Strategies for Preservation of Electronic Information Resources in Academic Libraries in Nigeria

Abstract

Modern academic libraries preserve collections that include not only printed materials such as, books, periodicals, newspapers, and magazines, but also electronic resources such as art reproductions, films, sound and video recordings, maps, photographs, microfiches, microfilms, CD-ROMs, computer software, online databases, and other media. In addition to preserving collections within library buildings, modern academic libraries often feature telecommunications links that provide users with access to information at remote sites. Digital preservation, in this context is the process of giving electronic information resources long life. Preservation of Electronic Information Resources is essentially a way of preserving the functionality of and access to digital information which might otherwise be lost due to technological obsolescence, therefore, migration and other methods of preserving electronic records can be adopted. Migration is a set of organized task designed to achieve periodic transfer of digital materials from one hardware/software configuration to another or from one generation of computer technology to a subsequent generation.

An Assessment of the Usage of Reference Services by Users of Prof. Festus Aghagbo Nwako Library, Unizik, Awka - Nigeria

“…Given the rise in the deployment of Information and Communication technology (ICT) applications and the extent to which technology-driven applications have altered the timing, nature and volume of information and how information is sought by information seekers, the obvious is that the need for guidance and assistance by experts on how users can have access to the right source of information need not be overemphasized. Accordingly, Olubiyo and Jamogha (2022) avers that for libraries (academic) to be efficient in this aspect, they require human and material resources necessary to respond to all information requests made by users. Academic libraries also need to deploy a variety of useful tools, techniques and approaches to direct users to relevant information sources where the right information may be gotten at the right time.…”

“…Indications from prior research evidence shows that libraries have evolved, especially with the deployment of ICT tools and facilities into reference services to produce online and virtual reference services to meet up with current realities in the information dissemination space. (Olubiyo & Jamogha 2022;Hase, Dhawle & Dahibhate, 2014;Luqman & Chinu 2019;Hussien & Mokhtar, 2018). This trend in libraries, occasioned by the use of ICT tools to expand and advance library operations has significantly altered the nature, timing and quality of information and reference services provided by academic libraries of the 21 st century.…”