ABSTRACT
This
study investigated the development of Library Application Software in Academic
Library in Ambrose Alli University and John Harris Library. The study was
undertaken to determine: if the libraries have deployed library software in the
library; the factors that influence the choice of library application software
packages in the chosen libraries; the frequency of using library application
software packages and their modules in these libraries; the effectiveness of
library application soft ware in information resources management; the
challenges associated with the use of the library software packages. The
descriptive survey design was used in the study. The total of 114 copies of
questionnaire was used to collect data from academic library staffs while
percentages (%) were used to analyze data collected from respondents. The Findings
from the study showed that libraries should endeavor to acquire and use all the
core modules needed for library management and efficiency and staff–student
relationship should be improved for library automation to have a positive
impact on the patrons. Effort should be made to provide training and retraining
on a regular basis on the use of library software packages to library staff and
users in particular. In line with findings, it was recommended that academic
libraries should select their software based on its compatibility with existing
hardware from the company that designed the software and strategies to enhance
effective utilization of software in academic and special libraries should be
devised such as: proper training of staff, provision of software manuals, good
working environment, adequate software design, release of funds, sorting of
network problems, and purchase of adequate software.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study
Information is an important organizational
resource, which needs to be controlled and managed like other important
business assets. Every organization and individual need information to make decisions
that would improve them. Ifidon (2005) stressing the importance of information confirmed
that underlying every field of human endeavor is the need for information.
Libraries have been established to acquire and organize knowledge and make such
available to users to satisfy their information needs. Corrall (2008)
buttressed this view by asserting that ‘the ability to find, access and use
information effectively is now widely recognized as an essential competence for
effective participation in contemporary society’. Ikhizama (2004) reported that
the provision of information has been considered a major factor in the
development of a society and the information rich countries have through the
use of ICT advanced technologically, while the information – poor ones are
lagging behind.
ICT
has been applied to operations in library and information centers with the sole
aim of improving access to information, ensuring easy method of updating, as
well as eliminating strenuous tasks performed by library staff. These have
greatly enhanced accuracy and efficiency in information handling and delivery.
ICT has brought rapid growth in the way information is being managed in
libraries. The basic functions of libraries in an electronic age have been influenced
by new development brought into the field of information.
Omogor (2006) noted that for
libraries to provide services that will satisfy the increasing number of users
in our universities, computerization of library processes and operations is necessary.
Zaid (2004) asserted that library automation no doubt will offer many opportunities
to improve library services to library patrons as users will be able to locate
materials easier and staff will serve them better. In this information
explosion era, there is the need for university libraries and other libraries
to create a form of control to be able to make information readily available
and accessible to the users. Chukwu (2005) however observed that the rate at
which the world population is growing has a direct bearing on information
generation and utilization, and there is the need for information managers to
ensure proper handling and management. Abioye (2004) posited that the
industrial revolution which brought about unprecedented growth in science and technology
created the need for more organized method of knowledge management.
Management
of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in library has become an
integral part of Information and knowledge management process of the library.
To this end most libraries now has Systems Unit which are headed by senior
management staff of the library. We are in the era of standardized information
management, therefore strategic thinking in university libraries in Nigeria
should be to develop systems that will help them link On-line to other
institutions of interest with a view to sourcing information On-line or
creating real time access to information that will enable the faculty and
student have access to current and up-todate information.
Calhoun (2006) referred to this
as the “switching layer” phenomenon.
This he argued will help libraries leverage their information delivery
services. He pointed out that libraries of the future may be evaluated based on
their ability to provide their users with technologies that allow applications
to communicate across platforms and programming languages using standard
protocols based on Extensible Markup Language (XML) – to connect catalogues and
other library resources to search engines, e-learning systems, portals, Amazon,
etc. This is however hinged on libraries running operating systems that will
leverage their automation projects on the “switching layer” platform. These
“switching layer” platforms run on software.
Computer software packages are
programmes designed to perform specific functions for computer or ICT operations.
Many automation efforts in Nigerian University libraries have been fraught with
lack of feasibility study for the adequacy of the software for the proposed
task of library automation (Omoniwa, 2001). Evidence for this can be seen in
the history of automation efforts of these libraries. This history dates back
to the second half of the 1970’s. The Nnamdi
Azikiwe Library,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka set up its library automation committee in
October 1975 (Imo: 1995). Ikem and Ajula (2013) reported that full scale
planning on automation started fully at the Kenneth Dike Library, University of
Ibadan in 1978.
Serious automation efforts in
Nigerian university libraries started in mid 1990’s, Bozimo (2006) noted that
university libraries in Nigeria cashed in on the opportunity presented by the
World Bank project organized and executed by National Universities commission
(NUC) in the 1994/95 session to kick start seriously their automation projects.
NUC donated computers to university libraries in Nigeria and encouraged them to
acquire the TINLIB software for their automation project. This software did not
carry the universities far as most of them abandoned it early in their project
for other software. The reason for this was lack of adequate maintenance
support and technical guide. These libraries have toyed with other software
like GLAS, X-LIB, VATUA, ALICE for Windows etc.
Pressman (2001) pointed out that
computer software may be applied in any situation for which a pre-specified set
of procedural steps (i.e. an algorithm) has been defined and that they deliver
the most important product of our time-information. The overriding need and
importance of software in the ICT era is stressed by Saxby (1990) and Pressman
(2001). Saxby argued that
“It is now clear that the lack of good
software is a bottleneck to the full exploitation of the performance
capabilities of modern hardware. Execution rates of instructions have
demonstrably improved to such an extent that software is now the key concern”
(p 226).
In a related
argument Pressman noted that,
“when computer software succeeds – when
it meets the needs of the people who use it, when it performs flawlessly over a
long period of time, when it is easy to modify and even easier to use – it can
and does change things for the better. But when software fails when it is
difficult to change and even harder to use bad things can and do happen” (xxv).
Interactions with colleagues on
their experiences with their automation projects reveal the dept of the
frustrations they have with their chosen software. If it is not that the
software is not adequate enough to carry the large amount of data the library
has to deal with, it will be that the technical and maintenance support is not
adequate or that the software does not have enough features that will allow the
library operate on the “switching layer” platform. . This study therefore is
aimed at examining the challenges Nigerian University libraries have had to
encounter in their automation projects as a result of software selection,
acquisition and maintenance.
1.2
Statement of the Problem
Nigerian university libraries
have had a long history of trying to automate/computerize their operations.
Most of the librarians have not made appreciable efforts in achieving these
goals. The major problem is hinged on problems of software selection,
acquisition and maintenance to drive their automation projects.
This is exacerbated by the need
for libraries to function under a standardized platform for information access
and storage protocols and policy. Ogunrombi and Oladokun (2012) noted that the
task of choosing a software package for a library is often difficult, because
the package must be sufficiently powerful and versatile to cope with all
library processes and at the same time be user friendly.
Inclining to this argument
Okentunji (2006) pointed out that for libraries to make optimal use of
automation a number of requirements must be fulfilled. One of the requirements
he noted, is software selection. He concluded by saying that software selection
is not an easy task. Apparently most university libraries do not pay heed to
these advices. This has given rise to high software turnover in Nigerian
university library automation projects.
Evidence from these
libraries indicates that they have had to encounter a lot of problems in their
automation projects. Some of these include inadequate technical support from
the software vendors or their technical representatives in the country. Also
included in this list is lack of proper feasibility studies because most time
these software are donated or comes as part of aid packages to these libraries.
Most importantly the absence of proper consultations amongst stake holders
within the library management committee has led to decisions to adopt
ineffective software.
All these have led to frequent
failure of automation projects in these libraries. These failures culminate in
project abandonment or fresh start when new software is chosen. Nwagwu (2007)
summarized this when he noted that, the failure rate of ICT projects in the
least industrialized countries is 75% higher than in developed countries. He
blamed this on lack of appropriate skills and knowledge to identify and deal
with the risks associated with ICT on a long term basis.
1.3
Objectives of the Study
The broad aim of this study is to
assess the application of database management software packages to library
routines and services.
The specific
objectives are to:
i.
Determine if the libraries have deployed
library software in the library.
ii.
Ascertain the factors that influence the
choice of library application software packages in the chosen libraries.
iii.
Determine the frequency of using library
application software packages and their modules in these libraries.
iv.
Determine the effectiveness of library
application soft ware in information resources management.
v.
Find out the challenges associated with
the use of the library software packages.
1.4
Research Questions
The study sought to provide answers
to the following research questions:
i.
What are the library have deployed application software available in the
selected libraries?
ii.
What factors influenced the choice of
library software in academic libraries under study?
iii.
What is the frequency of using library application
software package and their modules in these libraries?
iv.
How effective are the modules of these
software packages in information handling and delivery?
v.
What challenges are associated with the
use of the selected library application software packages?
1.5 Significance
of the Study
The
findings of this study are expected to go a long way in helping librarians to
make decisions and also help them to discover the best ways to integrate
choices with their library operations. It will educate librarians on the
necessity of computer application to library operations. The traditional way of
doing things in the library is still the order of the day in some academic and
special libraries. But with this study, a number of people will begin to
appreciate library software applications, especially when they see how
computers can be applied to boost the traditional functions of the library.
Secondly,
software designers will gain from the findings of this study, as this study
will reveal how academic and special libraries rate the software employed in
their libraries. This will enable the designers learn from their mistakes and
improve on the development of the library software.
Researchers
in Library and Information Studies will gain from this study in that it will
widen their horizon of knowledge in the area of library automation. It will
give them insight xxiv on the available software used in libraries and how they
are utilized. Moreover, this study will fill the gap in knowledge created by
previous researchers in this area.
1.6
Scope of the Study
The
study is on Assessment of Library Application Software Packages. It covers
academic libraries in public universities in Edo State using Ambrose Alli
University and University of Benin. The libraries which have not started
automation are excluded.
1.7 Limitation of the
Study
Certain factors constitute
limitations to this study, paramount among them are time and finical constraints. Due to the short academic session the
researcher didn’t have enough time to cover all possible and existing
literatures pertaining to the research. And the economy of the nation did not
help matter, since the researcher didn’t’ have enough money to cover the
research.
Another
limitation to the study was the reluctance of the Organization to give certain
information because they believe it will expose them to their competitors. In
addition some of the respondents were uncooperative and unwilling to take the
questionnaire or accept interview appointments from the researcher. There was
also the problem of some respondents not returning their questionnaires, having
lost them or misplaced them.
1.8 Operational
Definition of Terms
The following terms are defined
operationally;
Application Software
Packages: The sequence of instructions that tell the computer
what to do, how to manipulate data and how to relate to users. It normally
addresses one aspect of computing need or the other. Most of the “off-the-shelf-software”
(i.e. the readily available software) for micro computers is referred to as
“application software”.
Information Services: Activities
concerned with ensuring the availability, accessibility and use if information
by users.
Information Services
Delivery: The act of providing various information products
and services to the right customer in the right place at the right time and in
the appropriate channel and format that will satisfy the customers’ need.
Library Application
Services/Operations: One where a computer system is used to
manage one or several of the libraries key functions such as acquisition,
circulation, cataloguing, serial control and the online public access
catalogue.
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