International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology (IJKCDT)
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Organisational Politics on Job Impetus Among Library Personnel in Selected Public Universities in South-West Nigeria
Get PDFNowadays, the growth rate of organisational politics in the library system is a cause of concern for library and information professionals. This has negatively impacted service delivery, most especially in public university libraries. This study examined the effect of organisational politics on job impetus among library personnel in selected public universities in South-west Nigeria. Three federal and three state universities were purposively selected such that one university was selected in each of the six states in South-west Nigeria. Total enumeration was used for all 187 library personnel in the six universities investigated. Using a descriptive survey of correlational type, a structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from respondents through survey monkey. Of 187 copies administered, 143, representing 76.5%, were retrieved and used for analysis. The results revealed a high level of organisational politics with low impetus. A strong inverse relationship was established between organisational politics and job impetus among library personnel in selected public universities in South-west Nigeria. Based on these, recommendations were made that Library personnel be encouraged to focus on their job specifications and limit organisational politics adhering to rules and regulations in the library and code of conduct for library staff
Fish out of Water: Linguistic outsiders in a Nigerian University Setting: Impact on information access, learning and social wellbeing
Get PDFNigeria is a country with multiple ethnic groups; as a result, English language is used as a lingua franca to enhance information flow. Despite this, the Indigenous languages of communities are mostly used for interactions, even in university environments thereby affecting smooth interaction for those who do not understand them. This study therefore investigated the impact of being a linguistic outsider on information access, learning and social wellbeing of students. Descriptive research of a case study was used for this study. The population for this study consisted of non-Yoruba indigenous students. Judgmental sampling technique was used to select 50 non-indigenous students; structured interview was used. Results showed that Yoruba indigenous language was used lightly in the classroom and heavily outside the classroom, with mixtures of pidgin and English languages. It was found that being a linguistic outsider had a negative influence on information access. However it was not a total dependent factor to social wellbeing of students who desire for their various languages to be predominantly used and for them to enjoy equal benefits with Yoruba indigenes. This study also revealed that being a linguistic outsider does not have negative influence on academic learning. It was recommended that the stakeholders in university management promote the complete use of English language in the classroom while students should be encouraged to interpret Yoruba language when spoken in the midst of non-indigenes
Best Practices in the Implementation of Research Infrastructure in the Academic Environment: Shortcomings and Revisions
Get PDFThe Digitalia MUNI ARTS - a local node of the LINDAT/CLARIAH-CZ research infrastructure at the Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University constitutes a repository in the Islandora system. It is used for long-term preservation of research data together with their research environment in the form of digital platforms. We transfer the digital outputs of humanities scholars research to the repository according to a set plan, which is based on best practice recommendations for project management and digital curation. In this paper, we present how the results of interviews with platform developers and infrastructure stakeholders translate into the curation workflow, and a resulting model for migrating digital platforms to the repository. Reflecting on three types of problems we encountered during the implementation of platforms into the repository - communication problems, problems of external dependence, and management problems - we describe a modification of the migration process. We present six recommendations for repository administrators and curators in an academic setting - holding an introductory meeting with developers, researching significant and relevant theories of knowledge domain, consulting license experts, prioritizing requirements, and preparing handover protocol and progress reports
Data Aspects in Library and Information Science CurriculA in Selected African Universities
Get PDFPurpose - The purpose of this study was to investigate data aspects in Library and Information Science curricula at all levels in selected African Universities.
Design/methodology/approach - A review of existing literature on data aspects and LIS Curricula. Secondly, the study juxtaposed web-based courses for fourteen LIS schools to establish data aspects incorporated into their curricula.
Findings - The study’s findings found that although many LIS schools have some form of data aspects in curricula, coverage is still very limited and basic
Availability of Information Resources for Visually Impaired Students in University Libraries in Nigeria: A Tool for Inclusive University Education: A Tool for Inclusive University Education
No full textThis research investigates the availability of information resources for visually impaired students in University libraries in Nigeria; a tool for inclusive University education. A Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study and a total number of 20 University libraries took parts in the study. A self-constructed online questionnaire was designed and distributed to collect the data from respondents (librarians) using a simple random sampling technique. A total of 45 respondents filled out the online questionnaire, but 40 were valid and useful for analysis. The use of frequency count and percentages method of data analysis was adopted for this research work. The study reveals that most of the University libraries lacked information resources for visually impaired students, it was found that the inclusion of information resources for visually impaired persons will promote inclusive education and librarians’ skills. The challenges hindering the availability of information resources to the visually impaired students are insufficient funds for maintenance, erratic power supply and inadequate skills by users, among others. Recommendations were made for the campaign for inclusive education and the provision of information resources for visually impaired students
Role of the Third Place in Building Communities and Social Capital :Contributions of Coffee Shops as Third Places in Kuwait
Get PDFThird places are those that offer a space outside of work and home for people to escape the stress associated with the primary spaces of their lives. Through social interactivity these help in acquiring some emotional support provided by a close and intimate attachment. Such social support can turn into social resources for individuals and can lead to forming communities that may become incubators for social capital through regular visits to shared socializing places. This paper focuses on social interaction that takes place through the third place and the communities that are being created as a contributing factor to knowledge management.
The study being reported in this paper investigated the role of coffee shops as third places in building communities and social capital in Kuwait. A mixed-method approach was used to conduct the study. These methods included qualitative methods such as extended conversations in the form of semi-structured interviews and quantitative methods of using questionnaires distributed to coffee shop staff and visitors. Results indicated that importance attached to providing facilities by coffee shops reflected that the owners perceived these as third places. The facilities attracted customers to coffee houses where interactions took place that helped to build communities. The pattern of visits by customers showed that mostly they come in groups and have meetings and gatherings that facilitated and encouraged interactions. The communities that are being built in the coffee shops are indicative of these being perceived as third places by owners, customers, and staff. This study shows the potential of coffee shops as a major sector of the food industry promising a valuable contribution in transformation and transition to a knowledge-based economy in Kuwait
Authorship Pattern & Research Collaboration of Bifurcation Research During 2016-2020: A Scientometric Analysis
Get PDFThis study depicts a Scientometric technique of Bifurcation Research output in India for around five years during 2016-2020. It is an active field of analysis in which the bulk of investigation is being done. Scopus is an advanced research platform, assisting in finding, probing and yielding information in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. The contemporary study discusses the “Bifurcation” as reflected in SCOPUS for 2016-2020. This study examines the highly prolific authors, document type etc. The study exhibited that 2017 shown maximum research papers 1700 (20.44%), the lowermost maturity rate was deciphered in 2018 (19.65%), the standard value of the period of collaboration is 0.18. The time series examines for single-authored, multi-authored, and collaborative papers are 137.8, 1564 and 1701.8 respectively
Assistive Technologies (AT) Preferences of People Living with Visual Disability as Information Access Tools in Academic Libraries
Get PDFAssistive technologies are necessary for ensuring independent living and equal participation in an information-based society for people living with disabilities (PLWD). This study investigated the assistive technology preference of students with visual disabilities, and the approach academic libraries should adopt in procuring assistive technologies. The study adopted a quantitative research method, with a survey as the research design. The study was conducted among visually disabled students in four public universities in Nigeria. Using the total enumeration method, an online questionnaire was used to obtain information from 151 students who voluntarily agreed to partake in the survey. The study found that access to electronic resources, scanning/conversion of print resources to electronic formats and access to information on the Web were among the technology-based services provided to visually disabled students. COBRA, ZoomText, Supernova and Dragon Naturally Speaking are the most preferred assistive technologies (software). At the same time, handheld scanners (x̅ =4.40) and braille keyboards (x̅ =4.60) are the most preferred assistive technologies in the hardware category by visually challenged students. The study further revealed that the library management should consult with students living with a visual disability before procuring assistive technology. Findings from this study thus provide further evidence of the need for librarians to fulfil their moral and legal obligation in advocating the provision of assistive technologies. Library administrators and university stakeholders should expedite actions on meeting the assistive technology needs of people living with visual disabilities. These actions should transcend mere policy formulation on the provision of assistive technologies to restructuring their services and spaces to accommodate assistive technologies as information service delivery tools for people with visual disabilities
Behaviour of students on social media sites : The Ghanaian Context
Get PDFBehaviour on social media sites need to be clearly defined so that students would know the clear distinction between the acceptable and unacceptable acts they are supposed to exhibit whenever they get on social media platforms. With the adoption of the survey approach, this study randomly selected 204 students from two renowned universities in Ghana to participate in the study. Using the theory of Technological Determinism, the results of this study indicated that technology has the power to influence human behaviour in a positive and negative manner. The results also brought out the acceptable and unacceptable behaviour that should or should not be exhibited on social media sites by students. The study established the importance of the theory of Technological Determinism to media use. It also gave a vivid description of what is right and not right on social media sites
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Use of Reference Sources and Services by Postgraduates’ in Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Get PDFThe outbreak of the corona virus diseases (COVID-19) in the late 2019 has affected all facets of educational system including library and information services. Reference services, an important aspect of library services are not exempted from this impact. This study therefore, investigated the impact of COVI\D-19 pandemic on the use of reference services and sources by postgraduate students using Kenneth Dike Library (KDL), University of Ibadan, as a case study. Using descriptive survey of correlational type, the study adopted the use of structured questionnaire to randomly select three hundred (300) postgraduate users of reference sources and services in KDL using online survey monkey. Of the three hundred (300) copies, two hundred and twenty three (223) copies, representing 74.3% were retrieved and used for analysis. Findings revealed that, in spite of COVID-19 pandemic, most postgraduate students used Current Awareness Services (203, 91.0%, mean = 3.19), Reference Sources (202, 90.5%, mean = 3.18) and On-line Public Access Catalogue (195, 87.4%, mean = 3.13); low frequency of bibliotherapy (mean=2.22), Reader’s Advisory services (mean=2.30) and inter-library loan (mean=2.13) and that COVID-19 pandemic had high impact on postgraduate students’ use of reference services in Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan. Based on the findings, recommendations were made that library management should consider the adoption of virtual reference services (VRS) in addition to the conventional mode of reference services to enhance patronage in the COVID-19 era. The library users should also be trained on how to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to learn new skills in the digital space that will eventually optimize the usage of the library remotely