Digital-divide as a Challenge to Libraries and Librarians in Nigerian Universities: A Case Study of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi
Keywords:
libraries and Professionals software, Internet, ICT, Digital-divideAbstract
Digital-Divide is a barrier posing a challenge to libraries and librarians in the Nigerian
Universities. It is characterized by inability and lack of essential access to digital information
and infrastructure, differences in opportunities and inequality of access to available digital
facilities. A sample of 20 professional librarians from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
library, Bauchi was used for this study and the design for the study was a survey. The
instrument for data collection was interview, observation and structured questionnaire.
Data collected for the studywere analyzed using percentage and frequency count. The result
shows that, computers, Internet connectivity and other related ICT facilities were available
in the library but not utilized. Meanwhile, only 15% of the professional librarians attended
ICT related training in library applications. It was observed that the library is still operating
on manual library system and services. Thus, this study recommends among others that
workshops and on the job training on the use and application of modern technology in
library systems and services should be organized at intervals for the university librarians.
Personal computers should be disbursed to Librarians working in the University Libraries
at a subsidized rate and be motivated to use them. The university regulatory body should
also mandate the universities to utilize the virtual library driver shared to them.
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