Libraries in Nigeria have long struggled to adequately serve the information needs of visually impaired individuals, particularly those who are literate. Despite this, scholarly research addressing ...these issues in South-Eastern Nigeria is lacking, highlighting the urgency of investigating predictors of user satisfaction among visually impaired students in SLMCs. The research design utilizes a survey methodology across four states in South-Eastern Nigeria, encompassing a total population of 95 individuals. Data collection involves administering questionnaires to visually impaired students and SLMC personnel, followed by comprehensive data analysis using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Findings reveal a positive correlation between information needs, library accessibility, and user satisfaction, while library services and media-format availability did not significantly influence user satisfaction. Impediments to user satisfaction include inadequacy of media formats, contents, outdated materials, lack of equipment, and recording studios. Addressing these challenges is crucial to improving library engagement and user satisfaction among visually impaired students in South-Eastern Nigeria, ultimately fostering more inclusive and supportive educational environments.
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BFBNIB, NUK, PILJ, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Universally, information and communications technologies (ICTs) have revolutionised multiple ways of executing tasks in many sectors. In the education sector, ICTs provide a scaffold to enhance ...technology-driven teaching and learning information needs of the teachers and learners in a school environment. The aim of the study was to investigate the availability and use of ICTs in library facilities in primary schools in disadvantaged rural communities in Limpopo province, South Africa. The study targeted all 18 primary schools in Lebopo Circuit of Mankweng Cluster. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from teacher-librarians who attended a school library workshop at a local high school. Purposive sampling was employed in the selection of the teacher-librarians and all 18 schools were represented by one teacher-librarian. The findings indicate that there are few ICTs used by the teachers to enhance teaching and learning in different library facilities in disadvantaged rural schools. The study recommends that additional ICTs should be procured by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) for distribution to all schools to mitigate technology-driven information needs of teachers and learners. Furthermore, as vandalism was cited as a challenge in all schools, security needs upgrading to protect the few available ICTs.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study explored the outcomes of, and adaptive strategies employed by library personnel in performing afternoon/nightshift in a mega-city like Lagos, Nigeria. The Maslach Burnout Theory was used ...as the explanation framework for burnout concepts such as; emotional exhaustion, cynicism, depersonalisation and individual accomplishment and other matters allied with longstanding, unsolved job-induced stress. The qualitative methodology guided by a phenomenological research paradigm, which is an approach that focuses on the commonality of real-life experiences in a particular group, was used. A focus group discussion among purposively selected library personnel was used as a method of data collection from staff who are involved in afternoon/nightshift. The participants were selected using convenience sampling technique in which all categories of staff in the cataloguing unit involved in nightshift were included in the sample because of their representative characteristics. The phenomenological approach was adopted in conducting the study to enable a deep elicitation of data for understanding the phenomena as it is reasonable and from a broad interpretation of perspectives drawn from individual experiences. The questions posed were meant to shed light on issues relating to the participants' maintenance of a work-life balance in-situ with performance of nightshift duties. The study discovered that library staff experience emotions of fear, insecurity, stress and financial strain over their involvement in the performance of nightshift duty at the University of Lagos library.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The research scrutinises information literacy, self-concept and metacognitive ability of teacher-librarians at the University of Zululand, South Africa. A total of one hundred and ten (110) copies of ...questionnaire were distributed among second-year teacher-librarians, out of which fifty-seven (57) copies were returned with valuable responses, giving a response rate of 51.8%. The study chronicled basic issues that concern self-efficacy, personal knowledge, task and procedural knowledge, strategic and declarative knowledge, conditional knowledge and planning ability of teachers. The research revealed, amongst other things, that the teacher-librarians lacked the ability to use computer applications unaided. The teacher-librarians also acknowledged that they had problem with their self-concept, especially pertaining to having the confidence to seek for help in using computers and the Internet. In spite of the apparent advantages of information literacy to teaching and learning, many of them declined that information literacy skill has the potential to enhance their teaching skills. It was also observed that the teacher-librarians lacked the ability to evaluate and identify sources of information resources. In conclusion, the findings will constitute a veritable feedback to the Department of Education and lecturers handling the teacher-librarians in evaluating the progress made in acquiring information literacy skill.
This study embarked on an in‑depth content analysis of the
information literacy environment in the South African education
sector. The review of literature encompasses a comprehensive
critical ...analysis of available appropriate and contemporary
literature, which further expounds the research problem. This
research adopted the qualitative method of data collection; hence,
policy documents, conference proceedings and journal articles about
the subject matter were analytically evaluated to identify whether
there is a research gap that may have remained unanswered in
previous studies. The study emphasises various ICT tools and
techniques that will promote e‑learning in South African educational
sector; this was done in recognition of its essential role. South
Africa struggles with challenges associated with the digital divide,
a result of the inability of many to access ICT tools capable of
enhancing their performance, particularly in a racially divided
country such as South Africa, where a separate educational
development policy was pursued during the apartheid era, in favour
of the white minority. The trends in information literacy and
essential issues regarding information literacy skills in South
Africa are highlighted. The challenges associated with information
literacy in South Africa are presented, and different opportunities
in information literacy are also discussed. The paper concludes with
the gaps and options in information literacy in South Africa.
Finally, this paper offers a comprehensive review of the information
literacy development in the South African education sector, which
constitutes an essential perspective in the understanding of the
global information literacy development
Purpose
This study examined the interceding influence of work–life balance (WLB) among library staff at the Kenneth Dike Library and its implication for the provision of information. The research ...sought to respond to the following questions: the effect of demographic variables on the WLB of librarians and their perceptions of WLB within the intimate environment.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a positivist research paradigm because the nature of the research revealed a single social reality which can be measured quantitatively, using a reliable instrument such as a questionnaire. The total sampling technique was used to zero in on the staff of the library, in which the entire library population was included in the study.
Findings
The findings suggest that male librarians enjoy a better WLB than their female counterparts. Also, the results indicate that librarians, irrespective of their marital status, focused on job-related activities minding their marital status and therefore, marital status could influence the WLB of librarians. Similarly, priority is not being given to their work, to the detriment of caring for the family.
Research limitations/implications
The study suggests that age causes the WLB to change, the implication being that an ageing workforce has an impact on adaptation, output and innovation.
Originality/value
This paper sheds light on the WLB among librarians at the Kenneth Dike Library (KDL); therefore, information acquired from this study is imaginative and valuable to understand better how information professionals react to official and personal engagement.
Information literacy (IL) is a precondition for lifelong learning, especially for teachers whose profession authorises them to impart knowledge to students who are expected to be resourceful and ...critical thinkers. The study investigated the perceptions of secondary school teachers of IL skills, in the two cities of Lagos, Nigeria, and Durban, South Africa, focusing on six research questions. The post-positivist research paradigm was adopted for this study, which combines both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies through a multicase study research design. Data were gathered through questionnaires, interviews, observation and document analysis that included a literature review. The target population was secondary school teachers in Lagos and Durban. The study revealed the following: 1) teachers in Durban had a higher level of perception of the need for IL than their counterparts in Lagos, 2) electronic information resources were infrequently used by the teachers, 3) younger teachers tend to possess a higher level of IL than their older colleagues, which makes in-service training imperative, 4) female teachers are significantly more information literate than their male counterparts, 5) many of the school libraries seem to have been afterthoughts, and the specifications for library building and planning were not observed as itemised by IFLA library building guidelines, and 6) interaction and collaboration between teachers and librarians are limited. The study recommended a comprehensive policy review to deal with IL challenges, with appropriate training and workshops for teachers topping the list.
As copyright issues become increasingly prominent in the Internet age, librarians must have a high-level of knowledge in order to ensure that copyright laws are followed, and patrons are aware of ...potential violations. This study examines the awareness of and attitudes towards copyright policy and practices among professional librarians in Nigeria. A 27-item survey distributed in early 2021 to 110 library professionals received 85 responses. Three-fourths of participants indicated that they had a moderate or extremely good awareness of copyright, though competency in specific aspects of copyright varied greatly (e.g., 90% were familiar with national copyright laws, but only 14% with the concept of "copyleft"). Responses were mixed as to whether the libraries at which librarians were employed had a specific copyright policy in place or aligned with national copyright legislation. Based on the findings of this survey, suggestions for improving copyright education and practices in libraries. Keywords: Copyright Literacy, Copyright Awareness Copyright Attitude, Nigeria
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This article accounts for the trend and pattern of medical research in Nigerian Universities within the span of ten years. The study aims to evaluate the research productivity of Nigerian Medical ...Science Researchers, appraise the preferred research communication outlets, analysing the growth rate of Nigerian medical science research publications, productivity, and visibility of both author and institution. Also, the trends of collaboration with colleagues within the continent and intercontinental were reviewed. The documents included in this research were retrieved from Scopus database; the results revealed incremental research output in medical science between 2007 and 2016 with 2016 having the highest number. It also showed that the Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice is the most widely patronised by Nigeria Medical researchers and that the growth rate of research productivity is 9.5 per cent as indicated by the T value of 0.094768. Moreover, the researcher with the highest output was credited with 103 publication, while the trend of inter-continental research collaboration of Nigerian medical sciences researchers with scholars from another part of the world was more with the United States researchers.
Information literacy is a concept that has attracted the attention of a considerable number of renowned scholars, governments and international organizations the world over. Regardless of the ...overwhelming exposure and deliberation surrounding the notion of information literacy, it is important to note that it is an evolving and developing concept that is applicable to all human endeavors. This paper illuminates the context of the research location which is Nigeria. A relative analysis was carried out with the intention of bringing out the status, trends, challenges and opportunities in information literacy and how it will strengthen the education system in Nigeria. The article embarked on vibrant narrative of the contextual setting by concentrating on the concept of information literacy as it influences teachings and learning in Nigeria; The status of information literacy revealing the extent, condition and present situation in Nigeria was enumerated; The trend of information literacy presenting what is in practice in information management and other significant issues in information literacy skill in Nigeria were highlighted; Challenges allied to information literacy in Nigeria were presented and different opportunities that were abound in information literacy in Nigeria were discussed with the aim of bring out whatever is novel, by cataloguing gaps and options in available for teachers in pursue of information literacy skill to better their career in Nigeria.
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