reading enhances acquisition of skills for handling complex ideas or issues. Present and future generations in Nigeria are at risk of going straight from an oral to a digital culture, skipping over the writing and reading culture in the process. The library has the responsibility of making information available in different formats to encourage reading culture among students. This paper examines the poor reading habits among present day Nigerians, especially children and youth. It also considers the important role of the library in inculcating permanent literacy …

Mapping Of Tapioca (Sago) Research In India: A Scientometric Analysis, R. Balasubramani, C. Murugan

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study has been carried out to analyze the research field of Sago in terms of publication output as per science citation index database between 1978 and 2010. A quantitative analysis on the countries and organizations that contribute in the field of Sago is presented. The data shows increase in the basic research activity in this research field. During 1973- 2010, a total of 447 papers were published by the scientists in the field of sago. The average number of citation per year is 11.76%.The highest number of papers was published in 2008. There were 26 countries involved in research …

Application Of Information Technology To Library Services At The Federal University Of Technology, Akure Library, Ondo State, Nigeria, Abdulwahab Olanrewaju Issa, Agun Emmanuel Ayodele, Usman Abubakar, Mulikat Bola Aliyu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

It has been observed that the application of Information Technology to services delivery in tertiary institutions’ libraries in Nigeria is scanty thereby making its effects restricted. This study is therefore, geared towards investigating the effects of Information Technology applications on library services and use at the Federal University of Technology Akure if these facilities are available and put into effective use. In order to successfully carry out this study, a survey research method was adopted using questionnaire and interview as the major instruments for data collection. This was complemented by personal observation. Descriptive statistical method was used for data presentation, …

A Ten-Year Descriptive Review Of Book Acquisitions Trends, Challenges, And Current Issues In A Nigerian Medical School Library, Helen Komolafe-Opadeji

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Inadequate funding has made collection development probably the most difficult and frustrating aspect of Nigerian university librarianship. The paper is a ten-year descriptive analysis of book acquisitions in Nigeria’s premiere medical library, considering trends, issues and challenges. The study reviewed book acquisition statistics reported in the library’s annual reports between 1999-2008. The comparative ten-year book acquisitions review, led to findings such as: irregular book collections due to inadequate funding, non-active acquisitions policy, dependence on uncensored gifts and donations irrespective of their ages. Doable recommendations as regards financial and acquisitions challenges are, commercialization of some library services, soliciting current book donations …

Use Of It And Its Impact On Service Quality In An Academic Library, Gulam Rasul, Ashok Kumar Sahu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The present research assess the impact of Information Technology (IT) on services quality as perceived by library users of IIMT, and to understand the status of IT supported resources, facilities & services in IIMT Library. The research was carried out among the students and faculty members of the IIMT. The result of the study observed gaps in customer’s perception of quality of library resources and services against their expectations. The study identifies some features that could influence customer’s expectations and their perceptions of services quality. This Study may help those libraries, who are seriously interested to develop user satisfaction by …

Ict Facilities In University Libraries: A Study, K. S. Sivakumaren, V. Geetha, B. Jeyaprakash

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper examines ICT infrastructure available in university libraries. A majority of the libraries surveyed have automated library activities. The survey results also reveal the software and other technologies implemented in the libraries. A majority of the libraries have not introduced new services such as a digital library, e-learning service, and digitization.

Use Of Information Resources And Services At Delhi Public Library (Dpl): A Survey, Sunil Tyagi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This research sought to determine the use of Information Resources and Services at Delhi Public Library, Delhi. A well structured 120 questionnaires were distributed among DPL users during the academic session 2010-11 to find out the use Information Resources and Services at Delhi Public Library. The questionnaires were checked and out of 109 filled questionnaires returned 105 (96.33%) were found fit for analysis and out of which 04(03.67%) were considered unusable. The present study demonstrates and elaborates the various aspect of use of information resources and services, physical facilities available and collection of DPL. Identifies the levels of use of …

Building Institutional Repositories In Bangladesh Using Dspace: A New Paradigm Of Scholarly Communication, M. Hossam Haider Chowdhury, Nazim Uddin, Hasina Afroz, Abdul Hayee Sameni

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Institutional Repository (IR) and Digital Library (DL), are relatively new concepts in Bangladesh. IR may be considered as the first step of open access to research output. Library professionals in Bangladesh understand and realize the benefits of open access, yet open access initiatives have been very few at higher learning institutions. The Government of Bangladesh also issued the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2009 in the Bangladesh Gazette on 6 April 2009, encouraging open access. However, there are many challenges, difficulties, resources constraints, and other limitations in establishing IR and DL. Despite these difficulties, some research organizations and institutions, such …

Digitizing Institutional Research Output Of University Of Nigeria, Nsukka, Chinwe Nwogo Ezeani, Ifeanyi J. Ezema

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper is an examination of the digital preservation of the University of Nigeria’s institutional based research outputs. After an initial fitful start the digitization initiative of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (U.N.N) has fully taken off. This paper seeks to bring out the major issues and challenges of the work through the first hand experience of members involved in the initiative. Six research questions guided the study. A twenty item questionnaire was distributed to the respondents who comprised of the total population of both librarians and the technical staff mainly from the university’s department of Management and Information Systems …

An Investigation Of Use Of Information Sources By Social Scientists, Ajay Kumar, S. N. Singh, Akhilesh K. S. Yadav

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study is based on data collected through questionnaires given to social scientists of Mizoram University, a central university in India. Goals of the research were to investigate the use of formal and informal sources of information by social scientists; to discover the degree to which they make use of various types of information; methods used to communicate, and availability of information sources and services in Mizoram University.

Smes And Business Information Provision Strategies: Analytical Perspective, C. Okello-Obura, James Matovu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of business information provision mechanism for SMEs with a view of highlighting aspects critical in any business information provision modalities. It makes a reflection on SMEs as information user groups, highlights notable challenges faced in the business information chain and gives an account of the ICTs impact on business information provision to SMEs. To inform decision making regarding appropriate business provision, some aspects from three countries are highlighted. The guiding principles for developing effective business development services are outlined. The article concludes by a call for the adoption of serious …

Job Descriptions Of Government Librarians In Pakistan, Saima Qutab, Farzana Shafique

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Libraries all over the world are facing diversified service challenges posed by a mix of traditional information seekers and Google generation’s call of technology features. These multi-facet demands and kinds of users’ community have increased the list of responsibilities and skills required by the librarians. Selection of right person for the right job is the greatest challenge for library administration. This includes two main elements; nature of job descriptions defined or advertised by the administration and the availability of required human resources in the market. Only the right mix of these two essentials can ensure the selection of appropriate personnel …

Reality Versus Expectations: A Survey Of University Of The Punjab's Libraries Using Servqual, Alia Arshad, Kanwal Ameen

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this study was to determine the user's priority expectations and their perceptions of quality services of university libraries. Survey method was used to assess user's perceptions and expectations. A revised version of SERVQUAL was used to determine user's perceived and expected service levels along seven point Likert scale. A sample of 390 respondents was chosen and selected using stratified random sampling through proportional allocation. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS. The results of the study revealed that respondent's priority expectations are related to knowledgeable and competent staff, library staff’s ability to develop confidence in their users, …

Assessment Of Information Literacy Skills Among Science Students Of Andhra University, C. Sasikala, V. Dhanraju

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Information literacy (IL) plays a prominent role in the knowledge based society; especially effective use of IT based services and collaborative learning in the various levels of the educational system. This paper presents the findings of a survey on the level of information skills among the students of higher education. The scope of the study covers various aspects like awareness about the use of library resources, both print and electronic; knowledge about various sources of information including Internet; familiarity with and use of information communication technologies and copyright and fair use of information, etc.

Influence Of Locus Of Control And Computer Skills On The Use Of Internet Resources By Undergraduate Students In Nigerian Universities, O. O. Adeagbo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examined the influence computer skills and locus of control on the utilization of Internet resources by undergraduate students in Nigerian universities. Data were collected through the use of questionnaire. A study sample of 201 students randomly selected from a federal, a state and a private university in Osun State were used for the study. The resulting data were analysed using percentages, tables, Pearson Correlation and t-test analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The result indicated that 98.5% of the undergraduate students use Internet resources. 71.6% use them mostly for educational or academic activities. The general level of computer …

Teaching Effectiveness, Availability, Accessibility, And Use Of Library And Information Resources Among Teaching Staff Of Schools Of Nursing In Osun And Oyo State, Nigeria, Moses Oladele Adeoye, S. O. Popoola

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study investigated the influence of availability, accessibility and use of library information resources on the teaching effectiveness of the teaching staff of schools of Nursing in Osun and Oyo States of Nigeria. The population used was the entire teaching staff of the eight (8) schools of Nursing in Osun and Oyo States. The research instruments used were questionnaires and observation. One hundred and fifty eight (158) questionnaires were distributed one hundred and forty seven (147) were returned giving a response rate of 93.04%. The findings of this research show that teaching effectiveness has significant positive correlation with educational qualification, …

The Library Is A Growing Organism: Ranganathan's Fifth Law Of Library Science And The Academic Library In The Digital Era, Keren Barner

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This article seeks to explore some possible creative options all aimed for finding unique ways for the academic library to grow in the digital era. The paper use terms and ideas derived from Darwin's theory of evolution but based first and foremost on the philosophical infrastructure phrased by Ranganathan (1931) at his fifth law for library science: the library is a growing organism because those classical theories can give strength and real support to the academic library institution to innovate with a solid framework instead of random actions here and there. It is a conceptual paper based on literature review …

Pirates And Librarians: Big Media, Technology, And The Role Of Liberal Education, D. Aram Donabedian, John Carey

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The widespread appearance of computers in libraries during the early 1990s elicited a debate among those who welcomed new technologies and those who perceived such changes as a threat to the traditional role of academic libraries and the values of liberal education. At the same time, increasing consolidation of major media channels—including sources of scholarly communication—has allowed a small number of corporations to control distribution and access to the materials libraries offer, through tools such as licensing fees, copyright restrictions, and digital rights management. In response to these barriers, librarians and educators have embraced open access publishing and Creative Commons …

Preservation Of Cultural Heritage: The Strategic Role Of The Library And Information Science Professionals In South East Nigeria, V. O. Ekwelem, V. N. Okafor, S. C. Ukwoma

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

One of the primary problems confronting library profession today is lack of commitment by the available human resources, particularly, in the areas of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and preservation of resources on cultural heritage. The exploitation of knowledge as warranted by the increasing technological interventions are adding new dimension to education and thus making training an essential ingredient to most human development endeavours. This paper seeks to look at the various forms of professional training received by library and information science professionals, the available resources on cultural heritage in libraries and information centres, methods of their preservation and the …

Using Skos To Express Faceted Classification On The Semantic Web, Theresa Putkey

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper looks at Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) to investigate how faceted classifications can be expressed in RDF and shared on the Semantic Web. This paper first restates a definition of faceted classification, shares a faceted taxonomy, restates the definition of the Semantic Web and RDF, then looks into the SKOS standard and the PoolParty software to build a faceted taxonomy in an SKOS compliant format. This paper then discusses the research approach.

Use Of Web 2.0 And Its Implications For Libraries: Perceptions Of Information Professionals In Pakistan, Ata Ur Rehman, Farzana Shafique

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this study is to assess the use of Web 2.0 applications among information professionals in Pakistan and their perceptions about the potential use of Web 2.0 applications for designing and delivering library services. Triangular method of research has been used for this study. It is based on primary data gathered through an online survey. An online questionnaire was designed and the link was e-mailed on the three professional discussion groups/LISTSERVS (i.e. PakLAG, LibCoop and LibrarianWelfare). Initially a pilot survey was also conducted to test the validity of the tool. During the specified time more than 100 library …

A Survey Of Senior Secondary School Libraries In Jammu And Kashmir, India, Sofi Zahoor Ahmad

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper presents the findings of a study carried out as part of a PhD thesis aimed to explore the present status of/and problems faced by senior secondary school libraries in the state of Jammu and Kashmir-India. A questionnaire survey was conducted and 201 senior secondary schools participated in the study using a stratified random sampling technique. A 100percent response rate was ensured through visits to each school under sample over a period of two years (2009 & 2010). The results showed that school libraries lacked on all fronts. They face problems like lack of manpower, poor physical facilities, unorganized …

The Challenges Of Software Use In Nigerian University Libraries: Review Of Experiences From 1990- 2009, Nwabuisi T. Imo, Uche H. Igbo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This work examined the challenges faced by Nigerian university libraries in implementing software regimes in their automation/computerization projects. The study argued that Nigerian university libraries have had a long history of attempts at automating/computerizing their operations, but most have not made appreciable efforts. The major problem has been that of selecting the appropriate software to drive these projects. The specific objectives of this study include: to identify the types of software available in these libraries, to identify the extent of use of the available software, to identify the problems associated with software use in these libraries and to suggest the …

One Among The Twelve: How Library Professionals Constitute A Serious Challenge To The Provision Of Library Services In The 21st Century, Isaac Echezonam Anyira

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper explores the librarian-based factors that pose serious challenges to the delivery of library services in the 21st century. It is not just funding, but also the librarian that hinders the 21st century library. Factors include inflation of costs, embezzlement, bribery, misappropriation of funds, lack of relevant skills, fear, bias, dogmatism, and ageism. Librarians should develop themselves by seeking ICT training; take full advantage of training and development, and take advantage of the knowledge and education offered by conferences and workshops; ICT skill should be accorded priority in recruiting and retaining librarians; the LIS curriculum should include 21st century …

Use Of The School Resource Centre Among Malaysian High School Teachers, Yushiana Mansor, Norhiyah Mohd Nor

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study investigates the pattern of School Resource Centre (SRC) use among teachers from selected high schools in Malaysia. Survey methodology was used and questionnaire was the only instrument used to gather relevant information for the study. The findings of the study indicated that the level of SRC usage among teachers is still low. While only a small number of teachers really used SRC services for their teaching-learning purposes. In general, the study seems to suggest that there was an overall lack of interest in the use of SRC by teachers. The findings further revealed the factors that might have …