Library staff ICT skills as influencing factors in the digitization of information resources in federal university libraries in Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined library staff ICT skills and influencing factors in the digitization of information resources in federal university libraries in Nigeria. Three research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The population for the study was 250 library staff that were digitizing library materials. The study revealed that five Federal University in Nigeria are involved in digitization of information materials in their libraries. These include Ahmadu Bello University library, Zaria; University of Jos library, Plateau state; University of Nigeria, Nsukka library, Enugu state; Obafemi Awolowo University library, Ile-Ife, Osun state and Federal University of Technology library, Owerri. The study showed that 203 library staff who answered the questionnaire administered was involved in the exercise of digitization of information resources in their university libraries. It also showed that dissertation, theses, staff abstract among others were the major materials they digitized. Desktop computer, laptop, and book scanner were the main hardware used while Dspace, KOHA and Endnote were the main Software used. The research also established that influencing factors such as availability of good means of digital preservation and accessibility, global needs, need to improve library resources, availability of fund (grants), changing nature of the library, higher education needs and technological push has influence on digitization regardless of the gender of the library staff. The study affirmed that there is also no significant difference between male and female mean responses on the influencing factors of digitization of library information resources in Nigerian university libraries. The research also recommends that copyright issue should be properly addressed; fund and power supply should be made available in Nigerian University Libraries to enable digitization of library resources, digital preservation, and accessibility. It also recommends that library should seek grants and Tertiary Education Fund (TetFund) should continue to support the tertiary institutions through its yearly and regular financial intervention, as this has made things easy in universities in Nigeria.