ABSTRACT
This Study investigated the Digitization of Local Content Resources in Federal University Libraries in South East, Nigeria. The Research was guided by eight Research Questions which bordered on the LCR Acquired for Digitization in Federal University Libraries in South East Nigeria, the Criteria for Selecting LCR for Digitization, the Infrastructural Facilities for Digitization, the Formats for Digitization of LCR, the Extent of Digitization of LCR in Federal University Libraries, the Extent Digitization of the Resources have Increase the use of the Resources, the Problems Affecting Digitization of LCR and the Suggested Strategies to Enhance the Digitization of LCR. A descriptive Survey Design was used to conduct the Research. The Population of the Study consisted of the five Federal University Libraries in the five States in South East. A Purposive Sampling Technique was used to select the number of respondents in the three Universities used for the Study. The Questionnaire, Observation Checklist and Interview were used to collect data for the Study. Observation was done for Research Questions
1 and 3 which were on the LCR Acquired for Digitization and on the Availability and
Functionality of Infrastructural Facilities for Digitization. Interview was conducted on the 8
Research Questions. Data from the Questionnaire was Analyzed using Frequency mean and percentages, Data from the Observation was Analyzed using Frequencies while essay/narratives were used to Analyze Data from the Interview. The findings from the Study revealed that Unsteady Power Supply, Inadequate/Low Bandwidth of Internet Access, Unqualified and Unskilled Staff, Copyright Issue, and Inadequate Fund were the major Problems Affecting Digitization of Local Content Resources. Based on the findings, the following Recommendations were made: Steady power supply should be ensured by keeping a sound generator set stand by or using solar energy power supply; Provision of reliable internet and internet access to ensure easy and speedy retrieval of library resources; Installation of strong anti-virus programs in the systems to guard against virus from attacking the files; deployment of more qualified staff and their training and re-training to keep them informed of the new technological trends; appropriate authorities should develop copyright policy for the local content resources, to encourage authors to willingly submit their work for digitization; authorities concerned should ensure that adequate fund is made readily available before commencing the project. They should also seek for grants from available donors or advertise for individual or co-operate sponsorship; finally, library administrators should set up editorial and monitoring team. The editorial team should edit the works selected for digitization and ensure that they are good enough to be uploaded in the net. The monitoring teams on the other hand should supervise each stage of the digitization process to ensure that it is properly done.
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
University libraries are those libraries found in universities such as Federal Universities, State Universities and Private Universities. They are established and maintained by the institution to aid in achieving her primary aim of teaching, learning and research. The university library is the pillar of academic excellence. Mole (2007) opined that the university library constitute the heart beat of any institution, they are the bed rock upon which any academic institution of high learning is built in order to achieve her primary goal of teaching, learning, research and community services. To him the aim of any university library is to satisfy the general need of the academic community users.
This implies therefore that the prime objectives of the university library is to meet the academic needs of the parent institution for which it was established. The libary achieves this by aiding in the studies of the students and assisting the teachers in their teaching and research. One cannot expect an excellent academic programms in any educational institution without the support of a well equipped library. The university libraries are the hub from which all intellectual activities radiate to all academic and research programmes. The university libraries not only support research by stocking information of all materials but also by providing adequate bibliographic guide to literature, subject bibliogrphies, abstract and indexing jourmals, directories of research completed or in progress. Apart from the aformentioned objectives, Edoka (2000) posits that the university library seeks to provide information for research, recreation and for personal self-development of users, to provide study accomodation in a useful variety of
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location, to provide protection and security for those information resources, to provide specialized information services to appropriate segment of the wider community.
On the other hand, according to Aina (2004), a university library is expected to provide information resources for the purpose of extra-mural studies, recreation, entertainment and general knowledge. But then, generally, university libraries help in manpower development; they supply the country the manpower needed in skilled occupations by developing its human resources. The human resources participate in policy programmes and formulation and also participate in planning, organising of curriculum development and structured transfer of learning and learning process (Ifidon, 1985).
The university libraries are commited to offer services such as public services which include circulation and borrowing, course reserves and interlibrary loan; technical services which include acquisition and collection management, System department and cataloguing, library instruction and information literacy, photocoping, Binding, consultancys digital or online Services and so on. The university library is rich with information resources such as: Reference materials which include: encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, atlases, maps, guides to literature, abstracts, indexes, etc. Monographs, Serials such as Journal publications, newspapers, magazines and other periodic publications. Africana publications, these are books written by Africans or about Africa or Africans. For instance in Nnamdi Azikiwe library, University of Nigeria Nsukka, there are some Africana publications like Biafrana and Achebiana. The Biafrana documents treat in details everything about Biafrans and the Biafra war. Also, documents like Achebiana deal with stories about late Prof Chinua Achebe and some documents written by him. Among the resources in the university libraries are the United Nations documents which include resources from WHO, UNESCO, UNO, FAO, government reports, statistical records from the
federal, state and local government, etc. Others resources found in the university libraries include staff and students publications otherwise known as local content resources (LCR). These resources are locally generated and adapted works by the institution such as projects; theses; dissertations; inaugural lectures; conference proceedings; seminar papers; student’s industrial attachment reports; ceremonial reports; departmental/faculty journals; handbooks; and so on.
Local contents resources (LCR) are scholarly publications with very important research contents. They are collections of bibliographic materials originating from a community or society. The International Institute for Communication and Development as cited in Salawu, (2010) defined local contents as the expression and communication of a community’s locally owned and adapted knowledge and experience that is relevant to the community’s situation where the community is defined by its location, culture, language or area of interest. According to Salawu (2010), local content is information in any format or distributed media originating from a community or adapted by it. Local contents contain ideas, projects, innovations, challenges, cultures and arts of the communities that produce them.
In the same vein, Ballantyne (2002) defined local contents as “using information communication technologies (ICTs) to create, adapt and exchange local information, the content of a community.” According to him, it includes global content that has been transformed, adapted and assimilated into the community’s knowledge base. Stressing this point, he further explained that local content can be exchanged and shared, locally or globally, in various format and media. Local contents in Nigeria have their origin from the intention of the Federal Government to indigenize the oil and gas Sector as much as possible (Ezema, 2013). Adebayo (2009) as cited in Ezema (2013) pointed out that this policy was aimed at arresting the huge
capital flight that is usually associated with the award of contract to foreign firms. He stressed that such policy was intended to ensure the development of human capital.
These resources provide detailed and up to date information on activities of the institution. They differ from institution to institution. Local Content Resources are in form of pre print papers, manuscripts, grey literature etc and they are minimal in number with most of them dumped in the departmental libraries or in individual offices collecting dust. Some are processed and preserved in the libraries using traditional manual methods of shelving, most times they are bond together in volumes. They are more of reference resources, users are not allowed to borrow or photocopy them rather they are mainly for consultation.
Local content resources allow for the preservation and diffusion of indigenous knowledge. It is a tool for documenting, preserving and disseminating of indigenous knowledge most especially in the area of health and medicine, which is being referred to as alternative medicine. Local content is a key factor for national cultural development. For instance, to Nigerians in the Diaspora, access to local content resources means access to valuable information to meet their needs, in addition to facilitating communication and interaction among them, as a platform for information dissemination and consequent sharing of ideas, and experiences. The local content of an institution plays critical role in the assessment of intellectual and cultural growth of any community, especially, in the developing countries where knowledge production and dissemination is considered low.
Digitization of local content resources on the other hand could be seen as the use of innovative ways (e.g. ICTs and media) to convert, express, access and exchange local knowledge (in machine readable form) in both local and foreign languages thereby increasing the
accessibility of the information/knowledge for both the community and the people outside the community, thereby enhancing respect for local culture and identity (Akinde 2007).
The digitization of cultural and literary heritage materials is commanding considerable popularity internationally and countries’ input to the Global Information Infrastructure (GII) grows by the second. In Nigeria, there are as yet very few digitization projects and as such Nigeria’s input in the Global Super Highway remains negligible. It is also a well-known fact that the process of digitization is littered with pitfalls, traps and abandoned projects (Alegbeleye
2005). He went further and stated that for the digitization of local content resources in Nigerian university communities, the library and information centers of the universities must be at work. This will require substantial investment in infrastructure and technology.
The local contents that are being generated daily needs proper management and publication through digitization by Nigerian university libraries to improve their global visibility and impact. Despite this global call to digitize library resources, studies have shown that Nigeria libraries especially South East university library are very slow to digitize their local contents. A concrete evidence is an observation made by Fatoki (2007), as cited in Tritt (2010), that digitization efforts in Nigeria (and Africa as a whole) is at an insignificant level. Backing this assertion is the observation made by Iwhiuhu and Eyekpegha (2009), which shows that only few universities out of over one hundred universities in Nigeria are making effort at digitizing their local content resources. To this effect, efforts have to be made by Nigerian university libraries to digitize their resources especially their local content resources as this will enhance the globalization of Nigerian’s research publications. Digitization of these local contents to a large extent adds to the international prestige of the institution. Watson (2007) as cited in Adebayo (2010) points out that digitization enhances the reputation and visibility of an
organization, showcasing the intellectual quality of an institution and removes delay in publishing of a material.
Digitization as a method of preservation is a new global phenomena and the new trend in managing library information resources. The term digitization has been variously defined by different authors. Ezeani and Ezema (2009) defined digitization as the creation of multi-media databases enhanced by digital information and thus offering easy access to cultural and scientific heritage for large population of users. According to Okwara (2010) digitization is not just the act of scanning a print document into digital form but a series of activities that result in a digital copy being made available to end user via the internet or other means for a sustained length of time. Digitization implies conversion of documents and art works into digital images (Fabunmi,
& Paris Fabumi, 2006).
Digitization holds great promise for preservation of materials, global access of resources, and visibility of Nigerian libraries and institution. On the other hand, (De Gracia, 2009) opines that other benefits of digitization include: increased access to information, enhanced quality of access to information, expanded search and browsing options, decrease in cost, improved preservation. However, it is obvious that digitization of local contents not only provide or promote access to information for the end user, but it also enhances the status of the institution engaged in the initiative at the global level.
In libraries, digitization is the process of taking traditional library materials, typically in the form of books and papers, and converting them to electronic form where they can be stored and manipulated by a computer. Digitization in libraries is usually initiated for increased access to library materials and preservation of library materials. It is a powerful way to expand access to the collections that enables their wide use for research, education, leisure, tourism and other
purposes. In many cases, digitization assists preservation of originals or becomes the only method to safeguard fragile materials (e.g. newspapers) for future generations. Digitization allows preservation of rare, fragile, and unique materials.
Apart from these, digitization in libraries is used as a reformatting method for paper- based library materials and it can bring many benefits to libraries (Witten and Bainbridge, 2003). Digitization of library materials, processes and institutions also helps in opening a promising role for these institutions and raise new issues and increase the profile of libraries and increased accessibility, functionality, output capability to other media, systematic and purposeful collaboration, identification and selection of materials, expanded scope for preservation activities; ability to capture and display a broad array of materials with features and characteristics that are not easily reformatted using other technologies.
Digitization by implication therefore can address the conversion needs of other types of media beyond paper-based printed materials (e.g. audio, film, video) and can allow collections containing a wide variety of formats to be presented and seamlessly accessed from a single interface.
According to the IFLA guidelines on digitization (IFLA, 2002), as quoted by Akinde (2007) hardware and software are required for the digitization process as a result of its roles in saving the texts or images captured either by a scanner or a digital camera and to publish the finished work to the Web or on CD-ROMs. A computer will require the following capabilities for digitization: a fast processor, a higher Random Access Memory(RAM), Monitor (21″ monitor preferable), a large Hard disk drive, CD-ROM Writer, Scanners, digital/film/video cameras, laser printer, power management unit, software, and internet connectivity.
The increase in Nigerian content on the web will enable more meaningful and fruitful researches to be conducted through access to relevant data and literature all over the world. Nigerian libraries will therefore be able to communicate more professionally with colleagues in other parts of the globe. The choice and deployment of appropriate software will particularly bring contents together and provide a common platform for the exchange of knowledge in today’s knowledge society. It also enhances the life-span of records as well as security data and records which would have been obliterated due to their age. Digital contents can easily be sieved, isolated and used without distorting the data structure.
As the Internet today presents a global information environment, digitization of local content resources has become a global issue. According to Hull (2001), in the twenty-first century, the role of librarians will be facilitating access to information resources rather than acting as custodians of human knowledge. Revolution technologies have really compressed the world into a global village and these have made the digitization of an institution’s local content resources more important than ever. It helps to announce and improve the research visibility of an institution and country and as well promote the impact of the authors.
Certain criteria have been adopted for the selection of local content resources for digitization. There are many local content resources that need to be digitized. De Stefano (2001) noted that there were different purposes for digitization. She highlighted the types of materials selected must meet the purpose, selection to enhance access, selection based on content and selection for preservation. Gertz (2000) outlined that when considering materials for digitization, first will be physical condition of the materials, followed by access, value of content, the demand for the materials, the intellectual property rights, the required infrastructure, cost and sources of funding. These are the necessary things which every
university library should consider, or make plans for, before embarking on any digitization project that is expected to succeed.
Digitization of takes different formats depending on the nature of the resources. The following are some formats for digitizing library resources.
Still images: Joint Photographic Experts Group/JPEG File Interchange Format (JPG/JFIF) is a popular file format for storing raster image data. JFIF is the file format; JPG is the compression method JPG/JFIF is specified in the JPEG File Interchange Format and JPEG (ISO
10918). Currently, the Photographic Imaging, Microfilm and Textual Preservation Lab is using JPEG/JFIF (as well as TIFF) for most distribution files. JPEG files are well-suited for online access and use and are compressed for faster online transmission.
TIFF Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) is a popular format for storing raster image data and is specified in TIFF Revision 6.0 from Adobe Systems. Additional information about the TIFF file format can be found at the Sustainability of Digital Formats site at the Library of Congress. Currently, the Photographic Imaging, Microfilm and Textual Preservation Lab is using the TIFF file format for both preservation master and most reproduction master files. The TIFF file format is a stable, well-documented, widely adopted, uncompressed file format widely used for master files in the digital imaging community.
Portable Document Format: (PDF) is a popular format for storing many types of data including raster images. There are several subtypes of PDF including PDF-A. Additional information about the PDF format can be found at the Sustainability of Digital Formats site at the Library of Congress.
Audio File: An audio recording produced from original analog or digital audio formats that have been encoded using linear Pulse Code Modulation (PCM). For audio files, it is important to distinguish between a file format and a codec. A codec performs the encoding and decoding of the raw audio data while the data itself is stored in a specific audio file format, such as Broadcast WAV (.wav). Sampling frequency, bit-depth, and monophonic or stereo, for example, are important characteristics of audio files. WAV: Waveform: The Sustainability of Digital Formats site at the Library of Congress contains information about the WAV file format. MP3: The Sustainability of Digital Formats site at the Library of Congress contains information about the MP3 file format.
Video file: A moving image recording with synched audio produced from either original analog or digital video formats. Pixel array, frame rate per second, aspect ratio, bit rate, field order, color space, and standard or high definition, for example, are important characteristics of video files. MOV: QuickTime: The Sustainability of Digital Formats site at the Library of Congress contains information about the QuickTime file format. AVI: Audio Video Interleaved: The Sustainability of Digital Formats site at the Library of Congress contains information about the AVI file format. MXF: Material Exchange Format: The Sustainability of Digital Formats site at the Library of Congress contains information about the MXF file format. WMV: Windows Media File: The Sustainability of Digital Formats site at the Library of Congress contains information about the WMV file format. MPEG-2 4:2:2 Profile, Main Level: The Sustainability of Digital Formats site at the Library of Congress contains information about the MPEG-2 4:2:2 Profile, Main Level format.MPEG-2 Main Profile, Main Level: The Sustainability of Digital Formats site at the Library of Congress contains information about the MPEG-2 Main Profile, Main Level format.
Motion Picture File: A high-resolution moving image recording, often with synched audio, produced from either original physical or digital formats. Bit-depth, pixel array, frame rate per second, and color encoding, for example, are important characteristics of motion picture files. DPX: Digital Moving-Picture Exchange: The DPX file format or Digital Moving-Picture Exchange is specified in SMPTE 268M-1994 and is a pixel-based (raster) image format in which each content frame is a separate data file linked by metadata to play in the correct sequence. DCP: Digital Cinema Package: A DCP or Digital Cinema Package is a collection of digital files used to store and convey digital cinema audio, image and data streams. https://www.archives.gov/preservation/products/definitions/filetypes.html
Most Nigerian university libraries such as the University of Jos, (UNIJOS), University of Ibadan (UI), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, (UNIZIK), Awka, etc have started digitizating their local contents resources though, at a very low speed to compare to those in the developed countries this is because they are faced with various challenges of uploading their local content and cultural heritage on the internet in order to make a positive impact on the Global Information Infrastructure (GII). The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) indicated that surveys have shown that Africa generates only 0.4% of the global content (UNECA, 1999). In Nigeria, digitization project is still in its rudimentary stage and abysmally low; to some libraries, it is still a mirage. The result of the research carried out by Usman (2007) revealed that Nigerian universities are lagging behind in the pace of digitization of their question papers, theses and dissertations, mainly because the average Nigerian university libraries have not yet
embraced the idea of electronic library in the digital age. Greater number of them has aligned to the current wave of digitizing their LCR, while the rest are yet to join.
In UNN, the digitization project commenced in 2008 with the aim of preserving their resources and increasing the university’s web visibility. The publications date from 1980 to date. Many fields of science are represented, with an emphasis on all the courses offered by the University. Digitization of these resources is expected to improve the image of the university in the long run, and also add to the webometric ranking of the university among the top universities in the world. Eke (2011).
Statement of the Problem
The research output from Nigerian universities are increasing by the day, resulting from high number of publications coming from both academic and non academic staff of the universities, undergraduate and postgraduate students, who are expected to produce research works at the end of their programs and many other research output originating within and around the institutions. These resources are very important, unique and distinctive part of library resources which are highly valued by the users. They are in the real sense of it the representatives of the people’s heritage. Local content resources LCR are not only relevant to African scholar but also to other researchers across the globe. The realities of the information age emanating from globalization have made digitization of local content resources generated in Nigerian universities a matter that requires prompt attention. Despite this global call to digitize the LCR, it has been observed that Nigeria university libraries are very slow in answering this call. Most of the resources are poorly managed, organized and indexed, and as such are not published while some are published only in local journals with minimal circulation and poor distribution. Since most of these local journals are neither indexed/abstracted by international indexing agencies nor
are they captured in database; their global visibility and accessibility are poor even when these journal contain quality papers.
Nevertheless, it is obvious that certain factors could be responsible for this low response by federal university libraries towards the call for digitization of their LCR. It is therefore pertinent to unravel these factors and come up with necessary strategies to overcome them. Hence, the need for this research work which is designed to study the digitization of local content resources in federal university libraries in South East Nigeria.
Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this study is to examine the digitization of (LCR) in federal university libraries in South East states of Nigeria. Specifically, the study intends to:
1. Identify the local content resources acquired for digitization in federal university libraries in South East Nigeria.
2. Ascertain the criteria for selection of LCR for digitization in federal university libraries.
3. To identify the availability and functionality of infrastructural facilities and software for digitization of (LCR) in the federal university libraries.
4. Determine the format for digitization of LCR in federal university libraries.
5. Ascertain the extent of digitization of local content resources in South East federal university libraries.
6. Determine the extent to which the digitization of LCR enhances the use of the resources.
7. Identify problems affecting the digitization of the local content resources in the libraries.
8. To determine strategies for enhancing the digitization of (LCR) in the libraries.
Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated to guide the study.
1. What are the local content resources acquired for digitization in federal university libraries in South East Nigeria?
2. What are the criteria for selecting LCR for digitization in federal university libraries in south east Nigeria?
3. What are the infrastructural facilities and software available for digitization of local content resources?
4. What are the formats for digitization of LCR in federal university libraries?
5. What is the extent of digitization of local content resources in federal university libraries in South East Nigeria?
6. To which extent does the digitization of local content resources enhance the use of the resources?
7. What are the problems affecting the digitization of the local content resources in the libraries?
8. What are the strategies to enhance the digitization of local content resources in the libraries?
Significance of the Study
The findings from this study are expected to be of benefit to the following: students at all levels, researchers, librarians, institutions, governments and many others
Students will find the research worthwhile as it will be a strong source of literature for their constant search and quest for information especially in such a novel area as local content
resources. More so, in a 21st century digitally compliant and aggressive environment, students will have access to wide range of digitized local content resources.
Researchers are expected to benefit from this study because from any part of the world, they can access resources like records of civilization especially archival documents, artifacts, ancient antiquities which are very valuable for researchers especially those who have some kind of inclination to local content resources.
The findings of this study are expected to be of benefit to librarians, the custodians of knowledge in their onerous efforts of preserving and disseminating this special nature of information especially in digital forms and especially as the library all over the world aligns to the current wave of digitization of its resources. This will enable them realize the state of local content resources in the South East federal university libraries and the factors that affect the digitization of the resources. This will, enhance the organization, management and dissemination of this knowledge facet, and integrating them into international fora that will determine the contribution of these institutions to global archive of knowledge.
The study will reveal to the institutions especially universities the extent to which the digitization of local content resources enhances the use of the resources. This will enable information professionals in these institutions in the evaluation processes to determine the impact created through digitization of the local content resources in the global community. This research is strategically significant to the Information professionals as they are expected to adjust daily, understand and come to terms with the problems affecting the digitization of local content resources in the libraries and the possible strategies suggested to improving the situation in recent times.
The findings of this study are expected to be of benefit to governments and related agencies and parastatals who will in no small measure gain from the wealth of knowledge obtained from this study, which according to Salawu (2010), plays role in “African renaissance”. For instance, creation of cultural awareness through such strategic ministries as culture and tourism as well as national orientation in minimizing outward migration, reduce the incidence of brain-drain in our schools among others. The university administrators and the government are expected to appreciate the effort of the information professionals and as such encourage them, through financial assistance to facilitate the digitization project.
Furthermore the findings of this work are expected to be of benefit to the government because it will motivate them to formulating policies that will guide indexing and abstracting of the local content resources of the university libraries so as to ensure its global visibility. It is believed that the findings of this study will add values to the number of research works in the area of digitization of local content resources.
Scope of the Study
The content scope of this study is limited to the digitization of local content resources, the local content acquired by the university libraries; the criteria for selecting LCR for digitization; infrastructural facilities and formats for digitization; extent of digitization of LCR in the libraries under study; factors that facilitate the digitization and the benefits of digitization of LCR; challenges and strategies for effective digitization of LCR. The study focuses on five federal universities in South East States of Nigeria, namely: Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Imo and Ebonyi. The population covers staff in the digitization units of the aforementioned universities.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
DIGITIZATION OF LOCAL CONTENT RESOURCES IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA>
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