Impact of Full-Text Databases on Inter-Library Loan Services
Chapter One
Objective of the study
The broad of this study is to examine the impact of full-text database on inter-library loan services. Specifically the study seeks:
- To examine if the surge of digitization has affected library inter-loan services
- To ascertain if full-text database help libraries to keep track of the materials they lend to other libraries.
- To determine if full-text data base has any significant effect on the efficiency of library inter-loan services.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
LIBRARY
Libraries are the knowledge and information foundation of any nation. A library collects, organizes and makes information resources accessible to all kinds of users regardless of their ages, background and interests. Islam (2004) defined library as a learned institution equipped with treasures of knowledge, maintained organized and managed by trained personnel to educate the children, men and women continuously and assist in their self improvement through an effective and prompt dissemination of information. There are different kinds of libraries and each performs different kinds of functions to meet the determined purpose and needs of the people they serve (Ode and Omokaro 2007). These libraries include the following: academic libraries, public libraries, special libraries, school libraries, and private libraries.
Uwaifo (2010) stated that academic libraries are the ones established and maintained by higher institutions of learning such as universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, schools of nursing, petroleum training institutes and schools of health technology. He also noted that the essence of establishing an academic library is to enable it support the curriculum of the tertiary institutions which established it. They are essential part of the learning community. He went further to state that the academic library is the information nerve centre of its parent body. Aina (2004) stated that the main purpose of academic library is to support the objectives of an academic environment in the areas of learning, teaching and research service. Jubb and Green (2007) observed that academic libraries have for centuries played critically important roles in supporting research in all subjects and 2 disciplines within their host universities and colleges. The following are the services provided by an academic library: Circulation of materials, shelf management, user education programmes, provision of information services, and operation of the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), exhibitions and displays, reader’s enquiry services, Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI), trainings and internet services, bibliographic services, Indexing services, abstracting services, access to electronic resources and document delivery services. The effectiveness and efficiency of services provided by an academic library are mainly determined by library users.
Aina (2004) recognizes this fact when he stated that the user is very critical in the practice of librarianship. No library can exist without the patrons. The entire human and material resources in a library are put in place at considerable expense for the overall purpose of providing effective services to the library users. On its part the library has a responsibility to ensure that its resources and services are used (Edoka, 2000). The user is regarded as the most logical source to determine whether the library is playing its role satisfactorily or not. The mission statement of any academic library should be the provision of excellent service to its users. In higher institution libraries there are various categories of library patrons. They are undergraduates, postgraduates, lecturers, researchers, external users from all walks of life and many professions.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
The focus of this study is to examine the impact of full-text database on inter-library loan services using selected Libraries in Rivers State as case study. Librarians from the selected libraries form the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of thirty-six (36) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only thirty (30) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 30 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
The focus of this study is to examine the impact of full-text database on inter-library loan services using Rivers State as case study. Specifically the examined if the surge of digitization has affected library inter-loan services. It ascertained if full-text database help libraries to keep track of the materials they lend tot other libraries. It determined if full-text data base has any significant effect on the efficiency of library inter-loan services.
The study adopted a survey research design and with the aid of convenient sampling techniques, thirty-six (36) participants who are librarians in Rivers State was enrolled for the study. A well structured questionnaire was issued to the respondent of which thirty (30) responses were received and validated for the study. Data was analyzed using simple percentage as well as frequencies and table. Hypothesis test was conducted using Chi-Square Statistical tool.
CONCLUSION
The role of the Interloan library service has been a very difficult one for many years. New ways to obtain documents have recently prompted information professionals to reorganize the workflow of the traditional practice of ILL. Now library staff have options to obtain books or articles online directly from publishers or vendors at a lower cost. They can view book prices through opensource tools, such as Amazon’s Price Grabber, to assist their purchase decisions. Traditional methods of interlibrary loan is getting replaced with that of electronic interlibrary loan, which provides new services, such as guiding users toward alternatives, including book-trading websites or open access digital collections. This dramatic shift, in turn, requires library staff or information professionals to continue refining or revamping their services in order to facilitate users to obtain what they need in the real-life situation.
Findings from the study revealed that Full-text database help libraries to keep track of the materials they lend to other libraries is accepted. Full-text database has a significant effect on the efficiency of library inter-loan services.
Finally having a full-text database will enable librarian deliver effectively in their services to the reading public as well enable them not to loose materials that very important to them.
RECOMMENDATION
From the findings of the study, the following recommendations are made:
- Library staff or information professionals should continue refining or revamping their services in order to facilitate users to obtain what they need in the real-life situation.
- Each library in Rivers State should develop and maintain a collection fully adequate to meet its basic program and services.
- In the light of changing society, librarians should adopt the use of ICT in other to help them keep full-text databases
REFERENCE
- Abbas Khan, A. A., Minhaj F. & Ayesha, S. (2007), E-resources: E-books and Ejournals In E-Libraries: Problems and perspectives, Ed. by Ramiah, Sankara Reddy and Hemant Kumar. Allied, New Delhi.
- Achebe, N. E. E (2004) An empirical study of professional development: factors and strategies for job enrichment and enhancement of librarians. Coal City Libraries, 1. 2 – 4.
- Arkin, E. (1998). User initiated interlibrary loan. Interlending & Document Supply, 26(3), 119- 122.
- Badawi, G. A. (2004). Libraries as tools for promoting education in the society: an analysis of library utilization by women in Kano state. Paper delivered at the Nigerian Library Association, 42nd national conference and AGM, June 20th – 5 th, 2004 held at Akure, Nigeria, pp.19.
- Barman Badan,(2012), Library and Information Science: UGC NET guide , DVS Publishers, Guwahati. 125-126.
- Benn, F. (2009). Who uses the interlibrary loan and document delivery service and what do they request? A case study at the University of Western Australia. Interlending & Document Supply, 37(1), 41-45.
