Libraries and mobile technologies: an assessment of the deployment of mobile technologies in libraries of Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21847/1728-9343.2020.1(165).197402Keywords:
library, mobile technologies, professionals, usersAbstract
In this study, the researcher examined the views of library users and professional regarding the deployment of mobile technologies in libraries. The researcher tested five hypotheses to achieve the study objectives. The survey research design was used for the study. A total of 250 librarians and 250 library users in Nigeria constituted the sample for the study. The sample was purposively selected. The librarians were from Federal and state University owned libraries in Nigeria. The library users were undergraduates from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. A self-developed questionnaire served as the instrument for data collection. It was decided that a questionnaire was appropriate for the study because it aided the researcher to gather primary data in large volume. The response format for the questionnaire instrument was multiple option for the demographics and a four-point Likert scale for the psychographic response. Therefore, the questionnaire was divided into part A and part B. While the former sought demographic data, the later sought psychographic data. A total of three experts from the Federal University Otueke validated the questionnaire. The researcher requested the experts to examine the instrument with specific considerations on clarity, appropriateness and logicality of presentation. The test retest approach was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the results of the study. All the five assumptions were not supported (p>0.05). Therefore, the researcher conclude that both library users and professionals are aware of mobile technologies, ready to apply them in library services, and are influenced by perceived ease of usage and perceived usefulness. These results offer strong support for the Technology Acceptance Model. The results also have implications on the delivery of library services in the 21st century library environment by implying that both library users and professionals will be willing to support any policy and programme aimed at promoting the application of mobile technologies in library practice and patronage. The basic contribution of this study is that it has offered empirical insights regarding the views of library users and professionals on library practice. This knowledge could guide policy advocacy monitoring and implementation. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that libraries in Nigeria should fully integrate mobile technologies in their services and practice. It is also recommended that libraries should carry out studies that offer them insights into the mobile technologies preference of their target patrons so as to serve them better. Also, further studies are recommended to examine the level of implantation of mobile technologies in academic libraries in Nigeria. Finally, studies should be expanded to provide insight into the challenges against the implementation of mobile technologies in libraries in Nigeria. The practical and theoretical implications of the results have been explored.References
Aharony, N. (2014). Mobile libraries: Librarians’ and students’ perspectives. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c48a/a87a47cc485¬12e50b851fc555774e82e7c33.pdf
Aslam, M. (2018). Current trends and issues affecting academic libraries and leadership skills, Library Management, 39 (1/2), 78-92. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-10-2016-0076
Barile, L. (2010). Mobile technologies for libraries: a list of mobile applications and resources for development, College & Research Libraries News, 72(4), 222-228.
Booth, C. (2009). Information innovation: Tracking student interest in emerging library technologies at Ohio University. ACRL Report. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/ divs/acrl/publications/ digital/ii-booth.pdf
Bridges, L., Rempel, H. & Griggs, K. (2010). Making the case for a Fully mobile library web site: From floor maps to the catalog, Reference Services Review, 38, (2), 309-320.
Bucciarelli, E. R. (2017). Expanding the repertoire: The changing nature of work and roles of the academic library liaison. University Library Faculty Scholarship. 28.
Chatterjee, S. (2014). A sociological outlook of mobile phone use in society. International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies, 1(6), 55-63.
Hahn, J. (2008). Mobile learning for the twenty-first century librarian, Reference Services Review, 36 (3), 272-88.
Hahn, J. (2008). Mobile learning for the twenty-first century librarian, Reference Services Review, 36(3), 272-288.
Hanson, C. W. (2011). Libraries and the Mobile Web. Library Technology Reports, 47(2), 12-22.
Kari, H., & Oyeniran, G. (2019). Promoting Library Services in the Social Media Era: Exploring Use, Objectives, Challenges and Perceived Influence. Skhid, 5(163), 60-66. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21847/1728-9343.2019.5(163).180787
Khatri, A. & Gudadhe, V. (2013). Use and user perception of E-Resources in SRC Ayurvedic Mahavidyalaya, Chikhli: A study. International Journal of Digital Library Services, 3 (4), 47-58.
Khayyat, N., & Heshmati, A. (2013). Determinants of mobile telecommunication adoption in Kurdistan. International Journal of Communication, 7, 2285-2311.
Lippincott, J. (2010). A mobile future for academic libraries, Reference Services Review, 38 (2), 205-213.
Maideen, S. (2017). Mobile Technologies for Academic Libraries: An Overview. Emerging Trends in Library and Information Science, 124-129.
Michalak, S. (2012). This changes everything: Transforming the academic library. Journal of Library Administration, 52, 411-423.
Mojaye, E. (2015). Mobile phone usage among Nigerian university students and its impact on teaching and learning. Global Journal of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(1), 29-38.
Ocran, T. (2017). Perception of students on mobile technology based library services. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). 1802.
Okoro, N. & Gever, V. C. (2018). Gender differentials in mobile phone communication pattern among youth: Evidence from a qualitative study. Nsukka Journal of Foreign languages and Library Studies, 1, 133-143.
Pew Research Centre (2016). Smartphone Ownership and Internet Usage Continues to Climb in Emerging Economies But advanced economies still have higher rates of technology use. Retrieved from http://www.pewglobal.org/files/2016/02/pew_research_center_global_technology_report_final_february_22__2016.pdf
Sahota, C., & Kameswari, V. (2014). Mobile phones for agricultural extension in North India. Malaysian Journal of Media Studies, 16 (1), 1-11.
Satpathy, S. & Rout, B. (2010). Use of e-resources by the faculty members with special references to CVRCE, Bhuvaneshwar. DESIDOC Journal of Library and Information Technology, 30, 11-16.
Saxena, A. & Yadav, R. (2013). Impact of mobile technology on libraries: a descriptive study. International Journal of Digital Library Services, 3 (4), 1-13.
Sharma, C. & Sharma, R. (2010). Perception of eresources among faculty members of National Institute of Technology (NIT) Kurukshetra, SRELS Journal of Information Management, 47, 297-305.
Sharma, U. C., Chawla, R. & Madaan, P. (2011).Internet usage by the faculty members and the students in professional colleges at Mathura region: An empirical study. International Journal of Information Dissemination and Technology, 1, 77-85.
Shuva, N. Z. & Akhtar, R. (2011). Internet usage by the students of Faculty of Arts of University library of Dhaka (Bengladesh). Pearl: Journal of Library & Information Science, 5, 14-22.
Singh, G. & Arora, T. (2010). Usage of e-resources in college libraries in Delhi. Library Herald, 48, 363-375.
Singh, N. D. (2014). Using mobile technologies in libraries and information centers", Library Hi Tech News, 31(5), 14-16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-05-2014-0034
Speight, S. (2009). M-libraries: Libraries on the move to provide virtual access. Retrieved from www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue61/speight-rvw/
Swain, D. K. & Panda, K. C. (2009). Use of e-services by faculty members of business schools in a state of India: A study. Collection Building, 28(3), 108-16.
Thanuskodi, S. & Ravi, S. (2011). Use of digital resources by Faculty and research scholars of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 31, 25-30.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 Hudron K Kari
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
1. Authors bear responsibility for the accuracy of facts, quotations, numbers and names used.
2. Manuscripts are not sent back.
3. The publisher does not always agree with the authors' opinion.
4. The authors reserve the right to authorship of the work and pass the first publication right of this work to the journal under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which allows others to freely distribute the published research with the obligatory reference to the authors of the original work and the first publication of the work in this journal.
5. The authors have the right to conclude separate supplement agreements that relate to non-exclusive work distribution in the form in which it has been published by the journal (for example, to upload the work to the online storage of the journal or publish it as part of a monograph), provided that the reference to the first publication of the work in this journal is included.
