Work motivation,job satisfaction,work-family balance,and job commitment of library personnel in Universities in North-Central Nigeria

Increasingly, organizations are facing turbulent and competitive times. Hence, the need for universities to capitalize on the robustness and diversity of their employees to maximize their success by attracting and developing an engaged, healthy, and high-performing workforce through the provision of stimulating work environments that will promote work-family balance, work motivation, job satisfaction and overall job commitment. This study was designed to investigate the effects of work motivation, job satisfaction, and work-family balance on job commitment as well as work motivation and work-family balance as they affect job satisfaction of library personnel in universities in North-central Nigeria. The total enumeration technique was used to cover all the 926 library personnel in the universities in North-central Nigeria. The validated questionnaire was used to collect data on 926 library personnel out of which 842 responded. The response rate achieved was 91 %. The study found that work-family balance, work motivation and job satisfaction had significant effect on the job commitment of the respondents. Job satisfaction has the most significant effect (41 %) on job commitment. It is therefore, recommended that university administrators, library managers and most especially policy makers in the education sector should give adequate attention to work-family balance, work motivation, and job satisfaction when planning to improve job commitment of their employees. In addition, they should consider work motivation and work-family balance to improve job satisfaction of the library employees.     

Use of print and electronic resources by agricultural science students in Nigerian universities

A two-part questionnaire was designed to elicit information on use of print and electronic resources by agricultural science students in Nigerian universities. 912 respondents from faculties of agriculture in three Nigerian universities completed the questionnaires. The results revealed that agricultural science students most prefer to use textbooks (42.1%) among print materials, while The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL) is the most preferred among electronic resources available in their libraries (52.2%). Major problems faced by the agricultural science students include inadequate access to full Internet connectivity and lack of skills on their part to use available electronic databases properly. The study recommends restructuring library collections by increasing the number of agricultural textbooks and databases to meet the information use and retrieval needs of agricultural science students. Other recommendations include establishing Internet-ready computer centers to complement teaching, learning, and research in the library.     

International Open Access Week at Small to Medium U.S. Academic Libraries: The First Five Years

This research seeks to expand the body of knowledge surrounding International Open Access Week (OA Week) practices among small to medium-sized U.S. institutions, examining the rationales guiding these, and creating a baseline activity inventory which may be elaborated upon as open access continues to evolve and as OA Week matures beyond its fifth (2013) anniversary. An electronic survey with closed- and open-ended questions was used to collect data, which were analyzed for recurring themes. Of respondents whose campuses did observe OA Week, the most reported reason for doing so was related to supporting the library's educational outreach program; fewer respondents cited the library's philosophical commitment to open access. Lack of time was the most frequently given reason for OA Week non-participation, however around one quarter of non-participating respondents reported that they were unaware of OA Week, and another quarter reported that it did not figure in their strategic plan. The conditions that were found to best support celebrating OA Week included a grasp of the principles guiding OA on the part of at least one librarian, reinforced by: the educational mission of the library; adequate personnel; and sufficient time for planning. This exploratory study yields points for library- and self-assessment.     

Total quality management (TQM) in a hospital library: identifying service benchmarks.

Hospitals are turning to total quality management (TQM) to lower costs of providing care. A hospital library in a TQM environment needs to embrace corporate goals while maintaining its accountability as a contributor to quality patient care. Alliant Health System (AHS) Library at Norton Hospital and Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, conducted a study to establish TQM benchmarks and to examine the significance of its role in clinical care. Using a methodology designed to allow both library user and nonuser to respond, 2,091 surveys were distributed to physicians and nursing and allied health personnel. Areas surveyed included frequency of library use, impact of information received on clinical judgments, cognitive value of the information, and satisfaction with library products and services. Results confirm that the library has a substantial clinical role. Eighty-eight percent of reporting physicians agreed that information from the library contributed to higher quality care. Nursing and allied health were less convinced of the importance of the library's clinical role. Sixty-nine percent of nursing personnel and 58% of allied health personnel agreed that the library contributed to higher quality care. Nursing and allied health personnel also used the library less frequently than physicians. With these results as benchmarks, improving the clinical role of the library will take commitment to the TQM process and a willingness to change.     

图书馆联盟数字资源建设研究

从数字资源建设的概念入手,对天津市高校图书馆联盟数字资源建设中的馆藏状况、建设方针、建设原则、建设标准进行论述,认为在文献保障体系规划和实施过程中,应该按照统一标准完成特色资源与学科专业文献导航的加工整理、建库以及上网发布等各项工作,并建设若干个学科文献信息中心和具有特色与学科优势的专业文献数据库。     

Acceptance of digital library among female students and effects of limited access of digital library on their performance in research work: A case of International Islamic University

This study investigates the acceptance and importance of digital library among female students of International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan. The study also highlights the problems that are confronted by the female students in completing their research work after limited access to digital library in the female campus of the University.

Survey was administered personally to collect data from 315 female students of eight faculties of the female campus of the university. The convenient sampling technique was used to collect data from the subjects of the study.

The access to digital library is indispensable to the students to complete their research work. With limited access to the digital library the students were unable to meet their information needs from the Internet and the libraries of other universities. The quantity as well as quality of their research work were affected due the restriction of digital resources. Also the limited access affected adversely to improve insight of the respondents regarding technological developments in their respective area of research. The lack of informational literacy program, IT training workshops, IT literate staff and the electricity failure were the main hindrance to access digital library as well as Internet.

This study was limited only to female students of the International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.     

Copyright Awareness,Partnerships, and Training Issues in Academic Libraries

This article reports on the results of a national survey of academic librarians and library staff (N = 226) in the United States about their awareness of various copyright policies, partnerships with campus groups to address copyright issues, and training needs. A majority of the survey respondents reported that they have answered copyright-related questions in the workplace, yet only 49% (n = 98) of the respondents perceived they were prepared to provide copyright information to library users. Awareness of various copyright policies among librarians and staff members varied, including a reported minimal awareness of the T.E.A.C.H. Act. In addition, survey respondents expressed the desire for more copyright-related training. In light of these findings, the present study extends the existing literature and offers recommendations to help better prepare a “copyright confident” or “copyright responsive” academic library workforce.     

Behavioral Intention to Adopt Digital Library by the Undergraduates

The purpose of this research is to investigate the factors that affect undergraduates' behavioral intention to use digital library among the private universities in Malaysia. The target respondents are undergraduates from Malaysian private universities. Questionnaires were distributed among 500 undergraduates through either online or face-to-face method. Reliability test, normality test, Pearson Correlation Coefficient analysis, and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) were carried out for data analysis. Performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, habit, and information quality had a positive and significant association with behavioral intention to adopt a digital library except for effort expectancy. This research successfully reinforced that the inspiration to ameliorate Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT 2) by synthesis of Information Systems Success Model (ISSM). This proposed framework with a combination of ISSM and UTAUT 2 has enhanced the fitness of UTAUT 2. Universities that have yet to implement digital library can comprehend undergraduates' needs better by considering all the significant factors to develop a digital library. The universities with the digital library may also notice the important features of the existing digital library that should be maintained and upgraded constantly so that they can fulfil undergraduates' requirements.     

Information Needs of Anthropologists

Anthropologists at seven universities were surveyed in order to discover: the ways in which they go about locating information of value to them; the information sources that they use and that are of the greatest significance to them; the adequacy of the library service being currently provided to anthropologists; and any opinions they have on the subject of their information needs. Results show that anthropologists; information requirements differ somewhat from those of other social scientists. Reference lists in journals and books are often used to locate information sources; journals are the most important information source. However, cultural anthropologists report that their own field data is their most significant source. Anthropologists use pictorial sources and maps more frequently than social scientists in general do; they also make great use of interlibrary loan. Most of the information needs of the majority of respondents are met by their university's library. Older scholars tend to use databases less than younger ones do; online abstracts and indexes are most important to anthropologists than their print versions are. Some respondents express a great desire for a database which would include current references, abstracts, and articles in anthropology.     

The use of personal digital assistants in the health sciences: results of a survey.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to determine how personal digital assistants (PDAs) are used on an academic health sciences campus to define the level of training and support the library can provide to the students and faculty. METHOD: A Web-based questionnaire was developed. A total of 1,538 health sciences faculty and residents were sent an email message requesting participation. Data from the returned surveys were analyzed with SPSS. RESULTS: Sixty-one percent of survey respondents used PDAs. The address book, date book, and calculator were the most common uses reported for PDAs. Residents also reported a high use of drug databases on their PDAs. Most survey respondents indicated they would like to learn more about clinical resources for PDAs. CONCLUSIONS: Many opportunities exist for librarians to provide training and support for PDAs, in addition to evaluation and promotion of clinical software for PDAs.     

图书馆员职业承诺与离职意愿

对福建六所高校图书馆员的问卷调查结果显示:图书馆员的职业承诺与离职意愿和离单位意愿呈显著负相关.规范承诺与离单位意愿呈显著负相关,与离职意愿无关;继续承诺与离职呈显著负相关,与离单位意愿无关;情感承诺与离单位和离职意愿均呈显著负相关.工作满意度与是否愿意继续留职工作呈负相关.     

Users' perceptions of library effectiveness: A comparative users' evaluation of central libraries of AMU,BHU, ALU and BBRAU

This study examines user perceptions regarding level of satisfaction with library collections, organization, facilities as well as traditional and IT enabled services. A questionnaire was administered to the faculty members, research scholars and students of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Allahabad University (ALU) and Baba Bhim Rao Ambedkar (BBRAU). Overall, respondents indicated that library collections are adequate. In the case of newly centralized university libraries, users were dissatisfied with library collections, particularly at BBRAU, though they were satisfied with the existing infrastructure. Overall, satisfaction levels of users at old centralized universities are good.     

高校图书馆员职业承诺与工作稳定性的相关性研究

福建省6所高校图书馆员问卷调查结果显示:图书馆员的职业承诺与调离单位意愿和离职意愿呈显著负相关;规范承诺与调离单位意愿呈显著负相关,与离职意愿无关;继续承诺与离职呈显著负相关,与调离单位意愿无关;情感承诺与调离单位和离职意愿均呈显著负相关;工作满意度与是否愿意继续留职呈负相关.     

The Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library: the Howard University move experience.

The Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library attributes its successful move to early planning and preparation. Professional literature on the subject as well as consultation with other experienced library personnel also proved beneficial. Utilizing these resources, the committees devised a strategy that supported the library's mission to provide excellent and complete information services for the advancement of health sciences. This paper describes the Howard University Health Sciences Library move experience and offers practical advice for planning a library move. We hope that the information shared will assist other libraries facing a similar challenge.     

Libraries and Distance Education in Nigerian Universities: A Revisit

The emergence of the system of open and distance education is an inevitable development in the evolution of education internationally. With the increasing popularity of distance education, focus has turned to the role of libraries in the distance learning process. The library is an important tool for individuals' intellectual development. Academic libraries contain resources for research, teaching, and learning. This paper examines the efforts being made by Nigerian university libraries to fulfill the information needs of distance education students in their respective institutions.

This study was carried out in four Nigerian universities running distance education programs. The questionnaire method was used for data collection. The respondents used in this study were randomly selected from the distance learning (DL) students of the universities under study. It was discovered that DL students were not adequately catered for as far as the use of library resources is concerned. A student could graduate without having used libraries. The study recommends that adequate planning and financing should be made for DL students to be able to make use of the libraries and information resources. It adds that this would enhance their critical thinking and also enhance their degree of exposure to existing knowledge.     

Opinions and experiences of university faculty regarding library research instruction: Results of a web-based survey at the University of Southern Colorado

In March 2000, all 188 University of Southern Colorado (USC) nonlibrary faculty members were surveyed to determine their needs and opinions regarding library research instruction. Forty-four (23.40%) of the faculty responded to questions concerning their past experiences with library research instruction, the frequency with which they use various library and Internet resources, the types of library research instruction they currently use with their students, and their level of support for proposed new programs. Results showed an overwhelming interest on the part of respondents for an online library research skills tutorial. The survey also revealed the need for professional development opportunities for faculty. A higher proportion of respondents with 10 years or less of teaching experience than those with more than 10 years of experience indicated they had received formal library instruction from a librarian. However, no direct correlation could be shown between years of teaching experience and respondents' perceived value of library research instruction. Nor did a correlation exist to show that respondents with fewer years of teaching experience were more likely to ask a librarian to provide formal library instruction to their students. In fact, respondents with more than 20 years of teaching experience provided most types of library instruction more often than less experienced respondents. Overall, USC faculty rated their students' abilities to conduct library research very low. However, they had slightly more confidence in their students' abilities to find, evaluate, and use information they found on the Internet over information from traditional print sources.     

The gap between theory and practice: A study of the prevalence and strength of patron confidentiality policies in public and academic libraries

Vermont library directors estimated they received at least 1228 requests for patron information in the last year. In spite of these requests and heightened awareness about threats to confidentiality posed by the USA PATRIOT Act, fewer than half of the state’s public and academic libraries have written patron confidentiality policies. The policies that do exist were recently updated and most prohibit release of information without a binding legal document. However, only half require an attorney’s review of such documents. Libraries with larger numbers of personnel and with directors holding MLS degrees are more likely to have policies. The absence of policies does not appear to indicate a lack of belief in the importance of confidentiality; a vast majority of library directors support strengthening the state law.     

21世纪图书馆员的形象塑造

良好的形象对提高图书馆的社会地位,推动图书馆事业的健康发展有重要的作用.本文从图书馆员要具备良好的职业道德和敬业精神以及怎样塑造良好的形象两个方面进行了阐述.