Provision of library and information services through mobile phones in public university libraries in Malawi

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this paper is present findings of a study conducted to find out the current state of providing and accessing library and information services in public university libraries in Malawi through mobile phones. Design/methodology/approach The researcher carried out in-depth semi-structured interviews with university/college librarians using interview guides. University/college librarians were purposefully selected for the interviews because they are overall managers of their libraries, hence in a better position to provide information that addressed the study objectives. Proceedings of the interviews were recorded using a tape recorder, whilst backup notes were recorded in a notebook. Data were transcribed and analysed using Nvivo software. Findings Findings revealed that only one library in this study had fully implemented the offering of library and information services through mobile phones, whilst the rest were moving towards the same. Both user and reference service offering through mobile phones included e-journals, Facebook, WhatsApp, Online Public Access Catalogue and SMS. The institutions in this study had institutional repositories, e-journals and e-books, among others, which they could offer through mobile phones. High cost of accessing services through mobile phone, vandalism of Information and Communications Technologies infrastructure, shortage of skills and network congestion are some of the factors that may affect the offering of library and information services through mobile phones. Research limitations/implications Malawi has four public universities. However, this article reports findings of a case study of three of the four constituent colleges of the University of Malawi (College of Medicine, Kamuzu College of Nursing and Polytechnic), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Mzuzu University. By virtue of being a case study, it means that the findings made are only applicable to the five institutions covered. Practical implications The study findings have practical implications in that they can be used as a model for planning the implementation of library and information services through mobile phones not only in public university libraries in Malawi but also other related institutions locally and internationally. Originality/value Use of mobile phones in the delivery of library and information services is receiving a lot of attention from researchers the world over. However, this is not the case in Malawi, as studies of this nature have not been conducted in the public university sector or in other related sectors. Findings of this study will, therefore, inform researchers intending to conduct similar or related studies not only in public universities in Malawi but other related institutions as well.

Proliferation of social media in academic libraries: use of WhatsApp as a platform for providing library services

“…However, inadequate ICT infrastructure, lack of human capital and absence of appropriate policies were discovered to be hampering the offering of library services using WhatsApp and other social media applications. Chaputula and Mutula (2018) carried out a mixed methods study that investigated the offering of library services with the aid of mobile phones in three Malawian universities. Results of this study indicated that only one of the five libraries studied had fully implemented the offering of information services with the aid of mobile phones, while the rest were planning to introduce the same focussing on WhatsApp.…”

“…The feedback received shows that the service has a lot of potential but still needs some perfecting. Just as it has been noted in other mobile library services (Chaputula and Mutula, 2018), the WhatsApp service may be facing some of these challenges probably because it may not have reached the maturity stage.…”

“…It was further noted that the staff have challenges in search techniques which need to be addressed. Similarly, a study conducted by Chaputula and Mutula (2018) that investigated the offering of of library services using mobile phones in public universities in Malawi noted that technical, human resource and servicerelated factors need to be overcome to ensure smooth delivery of services through mobile phones.…”

“…In India, for instance, WhatsApp has successfully been used by a number of academic libraries to market library services including newly acquired resources, to offer services to clients, to keep in touch with potential users and as a communication tool amongst librarians (Sahu, 2016). In the context of Malawi, Kamuzu College of Nursing (KCN), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), The Polytechnic and Mzuzu University (MZUNI) libraries, were all planning to provide their services through WhatsApp (Chaputula and Mutula, 2018). The use of WhatsApp in providing library services has several benefits.…”

New Measures of Chinese University Library Knowledge Service under the Cloudization Background

“…Through Whatsapp search of mobile phone and web search, Chapu-Intelligent Information Management tula, A.H surveys the use of Whatsapp, Facebook and other public platform in carrying out lectures and puts forward suggestions, such as scientific setting of lecture menu, the application of mass texting and interactional function in lecture survey, lecture reservation and establishment of group lecture platform and so on. The third category is to carry out the contrast research at home and abroad [6].…”