ABSTRACT
The study examined ICT – based strategies for updating information services for agricultural research in Nigerian university libraries. Specifically, the study investigated appropriate ICT- related resources, ICT- based methods currently employed, effectiveness of the methods, extent of application of the ICTs, relevant competencies, problems and appropriate strategies for enhancing the use of ICTs in updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries. All the 89 library and information professional (LIPs), in six federal university libraries selected based on purposive sampling method, were used for the study. The research employed the use of structured questionnaire, code-named, ‘UPINSEQ’ and an observation checklist as instrument for collecting data. Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation while the null hypotheses were tested at
0.05 level of significance using the chi-square. The result of the investigation revealed that
some of the methods currently employed in updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries are not effective. However, Current Awareness Services, Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) searching, online literature searching and exhibition are some of the methods found to be effective for updating information services for agricultural research. Some of the competencies required for updating the information services include: skills in ICT use in information services, good knowledge of nature and organisation of information, wide knowledge of sources of agricultural information, communication skills, and skills in convention information services. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that funding of information services for agricultural research in university libraries should be improved; online catalogues should be developed and used for accessing the holdings of other libraries; well-planned collection development policies that promote the updating of information services for agricultural research should be developed and strictly implemented; and that adequate Current Awareness Services (CAS) and Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) should be carried out on the information resources.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
Updating information services involves the provision of adequate and up-to-date information from diverse formats and media to meet particular information needs, at the right time, in the right quantity and quality and for the right researcher. Agriculture is a very important sector of the economies of the developing countries. It is the backbone of the economy of Africa with about 90% of her people depending on it for a living. It is also the main foreign exchange earner of the various countries that make up the continent (Mbwana,
1987). Ezeani (2005) has observed that very few countries have experienced rapid economic growth without a corresponding growth in agriculture. However, in Nigeria, the oil boom of the 1970s resulted in the neglect of agriculture as government shifted its attention and support from the agricultural to the oil sector. This had adverse effects on the development of agriculture in Nigeria. This neglect caused Fadiji to prophesy twelve years ago (1996) that the much publicized aspiration of food for all by the year 2000 would be an unrealizable dream. fourteen years on, his prophesy has come to reality. Today, the current food supply is inadequate to meet the needs of the over 140 million people resulting in the continuous dependence on importation of even staple food products like rice and beans. Nigerian agriculture has been stagnant, or at best, in recession (Omeje, 2004). There has been perennial low agricultural production (Aina, in Mabawonku, 2001), continuing poor food supply and food security, continuing poor agricultural development and poor economic and consequently, poor national development in Nigeria and other ever-present problems of the agricultural process. In view of this and considering the apparent volatility of the oil sector, there is urgent need to reexamine the strategies for solving agricultural problems and enhancing agricultural development in Nigeria.
One way of achieving this is through sound agricultural research. Agricultural research, according to Besemer and Veerman (1995) is simply a systematic inquiry into the application of scientific procedures to the study of agricultural problems. These problems require solutions based on convincing evidence. Such evidence is captured through well- planned and thoroughly executed agricultural research (FAO, 1993). The objectives of this, in the words of Alawode (1999), are to confirm existing knowledge and to discover new facts and general principles for explaining, predicting and controlling events in agricultural situations. The ultimate aim of agricultural research is to bring greater productivity and economic efficiency to the agricultural industry. However, agricultural research in Nigeria has
been marred by lack of up – to – date information support to all the stakeholders in the sector. Researchers require adequate access to a wide array of information resources available in various formats and media in order to produce timely and appropriate research result that can be productively applied to emancipate Nigeria from her perennial low agricultural production, enhance food security, restore agriculture as the main foreign exchange earner, support the federal government’s poverty alleviation programme, promote rapid economic growth, and enhance the overall national development of the nation.
The general features of the scientific literature also apply to agriculture. These include reliance on up – to – date information, resulting in the preponderance of periodicals and other sources of regular updates, preponderance of empirical studies etc. Some authors have argued that agriculture has certain distinct characteristics, which make agricultural information unique and different from other scientific literature. Satter and Lancaster (1994) listed these characteristics as follows:
i The fugitive nature of the literature produced in agricultural scholarship ii The universal applicability of agriculture and its literature
iii The inter disciplinary nature of agricultural research iv The diversity of its treatment and presentation
It is these features that characterize agricultural research. For instance, Agricultural information and the results of agricultural research can be applied in other related disciplines and in geographical areas other than the area it was obtained. Additionally, French (1990) affirmed that agriculturists are dependent upon a tremendous amount of non-bibliographic and non- research data, some of which are of very timely nature. Thus, agricultural research by its nature and direct importance to economic development, requires up-to-date information and information resources. This is so because of the explosion of information in the scientific disciplines in the world today, the ever-present problems of the agricultural process, and the fugitive nature of the agricultural literature.
Agricultural research is carried out and promoted in various specialized institutions. However, universities are prominent in agricultural research because of the preponderance of high level manpower engaged in the production and utilization of agricultural research results, the existence of a large population of student participants and users, and the existence of competitive research resulting in the need for both intensive and extensive research.
The university is the apex of the system of higher education. (Nigeria, 2004). The universities are mandated to promote manpower development, research and national
development. This, as noted by Mezieobi (2007), was stipulated in the National Policy on Education. The universities promote research not only by providing relevant and needed information resources and services for researchers, but also by disseminating their research findings to both the government, industries and other researchers.
Central to this objective of promoting research and scholarship in the university is the university library. The main purpose of the university library is to support the objectives of the university which are to promote teaching, learning and research. No university can exist without a library since the university is meant to teach and carry out research (Ekere, 2006). Thus, university libraries, according to Hardesty (1986), are always struggling to acquire and organize printed and non- printed forms of recorded materials in order to maintain a research collection for the community they serve. Ekere (2006) asserted that the university library is supposed to provide information resources and services of sufficient quality and diversity. University libraries therefore, need to ensure that agricultural information resources generated locally and overseas are made available and accessible for research as adequately and currently as possible. For a university library to achieve this, it must acquire and organize a vast array of information resources in many diverse forms and media, including those brought about by the electronic age.
Information resources, according to. Satter and Lancaster (1994), are worthless if they are not adequately and currently accessed at the right time and properly utilized for research, scholarship and general development of the individual and society. This is so because provision of information in a manner most useful to its client is the ultimate test of all the effort and funds expended and sustained in maintaining a library. It was for this reason that
information services arose as a distinct specialty in librarianship in the 19th and 20th centuries
(Massey-Burzio, 2002). Information service has always been implicit in reference services. Reference services are concerned with personal assistance, usually face – to – face, provided to readers in securing needed information and in using the resources of the library. Information services go beyond mere face-to-face assistance and is aimed at satisfying the information needs of the user.
With the turn of the 21st century, information services have emerged as an activity in
which information can be more easily organized, and more currently disseminated and accessed, even without any recourse to the library building (Adeyemi, 2005). These enhanced capabilities are very important for agricultural research due to the non-bibliographic and fugitive nature of its literature and the need for up-to-date information for economic development.
Updating information services for agricultural research involves the provision of up- to-date information from diverse formats and media to agricultural researchers. According to Shibanda (2000), it involves the provision of adequate and current information resources to satisfy the researchers’ information needs. Information services are packaged to meet particular information needs, at the right time, in the right quantity and quality and for the right patron. Aina in Mabawonku (2001) had observed that one of the reasons adduced for the perennial low agricultural production in Africa is the lack of up to date information support to all the stakeholders in the sector. To address this problem, Igbeka and Atinmo (2002) recommended among others that current information sources should be provided for agricultural research. This would avail agricultural researchers the opportunity to produce timely and appropriate research results that could be productively applied to emancipate Nigeria from her perennial low agricultural production and promote rapid economic growth. This can be attained through the application and utilization of information and communication technology in addition to other conventional methods of providing current information to library users.
These methods include the use of Current Awareness Services (CAS), Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI), and regular provision of periodical and grey literature. CAS and SDI are aimed at supplementing the individual researcher’s methods and habit of keeping current by providing a systematic and selective review of recently published literature and making same available to the researcher. They are intended to save the time of the researcher, offer extensive coverage of the literature and incorporate the searching expertise of the professional library staff. However, CAS and SDI are capital intensive (Butter, 1993). Other conventional methods include library displays, information extension services, exhibition to showcase newly acquired materials, literature search in conventional sources, compilation of bibliography of current literature, indexing and abstracting, vertical file material services, etc.
With the advent of ICT, library and information providers have been able to serve patrons not only face to face, but also virtually. ICTs can be categorized into two: traditional and new ICTs (Thioune 2003). Traditional ICTs are radio, television, fixed line telephones, facsimile machines and photocopying machines which have been gradually ingrained in the daily habits and lives of people and communities. The new ICTs consist of computers and specific data processing applications accessible through computers (e-mail, internet etc), cellular phones and wireless technologies. Virtual information services in this sense are information services initiated electronically, often in real-time, where patrons employ
computers or other internet technologies to communicate with reference staff, without being physically present (American Library Association, 2005). Virtual information services are a network of expertise, human intermediation and resources placed at the disposal of users in an online environment (Silverstein, 2003). ICT has dramatically changed the way information services are provided, especially in the developed countries, so much so that with the internet, a library can access and organize information and information resources as much as necessary while a researcher stays in his house and provide instant access to a vast amount of information from multiple sources all over the world. ICTs, therefore, offer opportunities for updating information services for agricultural research in university libraries.
Aguolu and Aguolu (2002) noted that since the 1960s, ICT, has been used in developed countries to perform many library functions from clerical housekeeping activities, such as ordering cataloguing, control and circulation of books, and journals, to reference and information services. ICTs, McKnight (2000) noted, are also the cheaper and easier means of updating information services. As the cost of electronic production, storage and transmission for paper-based information has fallen, the equivalent cost for paper–based information has risen. This coupled with reduced library budget has led many to suggest that the library will be an electronic library, that is, the information contained in the library will be stored and used electronically, resulting in the emergence of resources like online catalogues, electronic journals, online databases etc.
Nkanu and Eyo (2006), citing Murdock noted that ICTs have long been used as powerful tools for libraries, providing patrons access to bibliographic information on all the materials that are available for their use. Today, the greater storage capacities of Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) databases are used to give library users full page access to such materials as journals, grey literature, catalogues, and encyclopedias. Online catalogues provide constantly updated information from which books and other library resources are made available whether or not they are currently checked out. ICTs are indeed offering unprecedented access to information in all kinds of formats, thus the provision of and access to even the conventional methods of updating information services such as CAS, SDI, grey literature have been significantly improved by the application of ICTs. These resources have their electronic versions to enhance accessibility and provision. This further enhances their potentiality in updating information services. (Yumba, 1997). The implication of this is that even other types of information resources used in updating information service still rely on ICTs to sustain their relevance for updating or enhance their capability to update information services.
Many of the library resources that used to be in print forms are being rendered in electronic formats. Since libraries can not be without their traditional resources (reference works, bibliographical works, periodicals and magazines), many of these now have electronic versions. In a few years to come, their paper version may likely disappear (Chigbu, 2003). Citing the University of Western Australia, Chigbu added that many types of information were acquired in an electronic format: reference work, statistical source, news services, abstracting and indexing services, as well as increasing number of full text journals.
Additionally, users in the developing countries can use some recent global digital library developments in bridging the gap with the developed countries. These developments include subject gateway, digital information services, free access to e-journals and e-books in many areas, and e-print archives and free digital libraries (Chowdhury, 2005). Academic libraries in Nigeria therefore have every need and opportunity to bridge the gap and update their information services in line with the status quo in the developed countries of America and Europe. What is left is for the libraries to utilize the opportunity and explore possible strategies to make it work.
There has also been a long history of cooperative networking and inter library lending as a strategy for satisfying ever widening and interdisciplinary subject material demands of researchers, scholars and student users (Balakrishman and Paliwal, 2001). They also observed that new publishing techniques such as Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), multimedia interactive computer works, machine-readable text files on the internet, and collections of scanned materials stored in image and character formats are increasingly becoming key parts to library resources. These collections are accessed and controlled through specialized retrieval software and LANs with Internet connections.
The virtual or digital library is still at its infancy in the Nigerian universities. In fact, the National Universities Commission (NUC) recently commended the Benson Idahosa University Library as the only university based library in Nigeria that provides up-to-date information services to patrons (Idiegbayan, Okosun, Eruanya and Ojo-Igbinoba, 2005). The agricultural and agro-allied national research institutes are also known to provide up – to – date information services to a large extent (World of learning, 1995). University libraries in Nigeria may be lagging behind in the provision of adequate and up-to-date information services for agricultural research.
Considering the critical role played by universities in organizing the national agricultural research system (FAO,1993) and in overall national development (World Bank,1997), university libraries are expected to ensure the availability of and access to
adequate and up-to-date relevant information resources for researchers. In realization of this role and in support of agricultural production in Nigeria, the federal government allocates not less than three (3) percent of her annual budget for agricultural research (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1990). In addition, it has established nineteen (19) agricultural and agro-allied national research institutes (World of learning, 2001). There are over ninety-one federal, state and private universities with faculties of agriculture including three agricultural universities in Nigeria (NUC, 2008). Specifically, there are twenty five (25) federal universities (including universities of technology and agriculture) with faculties of agriculture (JAMB, 2008).
Much of Nigeria’s scientific and technical manpower is actively engaged in agricultural research and by implication generates a great number of local agricultural literature. Moreover, the occasional meetings, seminars, conferences and workshop which serve as fora for the exchange of current agricultural knowledge also result in the generation of numerous scientific papers (Omeje, 1998). It is apparently difficult for the Nigerian university libraries to track down the output of recorded knowledge (generated locally and and outside Nigeria) in a science oriented discipline like agriculture (Popoola,2002). The large volume of published items of information and data collected that required processing, storing and wide distribution to researchers call for the determination of strategies for utilizing ICTs for updating information services for these researchers in agricultural science. The thrust of this study, therefore, is to determine appropriate ICTs-related resources, effective ICT-based methods, relevant competencies and appropriate strategies for updating information services for agricultural research in Nigerian university libraries.
Statement of the Problem
Updating information services for agricultural research involves the provision of adequate and up-to-date information from diverse formats and media to meet particular information needs, at the right time, in the right quantity and quality and for the right agricultural researcher. The ultimate aim is to satisfy the researchers’ information needs. Agriculture is a discipline whose research and development depends to a very large extent on timely and up – to – date information resources and services. Thus, French (1990) noted that agricultural researchers are dependent on tremendous amounts of information of very timely nature and need to track down the output of recorded knowledge (generated locally and outside Nigeria) in agriculture and related areas.
While university libraries in Europe and American have taken advantage of the opportunities provided by information and communication technology in the provision of information services to their patrons, their counterparts in the developing countries, of which
Nigeria is one, are yet to take full advantage of this opportunity (Ikpaahindi,2005). Thus, one of the reasons adduced for the perennial low agricultural production in Africa is the lack of current and adequate information support to all the stakeholders in the sector. It is of great concern, therefore, that agricultural researchers in developing countries such as Nigeria lack access to current literature in university libraries. Consequently, information services provided for agricultural research in Nigerian university libraries are not current enough to meet the needs and expectations of the patrons (Mole,2003; Idiegbayan, Okosun, Eruanya and Ojo. Igbinoba, 2005; Ikpaahindi,2005). Most often, locally generated literature on agriculture, such as research reports and conference papers, seem to be inaccessible or are not adequately and currently provided to a good number of university libraries in Nigeria. This, according to Aina, in Mabawonku (2001), has accounted partially for the perennial low agricultural production in Africa
If nothing is done to address this problem, agricultural researchers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector such as agriculturists, governmental agricultural agencies and policy makers, and agriculture-based Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) would be denied access to up-to-date information on current innovations and practices in agriculture. This will result in research results which may be inappropriate and irrelevant to current agricultural needs of the country. This would result in continuing poor food supply and food security, continuing poor agricultural development and thus poor economic and consequently, national development of Nigeria. The government’s Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) will be derailed while the aspiration of food security as enshrined in the federal government’s 7-point agenda and the elimination of extreme poverty and hunger in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will become another unrealizable dream.
It is of great concern that despite the pertinent need for a study to determine strategies for updating information services for agricultural research in Nigerian university libraries, no study has been carried out. This justifies this study which is intended to determine appropriate ICT–related resources, effective ICT-based methods, relevant competencies and appropriate ICT-based strategies for updating information services for agricultural research in Nigerian university libraries. Therefore, the problem of this study put in the form of question is: What are the appropriate ICT – related resources, effective ICT – based methods, relevant competencies and appropriate ICT-based strategies for updating information services for agricultural research in Nigerian university libraries.
Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this study is to determine ICT-based strategies for updating information services for agricultural research in Nigerian university libraries. Specifically, the study is designed to:
1. Identify the types of ICT – related information resources currently employed in updating information services for agricultural research in Nigerian university libraries.
2. Identify the ICT – based methods currently employed in updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries.
3 Ascertain the extent to which the methods are effective in updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries
4. Determine the appropriateness of the Information and Communication Technologies in updating information services for agricultural research in the university libraries.
5. Ascertain the extent of application of the Information and Communication
Technologies in
updating information services for agricultural research in the university libraries.
6. Determine the relevant competencies required by Library and Information Professionals for updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries using ICTs.
7. Identify the problems affecting the updating of information services for agricultural research in the libraries using ICTs.
8. Determine the strategies that can be applied in enhancing the use of ICTs for updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries.
Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated to guide the study
1. What types of ICT – related information resources are currently employed in updating information services for agricultural research in Nigerian university libraries?
2. What ICT- based methods are employed in updating information services for agricultural research in the university libraries?
3 To what extent are the methods effective in updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries?
4 How appropriate are the Information and Communication Technologies for updating information services for agricultural research in the university libraries?
5. What is the extent of the application of Information and Communication
Technologies in providing information services for agricultural research in the university libraries?
6. What are the competencies required by Library and Information Professionals (LIPs) in providing up-to-date information services for agricultural research in the university libraries using ICTs?
7. What are the perceived problems militating against the use of ICTs in updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries?
8. What strategies can be applied in enhancing the use of ICTs in updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries?
Hypotheses
Considering the accidental spread of the university libraries into two broad categories (See sample and sampling technique), it was considered appropriate to formulate hypotheses to determine the differences in the mean responses of the LIPs in the two types of university libraries. Therefore, the following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and were tested at 0.05 level of significance.
Ho 1: There is no significant difference in the mean responses of the LIPs in the agricultural and conventional university libraries with regards to ICT-based methods employed in updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries.
Ho 2: There is no significant difference in the mean responses of the LIPs in the agricultural and conventional university libraries with regards to the extent to which the methods employed in updating information services for agricultural research are effective.
Ho 3: There is no significant difference in the mean responses of the LIPs in the agricultural and conventional university libraries with regards to the appropriateness of the ICTs employed in updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries.
Ho 4: There is no significant difference in the responses of LIPs of the agricultural and conventional university libraries with regards to the extent of application of ICTs in providing information services for agricultural research in the university libraries.
Ho 5: There is no significant difference in the mean responses of the LIPs in the agricultural and conventional university libraries with regards to the competencies required by the LIPs for providing up-to-date information services for agricultural
research in the libraries.
Ho 6: There is no significant difference in the mean responses of the LIPs in the agricultural and conventional university libraries with regards to the perceived problems militating against the use of ICTs in updating information services for agricultural research in the libraries.
Significance of the Study
The significance of the study lies in the fact that solution to the problem raised above would be helpful to the libraries in finding ways of updating their agricultural information resources and services in this ”Information Age”. Consequently, this will ensure maximum satisfaction in the provision and use of the information services for agricultural research in the libraries
Specifically, the study is expected to enable the Library and Information Professionals (LIPs) and especially those involved in agricultural information services to identify the importance of adequate and current information service in agricultural research in particular and in the entire library services in general. It is also expected to help them to improve their present services in this regard to the users (researchers). Additionally, the study is expected to be useful to the library management, as it will educate them on the requirements of current information services and the role of library management in keeping pace with the volume of information resources in agricultural science worldwide. It will therefore guide them in updating information services in the area.
The study is expected to educate the agricultural researchers on ways of accessing information more adequately and currently from the libraries. It is also expected to provide them with knowledge of the complementary and indispensable role of researchers in updating information services for agricultural research.
The study is expected to provide proper understanding of the complementary role of
other stakeholders in agricultural information services such as agricultural scientists and academics, authors and publishers in updating information services for agricultural research. It is also expected to make policy makers in the area of agriculture to realize the need to support agricultural research by making policies and decisions as well as providing resources that can facilitate and enhance the updating of information services for agricultural research in the universities.
Finally, the study is expected to enable future researchers to realize the need for further research and studies on the subject of information services for agricultural research in
view of the emerging trends in information services and therefore guide them on various dimensions open for further research.
Scope of the Study
This study is de-limited geographically, to Nigeria. It covered federal university libraries in the twenty five (25) federal universities (including universities of technology and agriculture) with faculties of agriculture (JAMB,2008)..
In terms of content, the study was limited to the utilization of ICTs for updating information services for agricultural research with a view to obtaining information on: appropriate ICT resources for updating information services for agricultural research; extent of application of ICTs in updating the services; competencies required for updating information services for agricultural research; problems affecting updating of the information services in the libraries and strategies for enhancement. Information services in this context is limited to the provision of relevant information resources as well as required information for researchers in the area of agricultural science. Response to the instrument was restricted to the LIPs involved in information services. This includes the University librarians, the librarians- in-charge of reference and information services units, the reference librarians and the heads of computer systems units.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
ICT – BASED STRATEGIES FOR UPDATING INFORMATION SERVICES FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES>
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