CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1.
Background to the Study
The
importance of information as a vital resource in today's society hardly needs emphasis
as information brings people and thoughts together. It is the exchanges of
ideas, news and data that make a society what it is. In the post-industrial
society, it has been said that what counts is not raw muscle power or energy
but information, and indeed the advanced economies of the world have already
become information intensive (Dysart and Jones 2014). Consequently, large
investments are being made in the Information Technology (IT) industry for the
purpose of generating, processing and disseminating/transmitting information.
IT can be used in libraries and information centres, in the context of
Ranganathan's fourth law 'save the time of the reader/staff for many purposes.
On the question of the impact of IT on library and information work, (Luijenijk,
2009),as early as 1985, drew attention to what he considers a significant
change required in future systems design, as the present information systems
have been designed for use by information professionals rather than users
(Johnson, 2010). This, perhaps, is true in many libraries even today it becomes
now imperative to design information systems for use by end-users, the primary
clientele.
However, while libraries and information centres have risen to the
occasion and are trying to adapt and adopt IT for their operations, they are
being affected by a number of external forces-social, economic, political,
technological and internal variables for a change. Thus, the challenge of
change, the pressure for accountability, and the emergence of enterprise
culture are emphasising the fact that library and information services need to
be proactive rather than passive and hence, need to be positively and
effectively managed. At this juncture, it may be useful to remember that four
interrelated trends of IT-multiple IT, dispersing IT, accelerating IT, and
pervasive IT — can alter, for example:
• Objectives and strategies—the nature of sources and services
• Operational structures—the ways in
which service(s) are delivered (Line, 2011).
Recent
advances in science and technology in general and developments in the field of
information technology in particular have vastly influenced the concept of
collection development and have brought in sweeping changes in information
collection, storage and dissemination (Luijenijk, 2009). Factors like
information explosion, budgetary constraints, complex requirements of users,
rising cost of publications and other related factors as well as development of
digital libraries, internet, e-mail, CD-ROM, electronic publishing etc., have
forced the libraries and librarians to change the style and approach of their
functioning. Libraries have slowly started giving importance to „accessing the
other library’s collection? rather than mere possessing almost all documents on
a given subject i.e., shifting from „owning? to „access? and „sharing?.
Collection development in libraries
is tilting towards electronic documents / information sources using network
facilities. The trend of printed materials is decreasing and need for accessing
electronic information resources is increasing slowly day by day and the
concept of collection development which implies building, growing, dealing with
selection and acquisition of library materials is changing towards collection
management (Seethraama, 2010). Combination of both print and electronic
information resources like CD-ROM, On-line, internet is the dilemma faced by
the libraries and librarians in recent past. „Information mix? is the order of
the day.
The
organization of information, its storage, access, preservation and retrieval
has become both – simplified as well as complicated. It is believed that
information has become more garmented, piecemeal and disembodied, resulting
into changing its face completely. According to Elaturoti (2000), “we are no
longer accessing the whole fabric of information, rather bits of data, sound
bites and images torn from it”. Currently “Economic forces and technological
advances have combined together to create a new environment, where access to
collective scholarly resources that no library could be ever afford, supersedes
the historic quest for the great comprehensive collection” (Fayose, 2005).
Collection development in libraries
is tilting towards electronic documents / information sources using network
facilities. The trend of printed materials is decreasing and need for accessing
electronic information resources is increasing slowly day by day and the
concept of collection development which implies building, growing, dealing with
selection and acquisition of library materials is changing towards collection
management. Combination of both print and electronic information resources like
CD-ROM, On-line, internet is the dilemma faced by the libraries and librarians
in recent past. „Information mix? is the order of the day (Jegede, 2009).
Whatever
the form the collection development takes, still it requires policies that
would govern the acquisition of both electronic resources and traditional forms
of documents. Hence, there is a need for redefining a collection development
policy on the following identified key issues.
The advantages of IT including accommodation of increased
workload, achievement of greater efficiency, ability for generation of new
services, facilitating cooperation, etc., can stand in good stead in the quest
for quality and productivity of library and information sources (collection)
and services.
1.2.
Statement of the Problem
The application of modern information technologies
to academic libraries’ activities and services in Nigerian tertiary
institutions seems inadequate probably due to a variety of factors, including
human factors, fear, and the state of infrastructural development of the
country. Not a few library practitioners also believe that there is hardly much
benefits that can be derived from the use of IT applications thereby giving
preferences for the manual library operations. Those who are aware of its
benefits are afraid of being eliminated from their jobs; though knowing that
its application to library routines such as administration, acquisitions,
cataloguing and classification, circulation, information retrieval and serials
control would facilitate effective and efficient job performance.
Users complain of inadequate
information services. The dissatisfaction may be connected with ineffective
collection management. Collection management is most effective when I.Ts are
applied to the process. This research explores the extent to which I.Ts are
available, how they are used, and how they affect collection management in
Delta State University, Abraka.
However, while libraries and information
centres have risen to the occasion and are trying to adapt and adopt IT for
their operations, they are being affected by a number of external
forces-social, economic, political, technological and internal variables for a
change.
This study
therefore investigates the impact of information technology on collection
development and management at the Delta State University Abraka Main Library.
Hence, the study is focused essentially on the Delta State University main
Library.
1.3.
Research
Questions
The study is set out to provide answers to the following
research questions:
1.
How adequate are IT facilities in the university library?
2.
Where are IT used for collection development and management in the university
library?
3.
What effect do IT have on collection development and management in the
university library?
4 What are the challenges facing the use of ICT in collection development
5.
What can be done to harness ICTs for more effective collection development and
management in the university library?
1.4. Purpose
of the Study
The
main aim of this study is to investigates the impact of Information technology
(IT) on collection development and management in the Delta State University,
Abraka. Specifically, the study will:
1. Determine how adequate are IT
facilities in the university
2. Identify the
aspects of collection development and management in the library where ITs are
being used
3 Examine the impact IT have on
collection development and management in the university.
4. Identify the
challenges facing the use of IT in
collection development and management
5.
Find out what can be done to harness IT for more effective collection
development and management in the university
1.5. Significance
of the Study
The study establishes an empirical basis for increased
library effectiveness in academic library by applying IT which emphasize
collection development and management. It will call attention to the fact that
mere acquisition of or access to IT facilities does not guarantee effectiveness
of collection development and management. It provides evidence for the
management of the university and other stakeholders of the need to adopt a
positive attitude and favourable policies and programmes to maximally harness
the benefits of IT for collection development and management effectiveness.
1.6. Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The
purpose of this study is to investigates the impact of Information technology
(IT) on collection development and management in the Delta State University,
Abraka.
Geographically,
this study will be carried out in the Delta State University Main Library,
Abraka as the case may be.
1.7. Operational Definitional of Terms
The
following terms were generally define in this research work
Information
technology (IT) is the application of computers
and telecommunications equipment
to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data, often in the context of a
business or other enterprise (Becker, 2013).
Collection
Development:
Library collection development is the process of meeting the information needs
of the people (a service population) in a timely and economical manner using
information resources locally held, as well as from other organizations (Chaudhry,
2012).
Library
management is a sub-discipline of institutional
management that focuses on specific issues faced by libraries
and library management professionals. Library management encompasses normal
management tasks as well as intellectual freedom,
anti-censorship,
and fundraising tasks. Issues faced in
library management frequently overlap those faced in management of non-profit organizations
(Cogswell, 2007).