Factors affecting information and communication technologies (ICTS) use by academic librarians in Southwestern Nigeria.
Haliso, Yacob
Introduction
The term "Information and communication technologies
"(ICTs) is defined as a diverse set of technological tools and
resources used to communicate and create, disseminate, store, and manage
information (Blurton 1999:46). ICTs encompass a range of rapidly
evolving technologies and they include telecommunication technologies
(telephony, cable, satellite, TV and radio, computer-mediated
conferencing, video conferencing) as well as digital technologies
(computers, information networks (internet, World Wide Web, intranets
and extranets) and software applications (Chisenga, 2006).
The key purpose of any library is to provide a quality service:
access to relevant information (Buckland, 1992), to computers,
information networks and software applications. These technologies are
making it possible for libraries to provide a variety of library and
information services to clientele. All the functions and services that
academic librarians used to provide manually can be provided now through
the use of ICTs which can do things better and faster. To mention some
of the opportunities presented by ICTs to the libraries according to
Haliso (2007) and Chisenga (2006) are:
* Organization of information for use
* Capacity building
* Management information system
* Digital libraries
* Resource sharing/document delivery.
Academic libraries are institutions that are established to take
care of the information need of students, lecturers, researchers and
other community of scholars. Their mission is providing quality
information service and knowledge products (print and electronic) to
resident community of scholars. In the words of Wolpert (1999),
"academic libraries are cost effective information service and
provider of knowledge products to a resident community of
scholars". In order to function and provide timely information at a
faster speed to lecturers, researchers and students, it would appear
that administrators of academic libraries realised the important role
information and communication technologies (ICTs) play in their job
performance and so made information and communication technologies
(ICTs) available to their workforce.
From the global point of view, it appears that there is tacit
consent that a relationship exists between use of information and
communication technologies and job enhancement of librarians (Ajayi,
2001). Stephen (1995) submits that the use of information technology
provides significant benefits in work measurement, cost reduction,
productivity improvement and better services to customers and clients.
Actually it is availability which makes use possible and it is use that
makes performance attainable. So, the combined effect of availability of
information and communication technologies can enhance the job
performance of the academic librarians. There is need for all developed
and developing nations of the world to take information and
communication technologies (ICTs) as tools that aid the enhancement of
job performance of the library staff through the application of the ICTs
by the librarians (Rosenberg 2005; Mphidi 2004; Chuene, 2000; Lancaster
& Sandore, 1997; Siddique, 1997). This cannot be achieved unless
academic libraries realise the tremendous role information and
communication technologies could play to enhance effective services.
Rosenberg (2005) submitted that libraries need to develop a strategic
information and communication plan that would enhance the deployment of
ICTs in their libraries. The ICT deployment and application is done by
academic librarians who are trained to man specific sectors of the
library (Tenant, 1995).
In Canada, the use of ICTs and job performance of librarians is
recorded. A report prepared by the Canadian Association of Research
Libraries (CARL) revealed that in the year 2000/2001, academic libraries
subscribed to 436,731 electronic journals. The same report also states
that librarians are leaders in using technology to transform traditional
library resources and services to meet the challenge of the 21st
Century.
In Singapore, Chia, Lee and Yeo (1998) report that a committee was
set up by the government and mandated to design an information
technology plan for the nation. The National Library of Singapore on its
part took an initiative in ensuring all libraries especially academic
libraries are ICT based. In Saudi Arabia, Siddique (1997) carried out a
study on the use of ICT in academic libraries and the finding reveals
that out of the six universities surveyed majority of the libraries had
Internet, one kind of library software or the other, CD-ROM facility,
OPAC services, FAX and E-mail services. It is eight years since Siddique
carried out this study and if the same study were to be carried out
today; the findings would be totally different.
Academic libraries in Africa do not enjoy the same information
delivery methods like those in developed countries except those in
Southern Africa. Chisenga and Rorissa (2001) point out the great
disparity in the adoption and use of ICTs in academic libraries.
Waiganjo (2006) writing from Kenya states that academic libraries in
Kenya suffer poor funding, poor communication system and lack of ICT
qualified librarians. The case is not different in Uganda. Magara (2002)
pointed out that power unreliability, management attitude and poor ICT
skill of the librarians; Adeya (2007, 2002) writing from Botswana states
that inadequate computerization, inadequate infrastructure and
inadequate human capacity as the major challenges towards ICT use.
Rosenberg (2005) alludes the challenges to ICT use to lack of library
software standardization
In Ghana, academic libraries enjoyed the availability and use of
information and communication technology through the DANIDA sponsored
project under the auspices of the International Federation of Library
Association-Africa branch. The six universities were networked under
this project and this made communication very easy and document delivery
possible among the academic librarians in the six university libraries.
However, the researcher made a visit between Feb 26, 2005 and March 7 to
the University of Ghana in Legon to find out the progress of the DANIDA
project but sad to report that the project could no more continue due to
lack of funds.
Academic libraries in Nigeria attempted to automate library
functions as far back as 1970; 1990 and the attempt still continues.
TINLIB software was introduced in leading academic libraries including
those of the University of Ibadan and Ahmadu Bello University Library
(Omoniwa, 2001) but due to some technical and organisational problems,
no single academic library in Nigeria in general and in the Southwestern
Nigeria in particular uses the TINLIB software today. Obajemu and
Ibegwam (2006) point out that libraries in Nigeria are still on the race
to make their services totally ICT- based. The MacArthur report of 2005
titled "Developing Strong University Libraries in Nigeria,"
points out the need to develop effective information delivery system as
a key component of university teaching and learning, and modern
technology greatly enhances such system. The report also points out lack
of appropriate funding system to acquire relevant information and
communication tools; lack of infrastructure to provide access to
electronic information. Money was not there for collection development
and there have been few acquisitions, most of the collections stopped
growing substantially in the mid-70s.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) enhance service
provision to library clientele. Librarians use ICTs to perform functions
like cataloguing and classification, serials management, collection
management, budgeting, circulation management, referencing, indexing and
abstracting in order to improve information services to library users.
However, it has been observed that most academic librarians in Nigeria
still struggle with manual library operation method. Consequently,
library users show dissatisfaction and complain of poor information
services delivery by the academic librarians.
Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this research work was to investigate the
level of availability and use of information and communication
technologies in academic libraries in Southwestern Nigeria, and the
relationship of this to job performance in the selected academic
libraries.
The specific objectives of the work were to:
1. Determine the types of library services that are automated in
the Southwestern Nigeria.
2. Find out the internet connectivity of academic libraries in the
Southwestern Nigeria.
3. Determine the size of bandwidth connectivity for academic
libraries in the Southwestern Nigeria.
4. Evaluate ICT strategies and training policies of the academic
libraries in the Southwestern Nigeria
Research Questions
In order to achieve the objectives stated above, attempts were made
to find answers to the following questions:
1. What are the types of library services that are automated in
academic libraries in the southwestern Nigeria?
2. How are the academic libraries connected to the internet in
southwestern Nigeria?
3. What is the bandwidth connectivity for academic libraries in
southwestern Nigeria?
4. Where do academic libraries in southwestern Nigeria get ICT
support?
5. Do academic libraries in southwestern Nigeria have ICT
strategies and training policies?
6. What factors affect ICTs use in the southwestern Nigeria?
Literature Review
There is an overwhelming awareness that there are great potentials
in the availability and use of information and communication
technologies. The use of ICT promotes development and improves services
in any organisation. It brings changes in today's business
environment. In academic environment, it speeds up information delivery,
facilitates teaching, learning and research. In spite of the above
observation about the potentials, and benefits of using ICT, the level
of awareness and use in Nigeria appears to be very minimal.
Organisational, environmental and cultural factors stand against the
good and perceived will of the use of ICTs. Omolayole (2002) points out
three strong reasons that stand against the effective use of ICTs in
Nigerian academic libraries. Each of the factors she has mentioned has a
resultant effect on availability and use of ICT. The factors are: low
level of computer culture: poor telecommunications infrastructure; and
general lack of awareness. Another constraint that affects the use of
ICTs in Nigerian academic libraries is low level of computer culture.
When librarians are not computer literate, utilizing the facility would
be a problem. In other words, having a good background in computer skill
makes the use of computers in work places very practicable. Lack of
awareness on the other hand makes availability impossible. Library
managers must be aware of the advantages of using ICTs in libraries and
information sector. Training workers on the use of computers and other
related technologies for services in any organisation including academic
libraries is very important. A well trained worker can perform
effectively and efficiently in his/her work place than he/she who is not
trained at all.
Youngman (1999) carried out a study on library staffing
considerations in the age of technology in Kansas State University. The
study found out that human resource is essential to the success of any
technology-based service. It means that any library or organisation that
ignores the human factor is likely to appreciate ignorance which may
lead to underuse. Experienced librarians can be a significant resource
in managing libraries with technology.
Chisenga (2004) surveyed the use of ICTs in public libraries in ten
(10) Anglophone African countries. The study revealed that all libraries
studied pointed out lack/inadequate ICT personnel and lack of fund. The
most interesting aspect of the findings is that libraries in South
Africa express lack of burglaries to protect computers from being stolen
whereas findings from two Nigerian libraries reveal erratic power supply
as one of the barriers for ICT use. Out of the ten countries studied,
only Nigeria has a very unique problem (power supply).
Okiy (2005) points out poor and inadequate telecommunication
facilities; poor level of computer literacy, even within the academic
community; poor level of computer facilities; poor level of awareness of
Internet facilities among policy makers, government officials and the
ruling class in general; and minimum involvement of academic
institutions in network building in Africa as challenges militating
against the use of ICTs.
Low level of ICT skills; lack of functional ICT policy; economic
barriers (funds); ICT infrastructure; resistance to change; low capacity
of communication facility; absence of digital or electronic libraries
except in South Africa; lack of policy for manpower development etc. are
common barriers mentioned as factors undermining the use of ICTs.
Gardner (1994) points out human resources, vendor and maintenance,
culture, funding, education and training as key factors for ICT use in
developing countries. According to him, unskilled and untrained human
resources lead to the employment of expatriates and African governments
cannot pay or sustain expatriates. Vendor's main concern is also
making money without maintenance plan. Without adequate training,
organisations may not be able to effectively use them.
Other factors that contribute to the under-use of ICTs is culture.
System designers need to understand or undertake a systematic study of
the organisation and country within which the system will be used
(implemented). Supporting this Odedra (1992) opines that culture is a
strong factor that dictates if technology be accepted or not accepted.
The challenge goes to system planners and programme writers to consider
the local way of thinking, cultural setting, level of education and
awareness.
Culture may have different levels of analysis. Schneider and
Barsoux (1997) analysed culture as functional, professional,
organisational, industrial, regional and national. To this study
however, professional and national cultures appear to be more suitable.
Professional culture has cultural peculiarities, the way they
(people) take training, supervision and socialization. National culture
is about where someone is born, undergoes training etc. Tully (2003)
states that the environment where one grows up can determine his or her
ability to fully use modern technologies. German Youth Institute
conducted an empirical research from 1998 to 2001.Quantitative survey of
4,500 young people between ages 15 and 26 was used. The findings reveal
that young people are interested in the name 'technology' and
make absolute use of the technology without any hindrance. The same
study also reveals that these young people started using computers right
from their childhood and this has a positive influence towards their
level of performance. However, the same can not be said in Africa
especially when it comes to the older generation who schooled and
obtained their academic qualifications without sighting a PC. Some of
these do occupy key positions in administration and find it very
difficult to think even an innovative way of doing things.
As other scholars have stated above on the challenges faced by
academic libraries in the process of making ICTs available and used, the
report submitted by the Mortenson Center for International Library
Programs at Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2005) pointed out that lack of
government funding; limited and expensive Internet bandwidth; unstable
power sources; and insufficient staff development affected job
performance of academic librarians.
Methodology
The study made use of descriptive research design. A total
enumeration technique was used to cover a population of one hundred and
ninety-five (195) academic librarians working within the study area. The
group constitutes all academic librarians with the minimum academic
qualification of Master's degree in Librarianship, Archival
Studies, Information Science and other related degrees. Questionnaire
was distributed by hand to one hundred and ninety five (195) academic
librarians but only one hundred and fifty three (153) academic
librarians filled the questionnaire and returned making the retrieval
(response) rate 78.6 percent. Table 3.1 below shows distribution of data
by institutions.
Table1 above shows a total of one hundred and ninety-five (195)
copies of questionnaire were distributed to librarians working in
libraries that are either fully or partially ICT based.
Gender Distribution
Here respondents were asked of their sex and close observation
shows that there is a significant variation in the distribution by sex
of the academic librarians as shown on Table below.
Of the one hundred and fifty three (153) respondents, 119(77.2%)
were male librarians while 34(22.2%) were female librarians. This means
that there are more male academic librarians than the female ones in the
studied academic libraries.
Findings and Discussion
Research Question 1.What are the types of library services that are
automated in academic libraries in the Southwestern Nigeria?
Table 3 and Fig.1 show the library services that are automated in
the study. Out of the twenty five (25) academic libraries, only twenty
two (88 percent) libraries were found to have started automating their
services. Seventeen (68 percent) of them indicated that they have
automated their cataloguing and classification activities. This is
followed by fourteen (56 percent) libraries that have automated
circulation control services. Thirteen (52 percent) libraries have
automated acquisition and budget services while, twelve (48 percent)
libraries automated their serials. Only four (16 percent) libraries
automated inter-library loans.
Fig.1. Automation profile of academic libraries
This finding is supported by Chuene (2000); Chisenga (2004); (Sani
& Tiamiyu (2005). Chuene (2000) carried out a study between
automated library services and manual library services. The finding
revealed that automated acquisition system reduced the manual labour
from twenty-seven to fourteen. The author also found out the automated
library system to be the best in terms of providing fast, error free
service and at the same time increased efficiency. Sani and Tiamiyu
(2005) reported on evaluation of automated services in Nigerian
Universities. The study included 25 universities (Federal, State &
Private) and the finding revealed that 55 percent of Federal University
libraries; 19 percent of State University libraries and 12 percent of
Private University libraries indicated the availability of different
types of automated services. Siddiqui (1997) studied Information
Technology use in academic libraries in Saudi Arabia. The report of the
finding revealed that out of the six universities, four university
libraries had automated all their services. Chisenga (2004) reported ICT
use in ten Anglophone African public libraries. Out of the twenty-five
public libraries he studied, thirteen (13) libraries automated their
cataloguing and classification services; five (5) libraries automated
their acquisition services; six (6) libraries automated circulation
services; four (4) libraries automated serial services; four (4)
libraries automated interlibrary loan services and ten (10) libraries
automated their OPACs. Okiy (2004) reiterated that the computer based
cataloguing system is the best system that offers librarians a conducive
environment to function properly.
Research Question 2: How are the academic libraries connected to
the internet in southwestern Nigeria?
Table 4 indicate how academic libraries were connected to the
Internet. 9(36.0 percent) libraries were connected to the internet using
LAN/WAN. 8(32 percent) libraries stated that they were connected to the
net using WIRELESS connection. The finding also indicated that 11(37.9
percent) libraries were without any type of connection.
Research Question 3. What is the bandwidth connectivity for
academic libraries in Southwestern Nigeria?
Table 5 indicates the availability of bandwidth for Internet
services and the size of bandwidth in academic libraries in the
Southwestern Nigeria. Four (13.8%) libraries responded that they had
256kb each while two (6.9%) libraries responded that they had 516kb and
128kbs respectively. One library has a dial-up to 50kb and another
library another has 64kb respectively. The implication of this finding
was that majority of the academic libraries nineteen (65.5%) did not
have a separate bandwidth connection to provide Internet services to
their clientele. This is not unconnected with the funding problems
academic libraries face today. The study also sought to find out how the
automation exercise of the academic libraries including the Internet
services was financed. The response from interviewing twenty-five head
librarians was that fund had been a big problem for libraries to
sufficiently provide quality ICT based information services to the
users. On the interview question that sought answer on who supported
their ICT projects, all the twenty five library administrators described
their individual library financial support as follows, twenty-three(93%)
of them responded that they got financial aid from the Government while
the two private institutions namely Adekunle Alalade Library of Babcock
University and Learning Resource Centre of the Covenant University
indicated that the University administration provided finances for their
ICT projects. The implication of this finding was that more than half of
the libraries studied did not account for any bandwidth connection.
Moreover, from the interview interaction with the systems librarians it
was revealed that no single academic library had it's own bandwidth
but have access through the university bandwidth. Owning a dedicated
bandwidth would enhance effective job performance of the academic
librarians giving them the liberty to use any time they want. It would
also grant them direct access to other databases, where document
delivery may be made easier. Supporting this finding are Rosenberg
(2005) and Chisenga (2004). In their individual findings both Rosenberg
and Chisenga reported that the size of bandwidth could depend on the
financial strength of libraries.
Research Question 4. Where Do academic Libraries in the
southwestern Nigeria get ICT support?
Table 6 and Fig. 2 show ICT support and staff skill in academic
libraries in Southwestern Nigeria. The result revealed the following:
18(72 percent) libraries indicated that they had in-house ICT staff,
while 7(28 percent) libraries responded they did not. Twelve
(forty-eight percent) libraries stated they used ICT staff from parent
organization while, 13(52 percent) libraries did not use ICT staff from
parent organization. 9(36 percent) libraries sought for external ICT
support while 16 (64 percent) libraries did not seek for external ICT
support.
The table also indicate the services offered by non-ICT support
staff. Twelve (48 percent) libraries indicated that the non-ICT
specialized library staff offered help on network access related
problems. Nine (36 percent) libraries indicated that hardware problems
were being solved by non-ICT specialized library staff, while 8 (32
percent) libraries stated that non-ICT specialized library staff
provided solution to software related problems. Twelve (48 percent)
libraries stated that non-ICT specialized library staff provided
solution to printing related problems.
Fig.2. ICT support and staff skill
Research Question 5: Do academic libraries in the Southwestern
Nigeria have ICT strategies and training policy?
Twenty-five University head librarians were interviewed and out of
the twenty-five (25) academic libraries surveyed the finding reveals
that only ten(40 percent) of academic libraries indicated having
information and communication technologies strategy while fifteen (15)
or 60 percent of the academic libraries stated that they do not have ICT
strategy.
Training the academic librarians to appropriate skills and fully
use information and communication technologies is very vital. Training
can come in many forms but the most important and cost effective one is
training on-the-job. Unless library management has sufficient fund to
send their ICT staff to the most advanced countries, it is always
advisable to have in-house training policy. Out of the twenty-five
academic libraries, sixteen libraries indicated that they have ICT
training policy. ICT strategy means an official written plan containing
objective and guidelines for acquisition and usage of ICT by the
library. ICT is a project that gulps a huge amount of money and without
having a guided plan and well defined objective/s making ICTs available
is as good as building a house without a foundation.
Research Question 6. What are the organizational, human and
cultural factors that affect the availability and use of ICTs in
academic libraries in Southwestern Nigeria?
Only systems librarians (thirteen from universities, six from
polytechnics, and six from colleges of education) filled out the
questionnaire on the factors affecting availability and use of ICTs in
academic libraries in Southwestern Nigeria. Twenty-five copies of the
questionnaire were distributed to systems librarians who worked directly
with the ICT facilities. The finding is presented in Table 15 below.
Table 7 shows factors that affected the availability and use of
ICTs in academic libraries in Southwestern Nigeria. Moreover, the table
points out the key factors and their effects on availability, use, and
job performance. Twenty-one (21) system librarians took part in filling
out the questionnaire. Three key factors namely cultural, human and
organizational were identified. The effect of each factor is shown in
the table above. Lack of institutional commitment and lack of updated
ICT strategy ranked top as factors affecting ICT availability and use of
ICT. In other words, 19(95 respondents) reported that lack of
institutional commitment and lack of updated ICT strategy are factors
that militated against the availability and use of ICTs. Eighteen
(eighty-five percent) stated human factor, that is lack of ICT qualified
staff militated against the use of ICTs towards job performance.
Seventeen (eighty percent) indicated organizational factors like lack of
adequate budget and erratic power supply. Lack of budget as an
organizational factor, causes inadequate availability of ICTs while,
erratic power supply being organizational factor, results in underuse of
ICTs. Sixteen (76 percent) of the respondents identified academic
librarians reluctance to use ICTs as a cultural factor towards effective
job performance.
This finding is not different from the finding of Hann (1995) who
stated that organizational, cultural and human factors are key factors
that can affect the use of ICTs. Another scholar who supported this
finding is Chisenga (2004) when he carried out ICT use in ten (10)
Anglophone African public libraries. This finding reported that
cultural, organizational, lack of fund, lack of qualified ICT personnel,
erratic power supply led to the non-availability and under-use of ICT
facilities. Other studies like Oketunji, Daniel, Okojie and Abdulsalaam
(2002), support the finding. In the words of Oketunji, Daniel, Okojie
and Abdulsalaam, the following hindrances were discovered when they
carried out a study on forty years of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) of Library Services in Nigeria. The study covered 50
libraries in Nigeria. The finding indicated the following problems as
hindrance towards ICT use: occasional breakdown; NEPA; obsolete
equipment; lack of maintenance; lack of technical support; lack of
adequate training. The study by Okiy (2005) showed that lack of fund,
and lack of management support led to non-availability of ICTs in
Nigerian university libraries.
Research question 7 was complimented by a structured interview
guide. Twenty-five (25) library administrators participated in this
section. Almost all of them reported that they faced challenges in the
cause of making ICT available, utilised and even with their workers as
well. Only Three (twelve percent) of the respondents stated that they
had less challenges. These are library administrators in private
academic libraries. Twenty-two (eighty-eight percent) respondents
expressed enormous challenges. Some of the challenges are: irregular
power supply, lack of adequate fund and academic librarians'
attitude towards the use of information and communication technologies
(ICTs) at work places. Twenty-two (eighty-eight percent) of the
respondents stated that irregular power supply militated against the use
of ICTs and lack of a stand-by generator to use during the absence of
NEPA. All respondents (100 percent) stated the librarians' attitude
towards the use of ICT as not encouraging. Twenty-two (eighty-eight
percent) of the academic library administrators said that lack of
adequate fund allocation is a cause for the poor use of ICTs.
This finding is supported by the findings of the following
scholars: Obajemu (2006), okiy (2005), Sani and Tiamiyu (2005), and
Jegede (2001).Obajemu asserted that librarians' attitude to the use
of ICTs can affect the way they are used. Attitude is a state at which
librarians either accept or reject the ICTs. While accepting the ICTs
may improve the librarians' job performance, not accepting may
result in poor performance. It is in the light of this Obajemu stressed
the need for positive attitude. Okiy pointed out that poor and
inadequate telecommunication facilities; poor level of computer literacy
militated the use of information and communication technology in
Nigeria. Jegede advised that professional librarians in Nigeria need to
acquire necessary skills that will enable them to be competent in an ICT
environment, while Sani and Tiamiyu pointed out that irregular power
supply; librarians attitude towards the use of ICT and poor funding
among others stood as militating factors towards ICT availability and
use in Nigerian academic libraries.
Conclusions and Recommendations
This study investigated factors responsible for the poor use of
information and communication technologies in the southwestern Nigeria.
Literature was reviewed extensively. From the finding it is evident that
lack of commitment by institutional management; lack of ICT strategy;
lack of qualified staff to manage the ICTs and low skill level of the
academic librarians dominated the reasons for the poor use of the ICTs
in academic libraries in the Southwestern Nigeria. Other factors that
contributed to the underuse of the ICTs are: lack of adequate budget and
erratic power supply.
The following recommendations are derived from the findings of the
study:
1. The academic library management in Southwestern Nigeria should
provide adequate fund for the acquisition of appropriate ICTs.
2. Management of libraries must ensure that adequate training in
the use of ICTs is given to academic librarians
3. The Management of academic libraries in the Southwestern Nigeria
must put ICT strategy in place.
4. There should be a standby generator to ensure the continuity of
work in the case of power outage.
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* The author acknowledges the Council for the Development of Social
Science Research (CODESRIA) for sponsoring this study
Yacob Haliso. PhD
Department of Information Resources Management
Babcock University
Nigeria
Table 1. Distribution of copies of the questionnaire
by the Institution Libraries
S/N Name of Library Number No.
distributed returned %
1 University of Ibadan Library 23 19 82
2 Obafemi Awolowo 19 10 52
University lib.
3 University of Lagos 15 13 86
4 Bowen University 3 2 66
5 Federal University of 8 7 87
Technology Library, Akure
6 Olabisi Onabanjo 24 19 79
University Library,
7 Covenant University library 8 8 100
8 Babcock University Library 5 5 100
9 Ladoke Akintola University 8 7 87
of Technology Library,
10 University of 8 4 50
Agriculture, Abeokuta
11 Lagos State University 13 10 76
12 Pan African University Library 2 2 100
13 Adekunle Ajasin 4 3 75
University, Akungba
14 Ibadan Polytechnic 7 6 85.7
15 Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro 5 4 80
16 Mashood Abiola Polytechnic Lib. 1 1 100
17 Lagos State
Polytechnic, Ikorodu 2 2 100
18 Yaba College of Technology 13 10 76
19 Federal Polytechnic, Ede 3 2 66
20 Fed. College of Edu., Osiele 7 5 71
21 Fed.Coll.of.Edu(Special) Oyo 5 4 80
22 Osun State College of Edu, Ila 3 3 100
23 Osun State College 3 2 66.6
of Edu., Ilesha
24 Adeniran Ogunsanya 4 3 75
College of Edu.,
25 Fed. College of 2 2 100
Edu(Tech), Yaba
Total 195 153
Table 2. Gender Distribution
Gender Frequency Percentage
Male 119 77.8
Female 34 22.2
Total 153 100.0
Table 3. Automation Profile of Academic Libraries in the
Southwestern Nigeria
Services Automated No. of Percent
libraries
Acquisition and budgets 13 52
Cataloguing and classification 17 68
Circulation control 14 56
Serial administration 12 48
Inter-library loan 4 16
Others 1 4
Table 4: Type of Internet Connection of the
Responding Libraries
Type of Connected Not connected
connection
No. % No. %
WIRELESS 8 32 17 68
LAN/WAN 9 36 16 64
Type of Total
connection
No. %
WIRELESS 25 100
LAN/WAN 25 100
Table 5: Bandwidth Connectivity of the
Academic Libraries Studied
S/N Size Of Number of %
Bandwidth Libraries
connected
1 Dial-up 1 3.4
to 50kb
2 64kb 1 3.4
3 128kb 2 6.9
4 256kb 4 13.8
5 516kb 2 6.9
Table 6: ICT Support and Staff Skill
S/N ICT Support No. of Percentage
Libraries
1 Has-in-house library support 18 72.0
2 Receives ICT support from parent 12 48.0
organization's ICT staff
3 Pays and receives 9 36.0
for external ICT support
4 Non-ICT specialized librarians 12 48.0
deal with network access problems
5 Hardware problem 9 36.0
6 Software problems 8 32.0
7 Printing problems 12 48.0
8 Training and support of staff 8 32.0
Table 7: The Cultural, Human and Organizational Factors Affecting
the Availability and Use of ICTs in Academic Libraries in
Southwestern Nigeria
S/N Factor Effect of the Factor Yes % No %
1 Cultural academic librarians 16 76 5 24
reluctance to use ICT
difficulty in training 17 80 4 20
the academic librarians
2 Human lack of ICT qualified staff 18 85 3 15
skill level of 18 85 3 15
academic librarians
3 Organizational inadequate existing 17 80 4 20
ICT resources
lack of commitment 19 90 2 10
by institutional mgt
lack of updated
ICT strategy 19 90 2 10
lack of adequate budget 17 80 4 20
erratic power supply 17 80 4 20
