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Digitization Of Local Collections And Its Impact On Scholarship In The Library
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Several
digitization initiatives have been going on in African countries in
order to preserve and provide access to their local content on the Wide
Area Network (WAN). It was on this platform that the Association of
African Universities (AAU) funded the Database of African Theses and
Dissertation (DATAD) project which aims at preserving African theses and
dissertation in digital form and then providing electronic access to
them. The project also aims at providing a database of citations and
abstracts of the theses and dissertations and publishing them on the
web; as well as providing CD-Rom services. Other digitization projects
in Africa include the South African’s Bibliographic Network (SABINET),
Ain Shams University Network (ASUNET) in Egypt, Digital Imaging Project
in South Africa (DIPSA), African Virtual University (AVU) Library and so
many others.
The digital revolution offers Nigeria and other African
countries the unique opportunity of actively participating in the world
latest developmental revolution. (Ogunsola, 2005). As noted by Ochai
(2007), some of the digital initiatives in Nigeria include: The Nigerian
University library consortium which created the capacity for libraries
to negotiate for reduced license for EBSCO host. This database contains
about 8,000 academic journals in all fields. Also, the Nigerian virtual
library initiative by the Nigerian Universities Commission which aims at
bringing electronic information to Nigerian universities. Some Nigerian
university libraries such as the University of Jos (UNIJOS), University
of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), University of Ibadan (UI), Obafemi Awolowo
University (OAU), Ife, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Nnamdi
Azikiwe University, (UNIZIK), Awka, Federal University of Technology,
Owerri (FUTO), etc have started digitization projects. Apparently, most
African University libraries are digitizing their local contents and are
at different levels facing 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 embaced
the idea of electronic library in the digital age. It is against this
background that this study is being conducted to assess the
digitalization of local collection and its impact on sholarship four
federal universities in the South-Eastern Zone of Nigeria.
Statement of the Problem
Over
the years, libraries have been faced with the problems of space,
accessibility and preservation of information materials. Various efforts
are being made by university libraries in Nigeria to digitize their
local contents such as projects, theses, dissertations, inaugural
lectures, etc. This is as a result of the invaluable importance of
library digitization such as speedy access, effective preservation of
library local content collections, collaboration, improved library
services, etc. The library materials if not digitized will hinder the
library visibility, quick access to information resources and effective
preservation of library local content collections. Unfortunately, most
of these digitization initiatives have been at various stages facing
different challenges.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]This study investigated the digitalization of local collection and its impact on scholarship using the status of digitalization in some federal university libraries in South-Eastern Zone of Nigeria. Seven research questions guided the study. The research design adopted for this study is a descriptive survey. The total population for this study was three hundred and twenty-three (323) library staff, but sixty (60) rspondents that were directly involved in digitization were sampled. The major inst ... Continue reading---
