A Semiotic Interpretation Of Sense-Making In Information Seeking, Zao Liu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Sense-making in information seeking process is one of the major information seeking models. Questions have been raised about information seekers’ ambiguous needs and focus-shifting tendency relative to sense-making. This paper tackles this problem by reviewing two related approaches and suggesting an alternative interpretation from the semiotic point of view. The author argues that information seeking is often interactive, dynamic, and infinite just as the relationships between sign, object and interpretant posited in Peirce’s semiotics. The implication of this paper is to alert information seekers about this potential endless information seeking process and come to terms with their search results which …

Measuring Dhaka University Students’ Internet Use Behavior Of The Department Of Information Science And Library Management, Md. Maidul Islam

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This research has been conducted of the undergraduate students in the Department of Information Science and Library Management, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. A survey questionnaire was developed and used to collect data on students’ demographics, internet use behavior and purposes of internet use in the Department of Information Science and Library Management. The obtained input data were then evaluated using SPSS and the findings have been interpreted. The results showed that students prefer electronic media to printed media in seeking information and they use the Internet mostly to do homework and prepare for their lessons. The students find the quality …

Internet Access And Use Among Undergraduate Students Of Bowen University Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria, Aderonke O. Otunla

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examined the internet access and use among undergraduate students of Bowen University Iwo, Osun state, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was used. The population comprises of 4,800 undergraduate students out of which 300 students were randomly selected from various faculties, 298 questionnaires were correctly filled and analyzed. The result of the findings shows that all respondents access and used the internet. Major access was through their mobile phones with 52.7%, only 6.4 accessed through University Digital centre while none from the library. Respondent used internet daily with 68.9%, 41.6% used internet between 7-9 hours a week and experience …

An Assessment Of Information Needs And Characteristics Of Users Of Oyo State Public Library, Nigeria, Shuaib Agboola Olarongbe, Olusegun Samuel Adepoju Mr., Hawwa Bolanle Akanbi-Ademolake Mrs., Taiye Austin Pedro Mr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Information is a resource that is naturally needed in all human endeavors. One can readily infer that information is indispensable in human life, hence a basic human need, which has an over-riding significance to all and sundry. Meanwhile, no country in the world can progress without providing free public library services to the citizens. However, this study is an examination of the information needs and characteristics of users of Oyo State Public Library, Nigeria. It investigates what constitutes the information needs of the library users, what services and resources are available in the library to meet their needs, what are …

Problems Associated With Newspaper Management In A Ghanaian University Library, Afia Densi Asare-Kyire, Edward Mensah Borteye Mr., Victor Teye Mr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The paper examined the collection, storage, preservation and other management practices of newspapers at the Serials Department of the KNUST Library. The study was based on the subscription statistics from April 2000 to April 2012, a period of thirteen years available at the Department.Observation was also made to augment data gathered from the newspaper statistics and analyzed descriptively. It was revealed by the statistics that newspapers are subscribed, received and collected on a daily basis (i.e. six days a week) thus creating a huge collection. It was further revealed that the newspapers are bound annually which makes it bulky and …

Appraising The Quality Of Malaysian Union Catalog, Ahmad Fuzi Md Ajis, Zuraidah Abd Manaf

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study attempted to highlights issues relating to authoritativeness and quality of Malaysian Union Catalog, known as Katalog Induk Kebangsaan (KIK). The development of KIK records involved participation of 101 “participating libraries” in Malaysia. The study adopted document analysis methodology where 500 bibliographic data have been selected from the database. The bibliographic data were analyzed based on its compliance with International Standards like MARC21 and AACR2R. Each data were screened before going through the analysis process. Only qualified data were analyzed in this study. The finding indicates that 90% of the qualified records analyzed in the study are developed according …

An Assessment Of The Information Dissemination Channels Used By The Zimbabwe Women’S Resource Centre And Network In The Provision Of Hiv/Aids Information To Women., Nancy Nhendodzashe, Collen Nhendo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In light of a high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among women in Zimbabwe, this study sought to assess the extent to which the Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN) was effective in disseminating HIV/AIDS information to combat the pandemic among women. Literature reviewed that in as much as information was crucial in the fight against HIV/AIDS; there are other strategies that should be employed in combating HIV/AIDS to complement information dissemination activities such as economic empowerment of women and promotion of gender equality. The evaluation research design was used to accomplish the research objectives. The population of the study consisted …

Open Archives Initiative Protocol For Metadata Harvesting, Dublin Core And Accessibility In The Oaister Repository, Michael Peake

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper examines the use of Dublin Core as a minimum metadata standard for Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting in terms of its impact on end user experience in the OAIster repository. Specifically the study looked at the use of controlled vocabulary searches versus non-controlled vocabulary searches, as well as the impact of Dublin Core on the granularity and consistency records. Searches were performed in OAIster using Library of Congress Subject Headings and Name Authority Files, as well as non-controlled vocabulary searches for the same terms. The study concluded that controlled vocabulary searches are good for retrieving relevant …

Ict Skills And Computer Self-Efficacy Of Research Students: The Case Of Institute Of Pure & Applied Biology And Biotechnology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan, Muhammad Naushad Sabzwari, Rubina Bhatti, Bashir Ahmed

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In the current changing higher education environment research students need to possess ample skills related to use of computer and different ICTs for education and research purposes. This study aims to investigate the awareness, usage and impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for information, education and research purposes among the Botany, Zoology and Biotechnology research students of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan. For this purpose, data was collected from students involved in research, in order to get information and awareness about their competencies and skills in ICT and other searching and data analyzing tools. The literature review shows that most …

Assessing The Role Of Library Associations In Promoting Research Culture In Lis, Rubina Bhatti, Tariq Mahmood Chohan

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Library Associations play an important role in the promotion of librarianship as a profession vital to an informed and knowledgeable society. This paper discusses the importance of research in LIS, and considers the role of professional association in recognizing, enabling and promoting a research cul­ture amongst qualified professionals. It shows that if the library profession is to grow and thrive as a true profession, demonstrating not only typical practice, but also considered scholarly approaches to the issues of its day, then its commitment in apt and relevant research practice is indispensable. It addresses the prospects, problems and challenges posed in …

School Environmental Factors And Mathematics Teaching Effectiveness: Implication For E-Learning, Sikiru A. Amoo, Akeem B. Disu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Mathematics occupies a central position in the school curriculum. It is a core subject from the primary through the junior secondary to the senior secondary school levels of the educational system. This important position occupied by the subject in the school curricula is borne out of the role of mathematics in scientific and technological development, a sine-qua-non in national building. However, the teaching of this important subject is beset with problems of societal values for it, there is the problem of inadequate and substandard learning materials and general attitudes among others. Therefore, the study investigated the pre-professional mathematics teachers’ beliefs …

Evaluation Of Entrepreneurship Awareness And Skills Among Lis Students In Universities In South East Nigeria, Felicia Ugwu, C.N. Ezeani

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examined the entrepreneurship awareness and skills among Library and Information Science (LIS) students in two Nigerian Universities. In Nigeria, the overcrowded job market is forcing thousands of graduates into unemployment and its associated consequences of kidnapping, drug addiction, youth restiveness and general poor standard of living. This has made it imperative that graduates be equipped with skills that are required to achieve self-reliance. With appropriate skills, LIS students as information professionals will be at the vanguard of information generation and reaping its employment opportunities in libraries, companies and corporate organizations. Specifically examined in this paper were the level …

Impact Of The Internet On Research Effort Of Academics At Abia State University, Uturu, (Absu), Cpc Onwubiko

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper is on the impact of the Internet on the research effort of academics at Abia State University Uturu. The Internet has become an invaluable tool for teaching, learning and research. The benefits are so enormous that there is no sphere of life without the Internet application. This is certainly true for tertiary institutions. Premised on this consciousness, the descriptive survey research method was adopted in carrying out the study, with the questionnaire as the sole instrument for data collection. The study was guided by six objectives. The findings of the study revealed that there is no felt need …

Electronic Information Resources Awareness, Attitude And Use By Academic Staff Members Of University Of Lagos, Nigeria, Olatokunbo Christopher Okiki

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper is an attempt to study the issues of electronic information resources awareness, attitude and use by academic staff members of university of Lagos, Nigeria with a view to survey the exposure of academics to electronic information resources. Also, it aims to highlight the challenges faced by the users and suggests some corrective measures for its improvement. 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 0.81 was obtained. The random sampling technique together with a questionnaire was used for data collection on …

Content Analysis Of Journal Literature Published From Uk And Usa, Paramjeet Kaur Walia, Manpreet Kaur

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper aims to identify the types of research papers/articles, current trends in the choice of subjects, being included in the Library and information science (LIS) journal literature published from UK and USA. The study also aims to find out the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on LIS subject fields. A content analysis of 165 research papers and journals articles published in the year 2008 in six LIS journals was conducted. Findings indicate that 93 (56.36%) of the articles out of the total 165 were research based. The variation is found with regard to coverage of core subject …

General Structures, Literatures, And Problems Of Libraries: Revisiting The State Of Librarianship In Africa, James Afebuameh Aiyebelehin

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The society we live in is in constant need of information to solve its problems. The library serves as the agency responsible for the collecting, processing, managing and disseminating of this information in various formats to meet the varying needs of the users. Information may be needed for education, entertainment, socio-cultural development etc. It is therefore the duty of the librarian to ensure that there is availability and accessibility to the required information whenever it is needed. This paper looks at the nature of libraries, the structures of libraries, the literature of libraries and common problems plaguing the delivery of …

Modern Trends In Library And Information Science Education In Nigeria: Challenges And The Way Forward, Abdulganiy Okanla Ahmed

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

There had been developmental changes in the society because of its dynamic nature. In view of this, the traditional method of discharging responsibilities in most fields of human endeavour is gradually going into extinction and thus, the need to move along with times. This paper therefore focuses on the challenges of modern trends in Library and Information Science Education in Nigeria. The paper discusses the nature and constraints of information service provisions traditionally. It further accounts for historical antecedents of Library and Information Science Education in Nigeria. It also examines the challenges of modern trends in Library and Information Science …

Home Pages Of Ten Leading Global-Asian Academic Library Websites, Safie Tahmasebi Limoni, Mitra Ghiasi, Ali A. Razavi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

A website’s homepage is a gate to its content, and accuracy of structure is important. This is especially more important on academic library websites that are places for searching for general and specific information.

This is based on a survey-comparative method using researcher-made checklists. The population consists of ten leading global-Asian academic library websites confirmed by webometry site. Findings include three factors: search engine available on the first page (P = 0.000), available page for electronic resources separately (P = 0.003), image attraction (P = 0.002), and the bond between a library webpage and non-academic libraries (P = 0.001). There …

Information Needs Of The Rural Farmers : A Study From Maharashtra, India: A Survey, Nitin Bhagachand Bachhav

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Nowadays, information is a basic necessity of everyday life. For anything and everything information is required. Information can be obtained or retrieved from a variety of sources. Farmers constitute a particular group of users whose information needs is very specific. The present paper deals with the information needs of the farmer community in rural areas. The study conducted through survey method and reveals that 71 (40.58%) farmers requires daily information for various agriculture work. It is also found that the first preferred sources of the information of the farmers is colleague or fellow farmers following by newspapers and Government office.

Influence Of Information Source Parameters And Personal Characteristics Of Librarians On Readers' Ability To Retrieve Information In Reference Service, Nkoyo B. Edem

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

NKOYO B. EDEM (PH.D)

DEPUTY UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN

UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR LIBRARY

CALABAR

E- mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted in four (4) University libraries, (two states and two federal) in the south – south zone of Nigeria to provide information on the perception of both librarians and readers on the influence of information source parameters (obsolete information sources and availability of relevant information sources), as well as personal characteristics of librarians (attitude and experience) on readers ability to retrieve information. The study used survey design to determine by means of a one item in a four point likert scale …

The Challenges Of Promoting Reading Culture In Nigerian Children Through Story Hour, Book Talks And Exhibition: A Case Study Of Selected Secondary Schools In Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria., Oyemike Victor Ossai-Onah

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

It has been observed that reading culture among Nigerian children is tragically deficient when compared to the Western world. In this era of high level technological development, it is disheartening to note that reading culture is missing as the younger ones are now embracing watching of home video and accessing the Internet. The paper focused on the challenges of promoting reading culture in Nigerian children through study hour, book talks and exhibition. The study was carried out in some secondary schools in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Ten (10) secondary schools were used and the findings reveals the challenges militating against …

Duties And Job Performance Factors Of Cataloguers In Nigerian Academic Libraries, M.A. Bello, Y. Mansor

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Cataloguing is fundamentally the basis of theory of knowledge where information organisation, the structure and the means for handling them are identified and specified. Cataloguers are the specialists responsible for bibliographic control, information management and the creation of resource discovery tool that aids user in their search for materials. Essentially, they are responsible for the provision and organisation of efficient and effective retrieval system. Thereby saves time, increases the quality/productivity of library users and ultimately enhances the performance of the institution to achieve set objectives. Literatures indicated swift changes in duties, skills and functions of cataloguers. The changes had posed …

Influence Of Subeb Libraries In Developing The Reading Skills Of Primary School Pupils In Selected Public Primary Schools In Oyo State, Razaq Oyewo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study has presented findings on the influence of SUBEB Libraries on the development of reading skills of primary school pupils in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study was conducted on SUBEB libraries located in Local Government Areas in Ibadan Township, which is the headquarter of Oyo State. A total number of 135 copies of questionnaire were administered on the respondents out of which only 133 were found useful for the study.

The major findings of the study revealed the inadequacy of reading promotion programmes in the SUBEB libraries selected for the study (113 or 91.1%). Even though the study revealed …

Survey Of Information Technology In The Libraries Of Tabriz University, Khatoun Kabani, Dariush Matlabi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study explores the use of information technology in the twelve libraries of Tabriz University. The research method is descriptive survey, using data needed collected through questionnaires distributed to the people responsible for the libraries. Results show that the most popular hardware includes computers, tape recorders, television, and opaque projectors. Popular Internet applications include search engines, email, blogs, news groups, conferences, chat rooms, and discussion groups. Library services include document delivery, selective dissemination of information, electronic message boards, online catalogues, and current awareness services. Obstacles to using information technology include: cost, lack of familiarity with resources, not enough trained staff, …

Mapping Marketing Library Services Related Literature In Lis Open Access Journals, Anna Kaushik

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Open access initiative explores the new way to access scholarly literature free of cost which published in diverse online journals on different subjects. This study aims to identify growth and publication patterns of marketing library and information services related literature published in LIS open access journals by various bibliographic points of view. The results of the study demonstrated that maximum quantity of articles published in marketing library services, most productive year count as 2002 and huge amount of articles focused on library marketing theme. Results further revealed that wide spectrum of articles published in foreign open access LIS journals by …

Assessment Of Competencies Of Library And Information Science Educators In Nigeria, Michael Onuchukwu Okoye

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

. This paper traced the origin of library and information science education inNigeriato the advent of new technologies which have brought about tremendous impact in the delivery of services in academic libraries.. The population comprised 17 library educators in library schools in South East Nigeria Federal Universities. A structured questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection and copies of the questionnaire were distributed to respondents. Thirteen responses were received giving a response rate of 76.47%. The study centered on acquisition and application of knowledge-based and skills’-based competencies’ assessment. Data collected were analyzed using percentages and mean scores. Findings …

Reconsidering The Relationship Between Generic And Situated Il Approaches: The Dreyfus Model Of Skill Acquisition In Formal Information Literacy Learning Environments, Part I, Robert Farrell

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This is the first of two papers discussing the application of Berkeley phenomenologist Hubert Dreyfus’ five-stage model of skill acquisition to information literacy (IL) theory and practice. This paper will review and build on previous discussions of the relation between generic, conceptual, competency-based approaches to IL definition and instruction and what has come to be called “situated” approaches, arguing that both the generic and situated approaches to IL ought to find a place within a complex learning continuum. Dreyfus’ model depicts this continuum as one in which learners start out as novice rule-followers and then develop, over time and with …

The Role Of Information Dissemination In Attaining Food Security In Katsina State, Nigeria, Yusuf El-Ladan Ibrahim, Lawal Iro Sani

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper explores the values and usefulness of information dissemination as it affects food security in Nigeria, particularly in Katsina state. Information has been and would continue to play a vital role in any national development and growth. Agricultural information provision and dissemination is a must for every responsible government because it is only when farmer were informed, that they will be able to take a rational decision and produce enough to feed the state and the nation in general, consequently meeting the goal set by the MDG. Food security has been identified as the inability of a nation to …

The Use Of Icts And Audiovisual Resources In Developing Children’S Reading Habits In Nigeria, Uzoamaka Igwesi, J.N. Chimah, V. N. Nwachukwu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper looks at the use of of Information and Communication Technologies, (ICTs), and audio-visual resources in developing children’s reading culture in Nigeria. It has been observed that most children in Nigeria have very poor reading culture as reading is not associated with pleasure. Developing reading culture in children has been identified as the foundation and the building block for life-long learning. This paper therefore tries to highlight the use of ICTs and audio-visual resources as veritable resources in associating reading with pleasure by encouraging children in learning how to learn, visual literacy, and associating reading with pleasure. The central …

Information Literacy Skills: A Survey Of The Transition Of Students From Secondary To University Education In Edo State, Nigeria, Christopher O. Ukpebor, Daniel Emojorho

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This is a survey of the entry-level information literacy skills of first year students. It is a step towards understanding the prior information literacy knowledge of first year students at the University of Benin, and has broader implications for how librarians understand readiness for library research as well as for the future development of information literacy programmes at the secondary school level. Lack of understanding of prior knowledge by university libraries is in itself a barrier to engaging students in the research process in their first year, as it may result in programs that do not inspire students. Methodology adopted …