Effects of Ineffective Use of Automation in Management of Library Services in Academic Libraries in Southwest Nigeria: A Case Study of KDL and UNILAG Libraries

Abstract

The study was on the effects of ineffective use of automation in management of library services in academic libraries in Southwest Nigeria: a case study of KDL and UNILAG libraries. Library automation is defined simply as the use of computer and networking technologies in the library. Study showed that the major effects of ineffective use of automation in libraries is lack of efficiency in library services(48.0%);this is followed by slow pace of work in the library(20.0%). Library automation does not lead to staff loss of their jobs(92.0%); that library automation is not too costly to embark upon by any library(84.0%). Libraries gain more through the use of automation(100%); automation makes library service delivery of her rich resources faster, easier and better(72.0%). Studied libraries hope for a full automation of their services in future(88.0%), full automation can only be made possible by global world connection through automation service in libraries(40.0%); that there is solution to the problem of ineffective use of automation in the libraries(96.0%), this can be achieved by staff training and adequate funds(33.3%). Circulation, cataloguing, reference, serials are library services that need automation from studied libraries(76.0%); cataloguing and circulation are the prominent library services automated in studied libraries(12.0%), inadequate funds are the cause why other services are not automated(36.0%), also lack of manpower(20.0%). Inadequate funds, erratic power supply, automation phobias are the main library automation problems in Nigeria.