Greener Journal of Social Sciences Vol. 9(2), pp. 27-38, 2019 ISSN: 2276-7800 Copyright ©2019, the copyright of this article is
retained by the author(s) DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.15580/GJSS.2019.2.082619162 http://gjournals.org/GJSC |
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The Adoption and Utilization of Information
and Communication Technology for the Preservation and Conservation of Serial
Publication in Lautech Medical Library and Lautech Teaching Hospital Library, Osogbo.
Adeoye, Moses Oladele1*; Oladapo, Yemisi Oluremi2;
Abimbola, Margaret Olusola3; Tomomowo-Ayodele, S.O.4
1 LAUTECH
Medical Library, College of Health Sciences Osogbo, Osun State.
Nigeria. moadeoye@ lautech. edu.ng
2 LAUTECH Medical Library, College
of Health Sciences Osogbo, Osun
State. Nigeria. yooladapo@ lautech. edu.ng.
3 Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State,
Nigeria.Marg_abimbola@yahoo.com
4 Kenneth Dike Library, University
of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.susanyinka@yahoo.com.
ARTICLE INFO |
ABSTRACT |
Article No.: 082619162 Type: Research DOI: 10.15580/GJSS.2019.2.082619162 |
The research was
conducted to determine the adoption and utilization of ICT for Preservation
and Conservation of serial publications in LAUTECH Medical Library and Lautech Teaching Hospital Library Osogbo.
Four research questions were raised for this study. The research design used
for this study is descriptive survey, the population of the study which
constituted all library staff in these libraries were 35. Total population
sampling method was employed in this study. The results were collated and analyzed using tables and percentages. It concludes that
despite the low use of ICT for the serials functions, it has been shown to
reduce the rigor in serials publication; ease of selection, acquisition and
processing difficulties. Generally it has helped to reduce serials function
and reduced the cost for acquiring serials. The work recommended that:
university library funding bodies should provide adequate resources to
libraries to enable them procure ICT facilities which have been proved to
enhance serials accessibility; libraries which are .not using ICT facilities
for serials functions should be encouraged to reposition their stand in
order to provide the state of the art operations and services required by
the present day serials users; and curriculum for library trainees should be
expanded to accommodate the findings of this work. |
Submitted: 26/08/2019 Accepted: 28/08/2019 Published: |
|
*Corresponding Author Adeoye,
Moses Oladele E-mail: moadeoye@lautech. edu.ng |
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Keywords: |
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INTRODUCTION
Information and Communication Technology (ICT), a fusion
of Information Technology (IT) and Communication Technology (CT) which began in
the 1950's, has been described as "the most potent force which is shaping
the twenty first century" (Ayo 2001:72). Information and communication
technologies (ICT) are the most influencing factors of today’s information
society. The term of ICT is used to express the hardware and software usability
for information transportation and conducting communications linked by a vast
array of technological protocols (Anunobi, 2006). It also covers internet service
provision, information technology equipment and services, media and
broadcasting, library and documentation centers, network based information
services and preservation and conservation of information resources (Anie and Achugbue, 2009). The
emergence of the information revolution as championed by information and
communication technology (ICT) has enabled libraries to devise viable
strategies for improved service delivery (Igwe, 2010
cited in Anunobi and Edoka,
2010). Libraries does not only use information and communication technologies
for book and serial acquisitions, transaction, classification and cataloguing,
reference service, user orientation service, circulation service, inter library
loan, document delivery service, electronic contents, e-mail and chat
assistance, web 2.0 interactive sharing, bibliographic service and photocopies
services, but libraries also use information and communication technologies for
preservation and conservation of information
resources (Ilo, H, Beetseh,
K Ameh, R 2016).
Preservation
is an act of protecting and shielding material from destructive influences that
shorten their life span. The library plays a crucial role of protecting and
preserving information-bearing resources from distortion, deterioration, and
eventual loss because the materials are imperative (Ilo, Beetseh and Ameh, 2016). Bessy, Abalaka, Dauda and Okikiri (2014) defined preservation as activities which
include all the managerial and financial considerations, including storage and
accommodation provisions, staffing levels, policies, techniques, and methods involved
in preserving library and archival materials and the information contained in
them.
The
issue of preservation is as old as invention of writing, thus man in quest to
maintain records has devised places to preserve such records for future use.
The most difficult problem that has pressured the minds of librarians from time
immemorial till date is the ability to ensure that safety of library
information resources against threats such as floods, fire, mutilation,
rodents, insects and so on are taken care of cited in Ilo, H, Beetseh, K Ameh, R (2016). According to Bamigboye
and Burriamo (2008), libraries acquire and preserve
resources books, periodicals, maps etc, to meet
potential information or recreational need.
Ogunniyi and Adejubee
(2014) had indicated that for decades librarians have tended to mix up
preservation with conservation and all efforts have concentrated on the
curative treatment of single documents. Conservation and restoration are the
most central activities of preservation; they are concerned with the physical
maintenance and repair of documentary materials.
Libraries
preserve resources to meet the informational or recreational needs of its
clientele. When the resources in one’s care is allowed to deteriorate unchecked
or become damaged in anyway, it may be difficult and may be ultimately
difficult or the information it embodies available for use. It is the
responsibility of the library staff to keep these resources in good physical
condition so that they are available for users at all times. The unflinching
capacity of institutions of higher learning to teach, research published
scholarly materials, and even to perceive the heartbeat of peers beating space
and time is founded on the publication called serials. Since 1609 when the
first newspaper was published and the publication of the first periodical in
1665, it has become very easy for researchers to communicate their findings and
apply those of others in their research works. Hence, a university is adjudged
high class when it can provide adequate information materials especially
current serials. This is expected since research at the undergraduate and
postgraduate levels have serials as their bedrock. Burch (1990) cited in Ilo, H, Beetseh,
K Ameh, R (2016) described serials as a central force
in scholarly communication because researchers prefer it for publication of
their research results and for retrospective scholarly review. The serials
sections handle publications issued in successive parts at regular or irregular
intervals. Maintaining the operation of this section in a manual system or
environment can be cumbersome. The situation is totally different in a fully
automated system. The ICT facilities
applied in the library in general and serials unit in particular are based on
the functions performed therein. The functions performed in the university
serials unit as indicated by Anunobi, Chinwe V. and Edoka, Benson E.,(2010) are acquisition, processing, public service and
preservation. These functions are synonymous with the functions performed in
the university library though with some peculiarities emanating from the nature
of serials. Therefore, ICT
facilities used in the university library are also applicable to the serials
unit but also with peculiarity occasioned by the nature of serials. These
services and operations have been transformed using ICT. Every institution that
has a collection of enduring value should have a preservation and conservation
plan for it.
Objective of the Study
The fundamental objective of the study
is to determine the adoption and utilization of ICT for Preservation and
Conservation of serial publications in LAUTECH Medical Library and LAUTECH
Teaching Hospital Library.
The
specific objective of this study includes the following to:
i.
Ascertain the role of ICT in enhancing the
Availability and Accessibility of serial publication
ii.
Examine the various ICT facilities used for
preservation and conservation of serial publication.
iii.
Identify the factors affecting the use of ICT
for preservation and conservation of serial publication.
iv.
Ascertain the Strategies for the Enhancement
of the use of ICT for Preservation and Conservation in Libraries.
Research Questions
The following are the research
questions:
i.
What is the role of ICT in enhancing the Availability
and Accessibility of serial publication?
ii.
What are the various ICT facilities used for
preservation and conservation of serial publication?
iii.
What are the factors affecting the use of ICT
for preservation and conservation of serial publication?
iv.
What are Strategies for the Enhancement of
the use of ICT for Preservation and Conservation in Libraries?
Scope of the Study
This study covered LAUTECH Medical
library staff and LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Library Staff comprising the
Professional and Para-professional staff, as the subject of the study. The case
study covered the main methods the adoption and utilization of ICT for
Preservation and Conservation of serial publications in the said libraries, the
responsibility of which lies with the library staff only.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The concept
of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Information and
communication technologies (ICT) are the most influencing factors of today’s
information society. The term of ICT is used to express the hardware and
software usability for information transportation and conducting communications
linked by a vast array of technological protocols. It also covers internet
service provision, information technology equipment and services, media and
broadcasting, library and documentation centers, network based information
services and other related communication activities (Anie
and Achugbue, 2009). ICT facilitates the information
storage, retrieval, acquisition, searching, viewing and information handling. The
main function of ICT is availability of right information to the user at the
right time for appeasing his thrust of knowledge
The
library has an important role to play within a university to support its
objectives of learning, teaching, research and community services. The extent,
to which the university is able to carry out its laudable objectives, portrays
how the university library has been supportive to it in the provision of all
the essential information resources.
Preservation
and conservation are sometimes confused to be synonymous. According to steward
as cited in Osayuwa-Odigie and Eneh
(2011) although the precise definitions of the two concepts (Preservation and
Conservation) are endlessly arguable, both preservation and conservation
involved a rigorous respect for the integrity of the information resources and
on appreciation of its role as an object of cultural heritage. They further
note that it was a commitment to prolonging the life of the information
resources through preventive action and through the use of stale materials and
appropriate techniques of treatment. In line with the above view, Walker (2013)
sees the two concepts differently: he defined Preservation As ‘all managerial,
technical and financial considerations applied to retard deterioration and
extend the useful life of (collection) materials to ensure their continued
availability, while Conservation is the treatment of information resources by interventive procedures. It should be seen as one option in
a programme of collection care.
Similarly,
Baker as cited in Ovowoh and Iwhiwhu
(2010) opined that Preservation is the action taken to anticipate, prevent,
stop, or slow deterioration. It can also be described as the art of
anticipating and preventing decay. Smith as cited in Osayuwa-Odigie
and Eneh (2011) sees preservation to involve all
activities that serve to prolong the life of information resources in a
library’s collection
Conservation
in other words deals with all the activities that involve physical treatment of
individual items by professional conservators or conservation technicians. Asogwa and Ifeanyi (2012) posited
that preservation is a branch of library and information science that is
concerned with maintaining and restoring continued access to records and
archives collections. It is the study, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of
deterioration, decay and damage to those collections in cultural heritage
institutions. Conservation on the other hand is the treatment and repair of
individual items in the collection in order to slow their decay and damage and
to restore them to a usable state.
A more
precise and comprehensive definition of preservation is the one given by IFLA
Principles for the Care and Handling of Library Material (2010) to include “all
the managerial and financial considerations including storage and accommodation
provisions, staffing levels, policies, techniques, and methods involved in
preserving library and archival material and the information contained in them”.
While conservation is specific practices taken to slow down deterioration and
prolong the life span of an object by direct intervening in its physical or
chemical make-up.
Serial is a publication in print,
non-print or electronic format issued in successive parts and intended to be
continued indefinitely. Serials are of various kinds and include journals,
magazines, newspapers, newsletters, accessions, reports, proceedings and
transactions of societies and other periodicals like abstracts and indexes.
Serials are of great importance because they carry latest, current, up-to-date
and useful information.
Definitions of the term “serial”
vary from authority to authority and from library to library. The term is used
to include all those publications which are issued with varying frequency, with
a title common to successive issues, but without a foreseeable ending. Within
this definition fall periodicals, governmental serials, newspapers, series,
annuals, proceedings, transactions, and other less easily delineated
categories. Osborn (1980) estimates that there are between half a million and a
million serial titles published each year. For the number of separate issues
published during a year and for the number of copies produced are too great for
a reasonable estimate, but from what we know of serials, their number is
staggering. The future of serial publications can be considered under two aspects: (1) the future of the serial publications
themselves, and (2) whether and how libraries will use them. Serial
publications, which have been part of our library resources for hundreds of
years,’ will remain library resources for many years to come. It seems safe to
predict that there will be no abrupt change in the pattern of publishing and
reading which is favorable to the serial publication, dealing as it does with
information too current, too transitory, or too fragmentary for conventional
book treatment.
The deterioration of
library materials forms the basic problem of libraries and given rise to
preservation and conservation needs. In the course of preserving materials,
there is need to adequately consider the value of records in terms of its
educational, socio-political and economic impact on society, and decide the
period during which each class of documents might be kept for use and then
destroyed or permanently preserved for future use. However, no library material
is infinite. By their very nature, they are susceptible to deterioration, hence
preserving and conserving them become ultra-important. In order to retain the
information contained in all media of communication for effective use by future
generations, there is the need to preserve and conserve.
There
is a need to preserve titles, which have arte-actual, biographical or
intellectual values. It is instructive to note that paper, for instance,
deteriorates very fast because of their ephemeral nature. Machine-made paper is
made of wood, pulp containing harmful acids that cause it to deteriorate fast.
Materials used for binding also contain harmful ingredients that cause
deterioration. Environmental factors like high temperature and relative
humidity, exposure to light, air pollution, and careless handling by increasing
number of users in open access repositories cause deterioration and object
damage to materials that are very valuable.
For some decades now, there has been
a revolution in information storage media. Data is now stored electronically in
digitized formats. Computers are presently very basic to library functions and
services. Mostly, they act as gateways in libraries and information can only be
accessed and retrieved through them. Physical materials are of lesser interest
to the end users in an environment where information is electronically
accessible. The problem of storage, and practically that of preservation of
information is removed from the point of use (where it has traditionally been
located) to the point of supply. The information producer bothers about
location of extensive databases for storage and preservation from where users
can access whatever they needed. Until about 1990, librarians had little need
to concern themselves with the preservation of electronic data; they were
merely interested in the means of keeping out-put media like audio- CDs and CD
– ROM in a usable condition for a reasonable length of time. The concept and
development of electronic library has changed this attitude. This is not
surprising because, automation brings with it a lot of dynamism and we must try
to keep pace with the changes.
From the preservation perspective,
digital technology offers important reformatting advantages over photocopy and
microfilm, including its capability to create a higher quality reproduction of
a deteriorating original, the ability to reproduce digital images over and over
again with no loss of image quality, greater flexibility in terms of output and
distribution, and potential cost savings associated with storage and
distribution (Kenney, et al, 2002). Most importantly, ICT offers unprecedented
opportunities for access and use, since it could facilitate the expansion of scholarship
by providing timely, distributed access to a variety of sources from a variety
of locations. Although the advantages of ICT for preservation reformatting and
access enhancement are numerous, there are drawbacks as well. ICT has the
potential to redefine preservation reformatting, but until the concerns
associated with maintaining long-term accessibility to material stored in
digital image form can be resolved, many libraries and archives are loath to
initiate digital projects beyond the pilot phase (Kenney, et al., 2002). With
the advent of high-performance computing and high-speed networks, the use of
digital technologies is increasing rapidly.
ICT enables information to be created,
manipulated, disseminated, located, and stored with increasing ease. Ensuring
long-term access to the digitally stored information poses a significant
challenge, and is increasingly recognized as an important part of digital data
management. Digital preservation involves the retention of both the information
object and its meaning. It is therefore necessary that preservation techniques
be able to understand and re-create the original form or function of the object
to ensure its authenticity and accessibility. Recently, several approaches for
digital preservation have been identified and presented. According to Lee et
al, (2002) techniques for the preservation of digital information include
technology preservation, preservation emulation, information migration, and
encapsulation. Digital resources can be stored on any medium that can represent
their binary digits or bits, such as a CD-ROM or a DVD.
Serials stakeholders locally and
internationally see the use of information and communication technology
facilities as a panacea to problem of serials accessibility. Such motivated the
production of Union list of Serial in 1978. An initiation of
Committee of Universities Librarians of Nigerian Universities.
International Network for The Availability of Scientific Publications
Newsletter No. 18, 2001 was also dedicated to the publication of Journals
online. All are geared towards improving availability and accessibility of
serials.
Siddiqui (1997); and Oketunji,
Daniel and Okojie (2002) grouped ICT facilities in
libraries into three categories viz. computers, storage media and
telecommunications. The computers and storage media are regarded as the IT
facilities. Oketunji (2000) informed that computer
and storage media are used for housekeeping functions, one of which is the
serials functions. The computer and storage devices media are grouped into two
parts; the hardware and the software. The hardware are of general purpose for
every computer user and include the input devices like keyboard, card reader,
mouse etc; the central processing unit and the output
devices such as printer, visual display unit.
The
software is of two types. The operating system types that
makes the computer do what it ought to do usually come with the
computer. They include Microsoft DOS, Windows: 95, 98, 2000, XP, NT, Linux etc.
(Oketunji 2000). The other type called application
software is the specific software and the one in use in libraries especially
serials unit is the most specific. Ikpaahindi (2002)
listed the major library software used in Nigerian libraries and their source: they
are CDISIS, Glass, TINLIB, X-LIB Alice for Windows, KOHA
etc. Many other university libraries developed in-house application software.
The storage media used in library includes the magnetic tape, magnetic disk and
optical discs (Rowley 1988, 1993). The popular ones in the library are the
floppy diskettes, the hard disk and the Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD -
ROM).
The Telecommunications aspect of ICT provides
the capabilities for the transfer and or communication of data from one
workstation to another (Oketunji, Daniel and Okojie 2002). While the computer and the storage media act
to gather process and store information for use, the telecommunication
facilities act to actualize the dissemination of such Information. Siddiqui (1997) identified the ICT facilities use in the
library as Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), telecommunication networks,
electronic mail, electronic bulletin boards and electronic conferencing.
Included in the list are telefacsimile (Fax) and
online searching: Siddiqui Mathews (2000) mentioned
the Internet, the World Wide Web (WWW) and library Networking/resource sharing.
Others are electronic mail and online searching. In other words the
telecommunication facilities are those ICT facilities that require the
telephone or Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) and related cable facilities
to be put to use. Hence they could be grouped into the Local Area Network (LAN)
facilities which gives rise to OPAC, the Wide Area Network facilities
(WAN);World Wide Web (WWW), the Internet facilities, Electronic mail (E- mail)
and the facsimile (FAX). Agbaje (2002) also informed
that ICT facilities use could be applied in serials management with Internet
through online system, e-mail, browsing, publishing, selection, ordering,
acquisition and money transfer. They can also be used for electronic copying,
CD-ROM technology, database management and library technology consortia.
Oketunji (2001) pointed out
that automation which implies the use of ICT in serials will facilitate: (a)
subscription control through the ease of procurement, procedures, order preparation,
fund analysis and accounting. (b) Bibliographic file control through the ease
of cataloguing, preparation of serials record entries. (c) Transaction control
through ease of additions, changes and deletion; (d) collection control through
the ease of servicing request for serials publication and other preservation
and output information generation. He was only making suggestions which need to
be proved scientifically.
Inadequate
Finance: Almost all Nigerian Academic libraries, archives and information
centers do not allocate adequate funds in their annual budget for the
preservation and conservation of serial publication in their holdings. This has
really caused the low priority or lack of desired attention given to the
preservation and conservation of information resources by the management of
such libraries and archives.
Inadequacy
of Equipment/Materials: Lack of suitable or inadequate equipment and materials
contributes significantly to the present poor status of preservation and
conservation of information materials in Nigerian Academic libraries, archives
and information centers. Some of the essential materials and equipment required for setting
up functional conservation and restoration laboratories in Nigerian Academic
libraries and archives are not available locally (ESARBICA, 2002).
Unfavorable
Government Economic Policies: The economic policies of most African governments
do not favour library and archival services, so
preservation and conservation activities are not given the priority attention
they deserve. Such economic policies include those concerning high duties and
tariffs charged on imports of preservation and conservation equipment.
Tropical
climate: The effects of tropical climate of excessive temperature, high
relative humidity, dust, and rodents that feed on paper-based materials cause
rapid deterioration and decay of information resources in Nigerian Academic
Libraries and archives. These agents of rapid deterioration and decay of
information materials add more to the costs associated with conservation and
restoration of information materials in Nigerian Academic libraries archives
and records offices (UNESCO, 2000).
Manpower
and other infrastructure: For any preservation and conservation programme to succeed in libraries and archives there must
be adequate and well-trained manpower. This is because preservation and
conservation of information resources is a specialized field of knowledge that
requires information professionals who understand the physical and chemical
nature of the materials in their library and archive holdings
Lack
of Preservation and Conservation Policy: Most Nigerians do not have a national
information policy which makes the formulation of preservation and conservation
policies in the libraries and information centers out of the question (Wamukoya and Mutula, 2005).
Quality of paper and ink: The low
quality of paper and ink used in the production of information materials
especially library book materials and paper-based records in archives and
records offices pose serious danger to preservation and conservation of
information materials in Nigerian Academic Libraries (Mahapatra
and Chakrabarti, 2003).
Maintenance
culture: Nigeria generally lack maintenance culture. The managements of
libraries and archives in Nigeria have poor maintenance culture of
infrastructural facilities such as telephones, electricity, water supply,
laboratory equipment, buildings, disaster control devices, etc. meant for their
preservation and conservation operations.
Administrative
problem: Majority of the library and archive managers concentrate much on the
effective provision of information services to users. There is a lack of proper
recognition of the need for preservation, conservation and restoration of
information resources. They have failed to realize that preservation and
conservation staff needs adequate training for improved job performance there
should also be provision of good conditions of service (Popoola,
2003; Olatokun, 2008).
METHODOLOGY:
The
instrument used for data collection is the questionnaire; this is constructed
in accordance with the research questions. The questionnaire was designed by
the researcher and consists of two parts. Part one was designed to elicit
relevant background information about the respondents. Part two deals with the
sections of items raised from the research questions of the study. A total number of 35
questionnaires consisting of four questions were administered to LAUTECH
Medical Library and LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Library staff, which all the 35
questionnaires were filled and retrieved which makes it 100%. The table below
shows the response rate. It reveals
that 35 Questionnaires was administered and all the questionnaires were
retrieved from the respondents.
Table 1 Questionnaires Distribution/ Response Rate
Respondents |
Questionnaire |
Questionnaire |
Percentage |
|
Administered |
Return |
|||
Library Staff |
35 |
35 |
100% |
|
Table 2: Demographic Information of Respondents
Items |
Frequency |
Percentage |
|
Gender |
Male |
20 |
57.14% |
Female |
15 |
42.86% |
|
Working Experience |
1-5 years |
5 |
14.29% |
6-10 years |
5 |
14.29%% |
|
|
11 - 15 years |
10 |
28.57% |
15 years and above |
15 |
42.86% |
|
Total |
35 |
100.00 |
The Table 2 shows the Demographic Information
of the respondents, it indicates the gender distribution of the respondents; 20
(57.14%) of the respondents were male librarians while 42(42.86%) constitute
female librarians.
On the
other hand it also indicates the working experience of the respondents 5(14.29%)
of the respondents had 1-5 years of working experience whereas 5(14.29%) had
between 6 - 10 years. 10(28.57%) of the respondents had put in between 11-15
years, while only 15(42.86%) of the respondents had spent more than 15 years and above
working experience.
Table 3: Various ICT Facilities Used for Preservation
and Conservation of Serial Publications
S/N |
ICT FACILITIES |
YES |
NO |
|||
Frequency |
% |
Frequency |
% |
|||
A |
Personal computers |
34 |
97.14% |
1 |
2.86% |
|
B |
Copier |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
|
C |
Printer |
5 |
14.29% |
30 |
85.71% |
|
D |
Scanner |
9 |
25.71% |
26 |
74.29% |
|
E |
CD-ROM |
23 |
65.71% |
12 |
34.29% |
|
F |
CD-Writer |
9 |
25.71% |
26 |
74.29% |
|
G |
CD-Changer |
9 |
25.71% |
26 |
74.29% |
|
H |
E-mail |
7 |
20% |
28 |
80% |
|
I |
LAN |
5 |
14.29% |
30 |
85.71% |
|
J |
WAN |
0 |
0% |
35 |
100% |
|
K |
Internet |
10 |
28.57% |
25 |
71.43% |
|
L |
OPAC |
0 |
0% |
35 |
100% |
|
The result as presented in Table 3: shows the various ICT facilities use for preservation and
conservation of serial publication where that majority of the respondents
25(71.43%) used photocopier for its serials functions. This was followed by
34(97.14%) and (65.71%) which use personal computers and CD-ROM respectively.
Printers, LAN and OPAC were each used by 5(14.29%). The Internet 10(28.57%);
and scanner, CD writer and CD changer (9.09%) had very low use in the Serials
Units studied. None of the libraries was using E-Mail and WAN facilities in the
serials unit for serials functions. Considering the 50% Bench mark, only
personal computers and copiers were the ICT facilities the Serials Units of the
studied medical libraries using.
Table 4: The Role of ICT in Enhancing the Availability
and Accessibility of Serial Publication
Role of ICT in Enhancing the Availability and
Accessibility of Serial Publication |
Agree |
Disagree |
|||
Frequency |
% |
Frequency |
% |
||
a.
|
Using ICT, serials users can access more serials
titles. |
34 |
97.14% |
1 |
2.86% |
b.
|
Current
serials issues are easily accessible with ICT |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
c.
|
Current abstracts and Indexes needed to access Serials
are easily accessible with ICT. |
27 |
77.14% |
8 |
22.86% |
d.
|
Indexes and abstracts to local Journals can now be
accessed using ICT. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
e.
|
Serials can easily be retrieved from the source with
ICT. |
26 |
74.29% |
9 |
25.71% |
f.
|
Increase
in the number of titles accessible using ICT. |
23 |
65.71% |
12 |
34.29% |
g.
|
Increase in accessibility of current serials using ICT. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
h.
|
Increase in accessibility of current abstracts and
indexes using ICT |
12 |
34.29% |
23 |
65.71 |
i.
|
Increase in accessibility of indexes and abstracts for
local journals using ICT. |
30 |
85.71% |
5 |
14.29% |
j.
|
Improved
serials retrieval method using ICT. |
28 |
80% |
7 |
20% |
k.
|
Improved
current awareness services. |
30 |
85.71% |
5 |
14.29% |
l.
|
The rigors of serials publication are reduced
as a result of the use of ICT thereby making serials readily available. |
28 |
80% |
7 |
20% |
m.
|
Using ICT for
acquisition reduces the total cost of serials and more serials are acquired. |
30 |
85.71% |
5 |
14.29% |
n.
|
Serials are
being selected with ease using ICT |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
o.
|
Serials are
acquired easily using ICT |
28 |
80% |
7 |
20% |
p.
|
Using ICT for
processing has eased the difficulties of processing. |
30 |
85.71% |
5 |
14.29% |
q.
|
There is
improvement in financial control as a result of the use of ICT. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
r.
|
Materials can
be claimed easily using ICT thereby making them accessible. |
35 |
100% |
0 |
0% |
s.
|
Method of
preservation has improved using ICT. |
23 |
65.71 |
12 |
34.29% |
t.
|
There is reduction in serials function which engender quick processing |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
Table 4: shows the role ICT in enhancing the
Availability and Accessibility of serial publication, that library staff was in
affirmation that ICT were responsible for the increased accessibility and
availability of serials publication. Where majority of the respondents rating
from 50% and above accepted these variables include that use of ICT can access
more serials titles; current serials issues are easily accessible, current
abstracts and indexes are easily accessible, indexes and abstract to local
serials can now be accessed. With ICT facilities, serials can easily be
retrieved. Also Serials users were of the opinion that with ICT facilities many
serials titles can be accessed easily, ease of access to current abstracts and
indexes, access to indexes and abstract to local journals is also made possible
while there is improved retrieval method and users are better informed.
Table 5: The Factors Affecting the Use of ICT for
Preservation and Conservation of Serial Publication
Factors Affecting the Use of ICT for
Preservation and Conservation of Serial Publication |
Agree
|
Disagree |
|||
Frequency |
% |
Frequency |
% |
||
a.
|
Government has not provided adequate fund to
enable Libraries acquire the ICT for their various units. |
28 |
80% |
7 |
20% |
b.
|
Irregular power supply limits the
functioning of these ICT facilities. |
30 |
85.71% |
5 |
14.29% |
c.
|
Inadequate provision of telephone services
hinders the use of ICT facilities. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
d.
|
There is inadequate accommodation for the
use of ICT facilities. |
28 |
80% |
7 |
20% |
e.
|
Librarians are ignorant of the benefits of
ICT use in serials unit. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
f.
|
There is absence of ICT policy for libraries
in universities. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
g.
|
Serials staff lack ICT skills. |
30 |
85.71% |
5 |
14.29% |
h.
|
Serials users are unskilled in the use of
ICT. |
35 |
100% |
0 |
0% |
i.
|
Libraries have difficulty updating obsolete
ICT facilities, which have high failure rate. |
23 |
65.71 |
12 |
34.29% |
j.
|
There is no technical support for ICT
produced overseas. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
k.
|
Inadequate indigenous ICT professionals to
maintain the ICT. |
28 |
80% |
7 |
20% |
l.
|
Some library software have no Serials
modules which discourages their use in ICT based Serials unit. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
The result presented in Table5 shows the
factors affecting the use of ICT for preservation and conservation of serial
publication. However, majority of the respondents rating from 50% and
above accepted on the following as some
major factor affecting the use of ICT
for preservation and conservation of serial publication, these includes:
government has not provided adequate fund to enable libraries acquire the ICT
for their various units. Regular power supply limits the functioning of these
ICT facilities. Inadequate provision of telephone services hinders the use of
ICT facilities. There is absence of ICT policy for libraries in Nigerian
universities. Serials staff lack ICT skills. Serials users are unskilled in the
use of ICT. Libraries have difficulty updating obsolete ICT facilities which
have high failure rate. There is no technical support for ICT produced
overseas. Inadequate indigenous ICT professionals to maintain the ICT, Some
library software have no Serials modules which discourages their use in ICT
based Serials unit, while less than 50% of the respondents disagreed on the
fact that there is inadequate accommodation for the use of ICT facilities and
Librarians are ignorant of the benefits of ICT use in serials unit.
Table 6. Strategies for
the Enhancement of the Use of ICT for Preservation and Conservation in Libraries?
Strategies for the Enhancement of the Use of
ICT for Preservation and Conservation in Libraries? |
Agree
|
Disagree |
|||
Frequency |
% |
Frequency |
% |
||
a. |
Government should give special grants to
universities for installation of ICT facilities. |
30 |
85.71% |
5 |
14.29% |
b. |
Universities should allow their libraries to control their own budget. |
35 |
100% |
0 |
0% |
c. |
Funds for print serials should be channeled
to e-journals. |
23 |
65.71 |
12 |
34.29% |
d. |
Libraries should buy generator as an
alternative source of power. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
e- |
Libraries should explore the use of very
small aperture terminal (VSAT) in place of Dial up Telephone line. |
28 |
80% |
7 |
20% |
f. |
Library should engage in staff development
by training and retraining of serials staff on the use of ICT. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
g. |
The use of library tutorial should be
expanded to include ICT use component. |
27 |
77.14% |
8 |
22.86% |
h. |
Education of information professional should
be reviewed to include training on ICT. |
25 |
71.43%
|
10 |
28.57% |
i. |
Professional associations should encourage
and sponsor research on ICT use in Nigerian University libraries. |
26 |
74.29% |
9 |
25.71% |
j. |
Government should create awareness on the
benefits |
23 |
65.71% |
12 |
34.29% |
k. |
NUC should develop a model of ICT: managed
serials |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
l. |
NUC should acquire and distribute serials
management software and hardware to university libraries. |
30 |
85.71% |
5 |
14.29% |
m. |
University libraries should reduce the
acquisition of print serials and increase those in CD-ROM and electronic
form. |
25 |
71.43% |
10 |
28.57% |
n. |
University libraries should develop
gradually a database of print serials already in the library. |
27 |
77.14% |
8 |
22.86% |
o. |
University libraries should solicit for
e-journals donor agencies. |
25 |
71.43%
|
10 |
28.57% |
Table 6 shows the level of response of the
library staff on the Strategies for the Enhancement of the use of ICT for
Preservation and Conservation in Libraries. Where majority of the
respondents rating from 50% and above Agree on the following statement that
Government should give special grants to universities for installation of ICT
facilities, Universities should allow their libraries to control their own
budget, Funds for print serials should be channeled to e-journals, Libraries
should buy generators as an alternative source of power, Libraries should
engage in staff development by training and retraining of library staff on the
use of ICT, The use of library tutorial should be expanded to include ICT use
component, Education of information professional should be reviewed to include
training on ICT. Professional associations should encourage and sponsor
research on ICT use in Nigerian University libraries. NUC should develop a
model of ICT managed serials. Government should liberalize the importation of
ICT facilities for libraries. NUC should acquire and distribute serials
management software and hardware to university libraries, University libraries
should reduce the acquisition of print serials and increase those in CD-ROM and
electronic form, University libraries should develop gradually a database of
print serials already in the library and University libraries should solicit for e-journals donor agencies
DISCUSSION OF FINDING
The Four research questions for which answers
and results were presented unveiled the adoption and utilization of ICT for
Preservation and Conservation of serial publications in Libraries under sturdy.
This study reveals the library staff to be in affirmation that ICT were
responsible for the increased accessibility and availability of serials
publication. These variables include that using ICT serials users, can access
more serials titles; current serials issues, current abstracts and indexes are
easily accessible. With ICT facilities, serials can easily be retrieved.
Inadequate
fund as a constraint to ICT use in serials unit could arise from the enormous
money required to acquire ICT hardware, software, wiring, space, furniture and
expenditure on trainings. Inadequate funds are very prevalent now with the
budget cuts in university libraries by the funding body and the continuous
demand for funds for the maintenance of the available ICT facilities in
libraries.
Irregular
power supply and inadequate infrastructure like telephone facilities as
constraints confirmed the findings of Oketunji,
Daniel and Okojie (2002) that power irregularity and
inadequate infrastructure are the major constraints to the use of ICT for
library operation in Nigeria. Serials unit operations with ICT facilities which
depend on electricity for energy cannot provide effective services to its
community.
Provision
of special grants to universities and the library management control of library
budget is also advocated by Raseroka (1999) who
suggested that all faculties in the university should allocate a percentage of
its budget for library development as resources of the library is shared among
the members of the community. Allocation of faculty fund is necessary now that
departments in some universities are given the opportunity to control large
sums of money through the Direct Teaching and Laboratory Fund (TDF). Provision
of a special grant is also necessary for ICT use in serials unit since the
acquisition of hardware, software, electronic serials and their maintenance are
cost intensive.
The
combination of monograph acquisition with serials as commonly found in most
integrated modules could compound some of the problems of serials functions
which use of ICT facilities strives to alleviate.
Solicitation for electronic resources and ICT
facilities can help university libraries in Nigeria acquire them. Some
non-governmental organizations and publishing companies are poised to donate
these facilities and e- resources especially to developing countries with the intension
of encouraging their use for educational equality. They are also interested in
sensitizing the users on the benefits of e-resources.
CONCLUSION
The study reveals the impediments to
the use of ICT facilities in serials unit which include absence of underdeveloped
serials modules in library software, lack of serials staff and users with ICT
based skills. There is inadequate funding, improper accommodation, inefficient
telephone facilities and irregular power supply. Lack of technical support for
serials ICT facilities which may result from inadequate indigenous ICT
professional and lack of policy are some of the constraints to ICT in
preservation and conservation of serial publication.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings and implication
of this work, the following recommendations are made:
1.
University library -funding bodies
should provide adequate resources to enable libraries procure ICT facilities
which have been proved to enhance serials accessibility.
2.
Libraries which are not using ICT
facilities for serials functions should be encouraged to reposition their stand
in order to provide the state of the art operations and services required by
the present day serials users.
3.
Curriculum for library trainees
should be expanded to accommodate the findings of this work.
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Cite this Article: Adeoye, MO; Oladapo, YO; Abimbola, MO; Tomomowo-Ayodele, SO (2019). The Adoption and Utilization
of Information and Communication Technology for the Preservation and
Conservation of Serial Publication in Lautech
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