CHALLENGES AND PROSPECT OF THE ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION OF ICT TO LIBRARY SERVICES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1            Background of the study

The significance of libraries in the advancement of human societies cannot be overemphasized. Libraries evolved from the need to collect writings for preservation so that they can be passed from one generation to another (Alhassan and Abdulsalam, 2013). According to Aina (2004) libraries are institutions responsible for the collection, processing and storage of recorded knowledge for purpose of reading, studying and consultation. The primary objective of establishing libraries is to provide users with current information resources and specialized services relevant to their needs. The longestablished role of libraries has been to expand access to information by acquiring published materials and organizing them for appropriate retrieval (Olorunsola, 2008). The effective provision of these library services depends on the availability of balanced collections of information resources which are relevant to the diverse needs of users. In order to build balanced and dynamic library collections which are responsive to the needs of users, a thorough acquisition process must be rigorously pursued. Acquisition is an essential activity which is crucial to the satisfaction of the information needs of library users and the attainment of library objectives in general. It is an essential activity which is done continuously in libraries due to the dynamic nature of knowledge and the need for libraries to meet the diverse information needs of their patrons. Evans (2000) defines acquisition as the process of securing materials for the library collection, whether by purchase, as gifts, or through exchange programmes. It is a means by which books and non-book materials are added to the library (Nnadozie, 2006). Acquisition entails the process of identifying and verifying the information resources needed by library users, placing order for them, making payments for such information resources and receiving them accordingly into the library collection. The purpose of acquisition is traditionally to build local collections and to increasingly control access to library materials (Onoriode and Ivwighreghweta, 2012). Acquisition of relevant information resources becomes expedient for libraries to remain relevant in this information age which is characterized by rapid advances in different disciplines and exponential increase in the rate of information produced. Acquisition of information resources is a very important aspect of librarianship since the quality and strength of a library collection solely depends on the materials acquired (Essien, 2007). Acquisition is preceded by selection of information resources. Selection is a systematic process of choosing relevant information resources from different sources using bibliographic tools and established criteria with the aim of adding them to the library collection. It is a vital process which serves as a prerequisite to the acquisition of information resources into the library collection. Selection and acquisition of library materials depend on the kind of library since each library is interested in serving primarily its clientele which could be homogeneous or heterogeneous (Attama and Ezema, 2002). The different methods of acquisition of information resources adopted by libraries include purchase, gift, donation, exchange, subscription, legal deposit and internal generation. In the same vein, Imam et al. (2008) enumerated six methods of acquiring materials into the library which include purchase, exchange, gift, donation, bequest and legal deposit. Due to the importance of acquisition in libraries, it follows series of steps and guidelines which are usually in accordance with the services rendered in the libraries and the goals of the parent institutions. As a technical service aimed at improving the quality of library collections, acquisition of information resources is usually guided by policies formulated by library professionals in order to satisfy the diverse information needs of users. Acquisition policy acts as a guide for the acquisition of the library materials to be added to the library collection (Essien, 2007). Merritt (1970) also opined that acquisition policy is intended as a tool to enable libraries to provide a good collection, tailor-made to the needs, interests and dreams of the community which the library serve.

1.2            Statement of problem

Acquisition of information resources occupies a central place in the activities of libraries as the effectiveness of libraries in serving their users is greatly determined by their acquisition process. It is an essential activity which is done painstakingly in order to prevent library collections from being filled with outdated and irrelevant information resources. However, acquisition of information resources in Nigerian libraries is threatened by declining budgetary allocation and rising cost of information resources. Owing to this development, these libraries find it difficult to satisfy the information needs of patrons as their collections are usually filled with outdated information resources.

The rapid changes in information and communication technology causes already uncertain business environment to be even more predictable. Organizations’ ability to identify the relevant information needed to make important decisions is crucial, since the access to data used to generate information for decision making is no longer restricted by the manual systems of the organization. Today, the emergence of ICTs made it possible for organizations to record, synthesized, analyze and disseminate information quicker than any other time in history, (Galliers, 2003).Therefore, this study seeks to examine the challenges and prospect of the acquisition and application of ict to library services.

1.3            Objectives of the study

The general objective of this study is to examine  challenges and prospect of the acquisition and application of ict to library services. The specific objectives is as follows:

1. To examine the major methods of acquisition adopted by libraries

2. To find out the type of information communications technology resources libraries acquire most

3. To assess the frequency of application of information communications technology in libraries.

 To investigate  the challenges of application of ICT to library services 1.4 Scope of the study

This study will examine the major methods of acquisition adopted by libraries. The study will also find out the type of information communications technology resources libraries acquire most. The study will further assess the frequency of application of information communications technology in libraries. Lastly, this study will  investigate the challenges of application of ICT to library services.  Hence, this study is delimited to Ekiti State University.

1.5     Significance of the study

This study is significant to the university board management as it will be exposed to the unavailability of information communications technology in the use of library services and also find ways of incorporating ICT into the services of library for it to be efficiently used.

The study will be significant to the academic community as it will contribute to the existing literature.

1.6 Research questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study

1. What are the major methods of acquisition adopted by these libraries?

2. What type of information communications technology resources libraries does acquire most?

3. What is the frequency of application of information communications technology in libraries?

4.  What are the challenges of application of ICT to library services?

1.7 Definition of terms

Challenges: a call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength.

Prospect: the possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring.

Acquisition: an asset or object bought or obtained, typically by a library or museum.

ICT: information and communication technology

Library: a building or room containing collections of books, periodicals, and sometimes films and recorded music for use or borrowing by the public or the members of an institution.