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This paper investigated knowledge and perception of librarians towards cloud-based technology in academic libraries in Southwest, Nigeria. The population comprised all professional and non- professional librarians in academic libraries in Southwest, Nigeria. One hundred and thirty-two (132) librarians from Southwest, Nigeria were selected using simple random sampling technique. Four research questions were answered. A structured questionnaire titled "QKPLCTLSN" was used for data collections. The reliability coefficient of the instrument yielded r = 0.76 and r =0.82. The findings of this research revealed that, librarians in academic libraries in Southwest, Nigeria have knowledge about cloud-based technology and they have been using one or more applications in academic libraries but their perception towards the use of cloud-based technology was negative. In view of this, the following recommendations were made; librarians should embark on staff development programmes that would enable them keep pace with the latest technology, library management should encourage librarians to attend seminars, conferences and workshops that would enhance their technological skills, there should be adequate funding from the government and provision of stable power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collection development policy (CDP) is an essential working tool for effective collection development activities as it provides guidelines for selection, acquisition, evaluation, and weeding of library materials. However, despite its importance in developing library collection, collection development policy (CDP) has not yet been implemented in most academic libraries in Nigerian and this has greatly affected the collection development activities of the library. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine factors that could facilitate CDP implementation in Nigerian academic libraries as perceived by academic librarians. The study employed a quantitative methodology using a survey research design. One hundred and thirty-six (I36) academic librarians were recruited from three selected academic libraries in the Northwestern zone of Nigeria using random sampling. A paper-based questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings of the study revealed that factors that could facilitate CDP implementation are librarians' awareness of the importance of CDP, knowledge of CDP, and management support. Hence, to ensure CDP implementation in Nigerian academic libraries, the librarians must not only be made aware of the importance of CDP but must also be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary for CDP implementation. Also, library management support is necessary for CDP implementation. This study has contributed to the body of knowledge by exploring the vital factors that could facilitate CDP implementation and tried to resolve the important issue of CDP implementation by developing a framework. This study is more important for practitioners to promote CDP implementation in Nigerian academic libraries by exercising these three factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most academic libraries are facing increasing funding challenges that necessitate improved budget communication and advocacy, in addition to the more traditional planning and monitoring of funds. Moreover, electronic resources (e-resources) continue to evolve rapidly, spawning new material types and modes of acquisition. This paper defines four key facets of a materials budget that has been optimized for the e-resources environment and describes a process that can be used to redesign any academic library budget structure for the digital age. Specific examples of important practical advantages that have accrued over the six years since the fully faceted materials budget structure was implemented are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brisbane University Libraries Office of Cooperation (BULOC) was formed by University Librarians in Queensland in 1991. With the addition of more members in 1993, the organisation expanded and was renamed the Queensland University Libraries Office of Cooperation (QULOC). In 2016, BULOC/QULOC celebrates its 25th Anniversary and this paper provides a history of the achievements and collaborative work of the organisation over the past 25 years. The paper highlights the activities and projects undertaken and events held that illustrate the defining collaborative nature and ultimately, the impact of the organisation. It also describes the inception, structure and operations of QULOC and the strategies used for enabling collaboration to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

his paper proposes teaching strategies and techniques for library instruction in academic libraries to achieve the intended goals. The recommendations are based on insights from previous research IN library instruction with the intention to identify possible strategies and techniques for different user groups. This study applied a systematic literature review method, using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol to examine the use of teaching strategies and techniques in library instruction programs. The Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases were searched for relevant literature using specific keywords. Applying the inclusion criteria, a total of 27 articles out of the 1380 documents extracted, were deemed relevant to the study. The results show that library instruction is usually conducted in the form of individual sessions. Teaching strategies used by librarians include flipped classroom, faux flip, class room teaching, research clinic, consultation, asynchronous learning, and online synchronous learning, among others. These teaching strategies improved engagement and relationships between students and librarians, while impacting critical thinking, confidence and self-directed learning. It is concluded that librarians should consider adopting and combining teaching strategies based on individual needs and use technology to improve teaching effectiveness and increase student learning. This study shows that most studies on library instruction have only partially addressed instructional strategies. A critical review of the literature revealed that a strategic shift in the management of library instruction is necessary to achieve the intended outcomes. In this study, three teaching strategies for library education are proposed, namely Embracing for freshman, Encouraging for sophomore, and Leveraging for postgraduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the establishment, growth, achievements, and future planning of the CALA Canada Chapter. Since its inception in June 2018, the Chapter has experienced significant growth, with the number of members doubling, and the number of life members also doubling. Currently there are a total of thirty members in the Chapter, comprising ten life members, eight overseas members, and seven student members, with the majority residing or working in Ontario. The Chapter has achieved notable milestones, including the organization of successful events such as conferences, workshops, and networking sessions. The Chapter has also contributed to the development of the library profession in Canada, particularly by promoting diversity and inclusivity. Looking forward, the Chapter plans to expand its reach and increase its membership by promoting itself in other regions of the country. The Chapter aims to continue providing valuable resources, programs, and opportunities for its members to enhance their professional development and foster collaboration. Through these efforts, the Canada Chapter aims to play an essential role in advancing the library profession in Canada and promoting its growth and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In August 2021, the Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA), in partnership with the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), received $100,000 in funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program National Forum Grant in the Lifelong Learning project category for Path to Leadership: National Forum to Advance Asian/Pacific Islander American (APIA) Librarianship. Funding from the grant resulted in an online national forum, webinars, and a reunion program. This paper details the planning and implementation of this project. It also includes project evaluation and a proposed curriculum outline to fully develop an APIA leadership program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article showcases the authors' personal journeys of building trust with their teams as BIPOC women leaders in the academic libraries. The article attempts to focus on trust-building with team members through changes either at personal level or at a larger professional context level. This paper elucidates challenges and opportunities that BIPOC leaders are experiencing in their roles in academic library settings as well as how junior and mid-level leaders develop their skill sets to facilitate their effort in trust-building. Literature searches show that study and research in the area of BIPOC leadership in the library context are sparse. The authors strive to contribute to the area, share the experience of building trust in their teams as a leader and invite BIPOC peers to explore possibilities of building trust and advancing their careers in the library leadership path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including book reviews, role of academic librarians and standards and practices in library administration.

The study investigates the availability, accessibility and utilization of electronic information resources by undergraduates of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo state, Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted for this study. A population of six thousand three hundred and forty (6340) undergraduates were involved in the study. A total number of Three hundred and seventeen 317 undergraduates were drawn as sample size through stratified sampling techniques. Questionnaire was the main instrument used for data collection. Two hundred and seventy 274 four dally filed questionnaires were received, given an overall response rate of 86.49%. Data were collected and analyzed using descriptive and correlation analyses. Pear Correlation Coefficient was the statistical analysis adopted to test the hypothesis under study at 0.05 level of significance. The finding of this study revealed that availability, accessibility and utilization of electronic information resources significantly influenced the utilization of electronic information resources in LAUTECH Library (Adj. R-squared 474, F(3) =41.985, p =000). The findings further revealed individual significant influence of availability and accessibility of EIR on its utilization. Each of availability and accessibility had relative influences on utilization of EIR. EIR were available, accessible and utilized in LAUTECH library. The study concluded that availability and accessibility of e-resources lead to EIR utilization. It is recommended that adequate budgetary allocation should be given to LAUTECH library for subscription to online databases and acquisition of e-books and e-journals. The library management should create awareness on how to use the e-resources available in the university library and its importance to undergraduates. The librarian should train and retrain both lecturers and undergraduates on how well to use online databases for maximum gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sets out several challenges for libraries and collection development librarians as they seek to remain relevant in a rapidly changing environment. These include changes in ease of information access, increasing interest in unmediated access, ubiquity of similar (even identical collections), and the need to develop unique collections that meet local needs and interests and to develop and promote tools that enhance the use of these collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a personal overview of the development of collection development and management as a specialization within the practice of librarianship. It gives particular attention to the activities among academic librarians and in academic libraries in the 1960s and 1970s that led to the creation of special interest groups within the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trust and authority are emerging as key elements of success on social media environment. In spite of a burgeoning field of social media research, the topic on how institutions earn users' trust and establish their social media authority has received very little attention to date. This study describes how academic librarians strategize in creating trust in social media contents and orient their actions towards the goals of achieving social media authority as information experts. The study is guided by the following research question: What are the trust-creating activities that academic librarians do on library's social media to establish social media authority? Data were collected through interviews with 15 librarians from three Nigerian university libraries. Six themes on trust-creating activities emerged from the findings. Three themes are related to trust-creating activities by individual librarians: (a) post credible and useful social media contents; (b) provide relevant and responsive feedback; and (c) have authorized identification or social media icons. Another two themes are associated with trust-creating activities by librarians as a group: (a) collaborate in assessing social contents; (b) be an authority in library and information services. One trust-creating activity taken by the library management emerged i.e. involving the university authority for content. The researchers offer suggestions for librarians to orient their actions towards the goals of achieving social media authority and the distinctions are made in the trust- creating activities between individual, group and organisation. This paper contributes to the under-researched field investigating the actual implementation of social media authority in libraries. The study has shown that social media authority is built on the platter of users' trust. Based on this observation, we believe that successful implementation of social media in the library is associated with not only how proficient librarians are in social media use, but also how they build their social media contents through trust-creating activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having the policies and procedures for individuals to easily move into and out of term-limited, administrative positions supports a holistic view of an academic career path. While this is normative for our academic colleagues, it is less common for academic librarians. Typically, librarians in administrative positions (chief librarians for example) either stay in those roles, seek other similar roles, or retire from those roles. Returning to the ranks is surprisingly rare and not well- enabled through transparent processes. This paper explores the experiences of four chief librarians who returned to the ranks following term appointments. It examines the resultant issues and makes recommendations on how to improve the situation. The conclusions offer advice for universities, libraries, and librarian administrators. This paper is based on a presentation to the annual conference of the Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarians, Brock University, May 25-26, 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study documents how a structured group of library staff coordinates external communications and promotions activities at the University of Regina, a mid-sized liberal arts, publicly funded, post-secondary institution in Western Canada. The paper discusses the value of having promotions activities tied to objectives in a library's strategic plan. There is a discussion about promotions strategies undertaken within the library, with other academic and administrative units on campus, and with organizations off campus. Implementing an undergraduate library award has been the most ambitious project and, along with purchasing branded promotions items, has required the most funding. The author illustrates how library staff, having little or no promotions experience but possessing creativity and a desire to inform and collaborate, can run a successful external communications and promotions program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this article is to illustrate the current age distribution of academic librarians in South Africa and to determine the need for age diversity management in academic libraries. Firstly, a literature review provides a brief overview of recent changes to the higher education landscape in South Africa and the importance of diversity awareness. Secondly, the issue of age diversity in the workplace is explored, followed by a discussion of the age demography of librarians, so raising the important issue this paper seeks to investigate, namely, the current age demography of South African academic librarians. A mixed-method research approach was decided upon and specifically the sequential exploratory design as it studies the unknown relationships between different generations of librarians at work within five of the academic libraries from the Gauteng and Environs Library and Information Consortium (GAELIC). The results showed that most of the middle and senior level library management positions are currently filled by those retiring in the next 15-20 years and that the planning and training of new middle and top management staff members must form part of succession planning policies in order to avoid a leadership vacuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An online survey has been made to study the role of Libraries in prestigious Institute and University web portals of India. Leading Institute and University portals of India have been studied and evaluated with the functioning of Libraries for dissemination of knowledge resources in the parent Institution. Many of academic Institutions &Universities have now been bringing Libraries under top Header as Library / Central Library / e -Resources / Digital Library / Library & Information Center /e -Library etc. at par with Teaching, Research and Education system of learning. The study suggests that many Libraries of Institution/ University are envisaged by facilities / central facilities / infrastructure /quick links / student/ campus /facilities /life/ student welfare / student corner/ popular links / information desk / student information / services / support facilities /explore facilities / fraternities either at the Header or Footer side of Institutional web portals for awareness & location. Besides library abilities, librarians must have multidisciplinary academic interactive skills to deliver lectures, promote educational trainings and decision making power to recommend procurement plans for any resources/items / services and works in the meeting with Chairman. The study implicates there is need to implement Library Resource Learning Center, Digital Resource Learning Centre, Educational Resource Learning Centre etc. With the adoption of trending technologies, the concept of Library and Information Science (LIS) subject has also been metamorphosed and contemplating with ICT based Library Management and Information Services (LMIS) ensuring parity and compatibility with existing work culture of any Library / E - library / Digital Library/Mobile Library system and services. The study highlights library at the executive levels, many of the Institutions and Universities are more concerned with designations like Director General /Director / Deputy Director / Professor / Assistant Professor (LIS),Chief Librarian/ Librarian / University Librarian / Head Librarian / Deputy Librarian / Associate Librarian/Asstt Librarian & Library officer / Officer In charge to justify the works of Library Management and Information Services. With seamless participation of multidisciplinary academic teachers/officers can streamline parity of job structure with equal opportunities and accountability to support and justify common administrative work culture of library system and services irrespective of Library and Information Science (LIS) subject concerned. Libraries should not remain with collections or warehouse of resources but also execute efficient, effective services among user, for this, a celebration of Digital Library Literacy day may be organized to ensure awareness of digital library services along with inculcation of reading habits in digital environment so that optimum utilization of resources could be attained effectively among users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated how librarians working in various university libraries in Kwara State, Nigeria, adopt and use artificial intelligence. The study raised four research goals as well as four research questions. A descriptive survey method and random sampling techniques with 450 randomly selected librarians from Kwara State Universities, Nigeria, were used for the research. Five research assistants were trained on how to contact respondents and secure their consent before distributing the structured questionnaire designed by the researcher, who assisted in the tool distribution process. The researcher was able to retrieve 410 copies of the 450 questionnaires that were given to the respondents. However, the rate of return was 91%, which is a respectable amount. A self-designed questionnaire was used to elicit responses from the respondents, and a simple percentage was adapted for data analysis. The results showed that there was little adoption of AI in university libraries in Kwara State, Nigeria. The research also reveals that security scanning devices at the entrances and exits of university libraries are the most prevalent AI systems, while other AI systems such as bots, chatbots, face recognition, touch recognition, RFID technologies, humans, AI classification tools, machine-readable catalogs, and not smart AI features are still missing from the Kwara State University libraries. A self-designed questionnaire was used to elicit responses from the respondents, and a simple percentage ratio was adapted for data analysis. The findings revealed that AI has received minimal attention in university libraries in Kwara State, Nigeria. According to the study, the most common AIs are security scanning equipment at university library entrances and exits, followed by robotics, chatbots, face recognition, and touch recognition. RFID technologies, humanoids, AI classification tools, machine-readable catalogs, and AI smart features are still lacking in Kwara State's university libraries. The results of this study also indicate that librarians in a university library are aware of the many ways in which artificial intelligence can be applied to provide services. The results of the study indicate that obstacles to adoption include significant disruption caused by artificial intelligence in traditional library services, a lack of skills and a need for training prior to adoption, irregular power supply, and a lack of adequate infrastructure for adoption, among other problems. The study recommended the need to organize training for librarians to enhance their skills in using artificial intelligence to provide services, and the university administration and libraries should commit and provide the necessary support for the adoption of artificial intelligence by providing the necessary infrastructure to ensure its rapid implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated pattern of internet use among librarians in three Federal university libraries in Southeast Nigeria. Three research objectives guided the study. The study adopted survey research design. The population comprises 30 principal librarians and University librarians in the three Federal University libraries in Southeast Nigeria. A total of 27 copies of the questionnaire were returned. Interview was conducted and observation was made on internet facilities to determine the authenticity of the respondent's responses. Findings revealed that major internet facilities available in the libraries include laptops, cybercafé, institutional website, institutional virtual library, desktop computers, wireless fidelity, cable modem, computer networking (local/wide area network), broadband internet, satellite dish and e-mail. The findings equally revealed that internet is used majorly in the libraries for sending and receiving mail, chatting, reading news and sports information, downloading music, researching for products and services, downloading images, searching for job online, cataloguing, video conferencing, sharing information, accessing information on any subject worldwide, accessing online directories and encyclopedia, review of literature and research investigation, sending research article for publication, sending and receiving questionnaire online, collecting research data through interview, giving and receiving information from users, giving and receiving information from vendors and contacting government agencies. Based on the findings the study recommended that library management should encourage their staff especially librarians to improve on their use of internet facilities available in the university libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries and librarians perform a fundamental role in terms of providing information services to its patrons within and outside the academic environment. Despite the availability of smart technologies in most university libraries, there are still incidences of slowness and decrease in job performance. This study examines the effect of smart technology on job performance of librarian in Southwest Nigeria using descriptive survey research design. The study used multistage random sampling technique to select a sample size of 50 librarians in the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Ogun State and University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria. Data was collected with the use of questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study concludes based on its findings that smart technologies have impactful effect on job performance of librarians in university libraries. It is recommended that; the government should increase the financial allocation to university libraries to facilitate the use of smart technologies in library operations; power supply should be adequate and functioning standby generating set to be made available; there is need for training and retraining of librarians on the use of smart technologies. The study has provided a framework for library management on the type of smart technology that are most needed for library services; and that effective use of smart technologies will improve library services which will definitely increase the level of patronage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated how librarians working in the various university libraries in Southern Nigeria adopted and used artificial intelligence. The study raised four research objectives as well as four research questions. A survey design was used for the study with 848 librarians from university libraries in Southern Nigeria as the sample. The entire population was chosen for the study using the total enumeration sample method. Eight research assistants who had received training in how to contact respondents and secure their consent before distributing the structured questionnaire designed by the researcher assisted in the instrument distribution process. The researcher was able to retrieve 704 copies of the 848 questionnaires that were given to the responders. However, the return rate was 83%, which is a respectable amount. The descriptive statistics approach was used to analyse the data that the questionnaire produced. The results showed that there has been little adoption of AI in university libraries in Southern Nigeria. The research also reveals that security scanning devices at university libraries' entrances and exits are the most prevalent AIs, while other AIs like robots, chatbots, face recognition, touch recognition, RFID technologies, humanoids, AI classification tools, machine-readable catalogues, and AI smart features are still lacking in Southern Nigeria's university libraries. The results of this study also suggest that the university library's librarians are knowledgeable about the many ways that AI may be applied to provide services. The study's findings indicate that adoption hurdles include considerable disruption brought on by AI to conventional library services, a lack of skills and the need for training prior to adoption, erratic power supply, a lack of suitable infrastructure for adoption, among other problems. It was recommended in the study that training should be organized for librarians to boost their skills in the use of AI for service delivery and university and library management should be committed and give the needed support towards the adoption of AI by making available the needed infrastructure to ensure their swift implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This write up considered the evolution of libraries in Nigeria which of course cannot be separated from the history and development of universities. Development of libraries in private universities can also not be separated from that of public libraries. Therefore, the Management Models of libraries in private universities may not really be different from that of public libraries, however, the uniqueness in the set -up of private universities has warranted the adoption of unconventional management models in running such university libraries. These models include Management By Groping Along (MBGA) or The Chess Management Model, The Participatory Management Model and The Intersection Management Model. In this study, a robust suggestion was made to Proprietors (Visitors) of Private Universities on ways of making private universities, and by extension, the Libraries World Class and attract respect and recognition of stakeholders in the academic world. It is recommended that experienced candidates should be engaged as University Librarians from the inception of universities to occupy the positions. Equally important are issues bordering on restructuring of personnel and budgets deductions which are abnormally and usually experimented from libraries, this practice is expected to be discontinued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the level of Awareness and application of blockchain technology among librarians for effective service delivery in University Libraries in South-South, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. 643 Librarians in 10 federal and state-owned universities in South-South Nigeria made up the population of the study. 495 librarians were sampled using multistage sampling technique. Online questionnaire was used for data collection, which was shared via the state WhatsApp group. The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The findings showed that, majority of librarians studied have low level of awareness of blockchain technology. The extent of application of blockchain technology for library service delivery was very low. The major challenges affecting the awareness and application of blockchain technology for library service delivery are inadequate awareness of the technology and how it can be applied in the library, inadequate technological infrastructures in the university libraries, inadequate knowledge of blockchain technology as well as erratic internet connectivity in the university libraries. The study recommended that, awareness of blockchain technology should be created among librarians through in-house training or sponsorship to national or international conferences and workshops. The university library management should acquire adequate technological infrastructures into the university libraries, most especially stable internet connectivity should be provided around the university library among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serials being important to students and researchers as they contain the most current and relevant information that can be used for academic and research purposes needs to be assessed periodically to determine if they are still relevant to the users. This study therefore examines the analysis of serials citations in graduate-students' theses as a practical instrument for effective management of serials in academic libraries using theses submitted from 2013 to 2021 in Library and information Science of four government owned universities in eastern region of Nigeria as case in point. The study was meant to provide answers to three research questions which formed the guide while a descriptive survey design was applied with a population of 203 which stood as the total number of masters' degree theses produced by the four universities within the period under study. The main instruments used in collecting data for this study were the researcher-designed checklists with which 8445 serials citations were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics of mode, mean and range and data presented in tables, charts and graphs using frequencies and percentile. The outcome of the study revealed that journals with 76% citations were the most cited against conference proceedings/reports with 20% and the least cited being government publications with only .5% citations. It was further established that multi authorship is the most cited authorship pattern in the graduates' theses whereas the average age of serials cited were within the age bracket of 0 - 18. The conclusion drawn is that with the most cited type(s) of serials, serials titles, ages of serials and preferred authorship pattern known through citations analysis of serials in research reports, the university librarian is better placed as to knowing which serials to select, acquire and how to have them organized for easy accessibility and retrieval by users as well as the amount of money to be earmarked for their acquisitions which invariably will bring about prudent management of the library budget in this period of shrinking budget for academic libraries. The study therefore recommended among other things that for effective application of serials citations analysis as a functional tool for effective serial management, staff of serials unit most partner documentation unit as to ensuring proper citations analysis of serials submitted to the library by every department as this can be used as a guide for the unit to identify the core serials for selections, acquisitions and also as a guide for total serials collections maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the rewards and recognition of librarian's job performance in some selected university libraries in South-South, Nigeria. A descriptive survey method was adopted for the study. Two research questions were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study consists of 112 librarians in some selected university libraries in South-South Nigeria. A total of 112 copies of the questionnaire were distributed and 101 copies of the questionnaire were retrieved using descriptive statistics mean and percentage mean score of 2.5 and above and percentage score of 50% were considered as acceptable. The study revealed that rewards and recognition enjoyed by librarians in the past five years are: verbal praise, bonuses/monetary value, formal recognition as against written praise and informal recognition. Also, the study further shows how rewards and recognition influence librarians job performance positively. The study recommends that: Harding working librarians should be rewarded and recognized for their efforts; Library management should always motivate their staff to work hard to earn those rewards and recognition; Equity and fairness should be the guide when rewarding and recognizing librarians and also nepotism should be ruled out when rewarding and recognizing hardworking librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to explore the contents, features, and maintenance issues of Bangladeshi public university library websites. To ensure representativeness, we selected twelve (12) public university libraries that have dedicated websites. For authenticity and reliability of data, a checklist of sixty-one (61) items divided into ten (10) categories was used, along with interview procedures. The findings of this research have been presented in both tabular and figurative forms. According to the research, the website trend, which began a few years ago, will become a driving force for library services, although there is still potential for development such as liquid layout, mobile-friendliness, Web-OPAC, online tutorials, etc. and may indicate some maintenance issues for the library's website. This research is useful for information scientists and academic librarians involved in the establishment and management of library websites, particularly in underdeveloped nations like Bangladesh, where resources are restricted and studies are sparse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of internet and the widespread adoption of technology in academic libraries brings about new roles and responsibilities for subject librarians. Digital literacy instruction remains the indispensable service in academic libraries in the 21st century. This emphasises the necessity for subject librarians to possess relevant digital literacy skills. This article reports on the quantitative findings emanating from the explanatory sequential mixed methods study (2022) that investigated digital literacy instruction in academic libraries in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) region in South Africa. The quantitative findings were used to achieve the study's objective that sought to find out if subject librarians possess digital literacy skills necessary for digital literacy instruction in academic libraries in KwaZulu-Natal region, South Africa. The study adopted a census method and collected data from a total of 58 subject librarians from traditional universities and universities of technology in KZN region through an online survey. The findings revealed that subject librarians in academic librarians (KwaZulu-Natal region, South Africa) are competent in various digital literacy namely e-mailing skills, Word processing, PowerPoint, information retrieval and blended learning. Further, the study revealed a significant lack of digital literacy skills related to library management system, knowledge of statistical software packages, Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Access, Website design and copyright licensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined Wikipedia edit-a-thon programme in a University Library in Nigeria. It adopted the descriptive design. Unstructured questionnaire and interview were used for data collection. A total of 25 people participated in the study. These are the University Librarian and two female deputy University Librarians, four library staff that serve as facilitators and eighteen participants of the edit-a-thon project. Interview was conducted with the University Librarian and her two deputies while the rest responded to an unstructured questionnaire. Data gathered were analysed using frequency counts and narrative. Findings show that the library engages in edit-a-thon for a few reasons amongst which are to contribute to open knowledge and help bridge the gender gap in Wikipedia editing which is dominated by men amongst others. Discoursing and winning the library managements' consent to host edit-a-thon, is an important activity to ensure a successful edit-a-thon. Both the library, participants and facilitators have benefited from the programme. Despite the gains of participating in Wikipedia edit-a-thon, there are challenges of time constraint and infrastructure on the part of the library, lack of institutional support, problem of attracting new participants (editor) and retaining older ones as facilitators and lack of published information on Nigerian Women to support entries on Wikipedia. The implication of the study is that participating in Wikipedia edit-a-thon is an encouraging initiative for the library, an experience which every academic library in Nigeria should endeavour to have to contribute to open knowledge. Unveiling the achievements and contributions of notable women in Africa is a step towards building role models for the upcoming generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning disabilities is a generic term that refers to different groups of difficulties manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities. This is a descriptive survey that is aimed at ascertaining the level of awareness of learning disabilities among academic librarians who by position serve heterogeneous clientele. The study was guided by one research question based on the objective of the study. The sample population of this study was 50 academic librarians randomly selected from five federal universities in Southeast, Nigeria while the major instrument used in collecting data for this study was a 20-item test like questionnaire constructed by the researcher to test the basic awareness of learning disability among these academic librarians. The data collected were statistically analyzed on percentile basis and analyses were done on the basis of Level of awareness of learning disabilities and scores achieved in test items by the academic librarians. The outcome of the study shows that the academic librarians had a moderate knowledge about learning disability. To this end it was recommended among others that orientation programmes and workshops need to be conducted so that they can diagnose the problem of students who form bulk of their patrons and intervene accordingly as well as addressing the challenge of lack of awareness among the general public as well as educators and library management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of study: The core aim of the study is to identify the level of professional activities and training needs of library practitioners serving in Government colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Research Method and Procedure: This study is quantitative, and the survey method is applied to achieve the desired objectives. The public sector college librarians of seven districts of the southern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were the study population. Data Collection and analysis: A structured questionnaire was distributed among fifty-nine (59) college librarians. Out of total, fifty-five (55) librarians return the filled questionnaire with a response rate of 93%. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21 is used to analyze the collected data. Major Findings and Recommendations: it was reflected that sixty-four percent of the respondents had not attended any training program in the last five years. The main reason for not attending the training program is the lack of management support with library professionals. Only thirty-six percent of the college librarians had attended conferences, workshops, seminars, and webinars organized by academic libraries, training institutes and universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study assessed the awareness of the concept of makerspace by librarians in university libraries in South-South, Nigeria. This study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The population of this study is 237 (Two hundred and thirty-Seven) librarians working in State, Federal, and Private university libraries in South-South, Nigeria. A total of 237 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to the respondents and 218(92%) copies were returned and found usable for the study. The data obtained from the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency count and percentage). The findings revealed that the librarians in university libraries in South-South, Nigeria are aware of the concept of Makerspace to a Very High Extent. This finding also revealed that the librarians in university libraries from the South-South, Region of Nigeria are aware of the benefits of Makerspace deployment in university libraries. It is clear from the finding that no university library in South-South, Nigeria had adopted Makerspace, the finding also shows that no university library is in the process of establishing a Makerspace (Initiation Stage). The findings indicated that the challenges affecting the deployment of Makerspace in the university libraries in South-South, Nigeria are unavailability of space for Makerspace, inadequate library funding, high Cost of Makerspace facilities, inadequate qualified staff to operate the makerspace, among others. It was recommended from the study that library management should try to initiate plans to adopt and implement Makerspace in their university libraries because of its enormous benefits to users, adequate space should be allocated to site Makerspace in university libraries due to the wide range of equipment/facilities that will be housed on the site and sufficient funding should be allocated to university libraries to cater for the cost of equipment/facilities as well as other training-related cost for users and librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated planning and advertisement procedures used for recruitment of librarians in federal university libraries in South-South, Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. Three (3) research questions guided the study. The population of the study comprised 108 academic librarians in the six Federal universities spread across the six states of South-South, Nigeria. The entire 108 questionnaires were administered to the respondents, only 95 were filled and returned, and was used for the study because the entire population size was manageable. The overall reliability of the instrument yielded 0.95 with the use of Cronbach Alpha Coefficient. The rating scale of 4 points was subjected to an estimation procedure using SPSS version 17.0. A mean score of 2.5 and above on any item was accepted. The major findings of the study were that the degree of agreement of librarians on all planning process was high.; that the extent in which respondents agreed on those advertisement procedures were moderately high, and the challenges associated with recruitment of librarians in the federal university libraries in South-South, Nigeria was high. Based on the findings, it was recommended as follows: that the university library management should ensure that there is the need to plan before the commencement of recruitment exercise; that the best advertisement procedures should be used to reach out to suitable applicants; and that factors such as nepotism, godfatherism, favoritism, and other challenges should not be considered in the recruitment of librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The study investigated continuing professional development of librarians and basic skills mostly needed in 10 academic libraries in Delta State, Nigeria. Methods: The investigation employed descriptive survey design. The population for the study comprised of 70 Academic librarians. The questionnaire was the instrument that was employed in data collection. However, 63 questionnaires were returned and used as the sample size. Analysis was done using mean statistics. Results: The study revealed that the mostly needed skills are effective communication skills, technical skills, computer literacy and information seeking skills, while the mostly used methods in the professional development of librarians are conferences, seminars, workshops and short courses. The challenges include poor attitude of library staff to continuing professional development initiatives (waiting to be sent) amongst others. Conclusion: Improvement of attitude of library staff and Library Management, collaboration between Nigerian Library Association and Nigerian Library Registration Council were adduced as solutions to the problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses need to better equip librarians through capacity building policies that will be both beneficial to the librarians and their organisation. It mentions need to mentor librarians so that they will be ahead of the clients they serve in terms of information harnessing and provision; and also mentions focus to determine how mentoring can be used for capacity building of librarians in private universities in Nigeria.

The purpose of this study was to assess the digital skills of librarians working in university libraries. This study measures their digital skills to create and manage the digital library and the factors affecting their digital skills. The study also provides practical solutions to overcome those factors. This study used a mixed-method research design that is based on qualitative and quantitative research. In the first phase, an in-depth review of related literature was conducted to identify the research problem and formulate research objectives. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed through SPSS software. An interview guide was developed to collect qualitative data from 50 key experts. A thematic approach was used to analyze data. The current status of digital skills of librarians working in university libraries of Pakistan is not encouraging to develop and manage a digital library. Results showed that library schools in Pakistan are not offering practice-based training to their graduates to develop their digital skills. There is a dire need to offer practice-based training and short courses for librarians working in university libraries of Pakistan to improve their digital skills. Experts recommended in-house training programs and hiring master trainers to improve the digital skills of librarians. The results of this research are limited to librarians working in university libraries of Pakistan. This study has practical implications for librarians, library schools, library administration, and university libraries to develop digital skills of librarians and combat the factors/issues that are affecting their digital skills. This study has not only identified the key factors/issues that are affecting the digital skills of librarians but also provides practical solutions on how to overcome those factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the Purdue University Libraries mandatory co-mentoring program. Surveys with all Purdue University Libraries faculty librarians and select follow-up interviews were conducted. This program supports all faculty librarians and differs from other mentoring programs since it is team-based, includes the supervisor, and advises on promotion. These Faculty Review Committees integrate performance reviews with progress toward promotion and have the responsibility to prepare written annual reviews and evaluations, and represent the candidate at the promotion review. The program is considered very effective at Purdue University Libraries and a unique model. This program is also compared to four other ARL co-mentoring programs using a survey and follow-up interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the awareness and use of cloud computing services by librarians in selected universities in Edo State. A descriptive survey research design was employed and the instrument used was questionnaire. The population of the study was 132 professional and Para-professional librarians. The total enumeration technique was used to select the entire population because the size was manageable. Simple percentage, frequency count, and mean were used to analyze the data collected. From the analysis of data gathered, it was found that the librarians are aware of the use of OCLC, world cat, and Google docs to a very high extent. It was found that the librarians used cloud computing services and technologies for collection development functions and cataloging. Based on the findings it was recommended that management of the libraries should support librarians by providing adequate funding to the library in order to support the acquisition and maintenance of infrastructure for cloud computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resources for teaching in higher education have undergone a tremendous evolution during the past several decades. The Internet and commercial services, such as YouTube and Google, have revolutionized the manner by which students and faculty access information to both conduct research and meet course requirements. This mixed methods study implemented an online survey and interviews to determine how performing arts faculty at three institutions integrate library resources and services into their teaching. Conclusions indicate that, while personal collections and Internet resources provide a majority of teaching content, the academic library still offers important access to materials for instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study surveyed the current state of knowledge about, and application or use of, Resource Description and Access (RDA) among American public library catalogers. In 2017, an online survey request was e-mailed to four thousand libraries for the person or persons most responsible for cataloging to complete the questionnaire. More than three hundred libraries responded. The data expose serious concerns with RDA adoption within the public library sector. While a majority of catalogers know about RDA, their working knowledge about it differs substantially depending on whether they work in rural or urban library settings. Regardless, 22 percent of respondants still had not heard of the RDA standard until completing this survey. While further training and educational opportunities (along with funds) for catalogers nationwide would help minimize this disparity, LIS schools also can play a role by educating more thoroughly the next generations of catalogers in this newer descriptive standard. Coming on the brink of a shift in the theoretical framework of the RDA standard, from the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) model to the IFLA Library Reference Model (LRM), public library catalogers risk falling even farther behind in their knowledge and compitency with the RDA standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign language journals are important components of interdisciplinary area studies collections at research libraries. In the US, although these are low-use materials almost by definition, they are indispensable for many types of research. Coordinated collection development among key libraries with shared interests in these materials is often the best way of broadening the collective collection, strategically reducing duplication to free up resources for broader acquisitions while relying on collection sharing infrastructures to implement shared access to the journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the volume of academic library value research has continued to increase, the resulting literature has grown complex and sprawling. This article takes stock of this body of work, using a review of the published research literature and an analysis of its organization and structure. This investigation reveals that the research on library value follows a "levels of analysis" framework, with three types of studies--small group, single institution, and multi-institution--comprising the major dimensions. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of studies at each level and propose a multilevel framework designed to improve the practical utility and scholarly rigor of academic library value assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance appraisal of professional librarians in academic libraries is important because of the critical role these employees play. Professional librarians ensure that the library's resources and services are effective, relevant, and integrated within the parent institution. Performance appraisal and job feedback have been understudied in the library literature while, by comparison, these topics have generated great attention in other fields and in the corporate world. There have also been innovations in performance appraisal. Some large corporations have abandoned annual evaluations, substituting, for instance, quarterly performance snapshots and weekly check-ins with the supervisor. To investigate the current status of performance appraisal in academic libraries, we deployed a web-based survey in November 2013 to library directors in the United States. A national survey on this topic and with this population had not been conducted for 25 years. The results we report in this article relate to the following research objectives: The Snapshot research objective sought to identify the components of the performance appraisal systems currently being used. The Feedback research objective sought to identify who can give feedback during each performance appraisal event, the extent of peer-to-peer feedback, and whether there is sufficient feedback in library performance appraisal systems. We also report on programmatic effectiveness for libraries' annual evaluations as well as their overall performance appraisal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on librarians promoting the use of the library through other means such as marketing of library services to the users. Topics include visiting private information providers, cybercafé, and no longer solely relying on the library; and library services such as decline in library budget, change in user's mode of satisfaction, rising cost of books, and serials and electronic resources.

This report describes a case study using a collaborative model of problem-based learning in library instruction as an innovative alternative to traditional methods. The authors examine the use of problem-based library instruction in three courses, including an examination of the results of the assignment students were given as part of the exercise. The authors found that the problem-based learning model increased student engagement with library resources and provided a mechanism for identifying and correcting deficiencies in students' information literacy knowledge and skills. If a specific session of library instruction is intended to provide guidance on the use of the library for a particular assignment or project, then using a problem-based learning approach in collaboration with teaching faculty is a simple way to improve library instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses quality assurance in Nigerian University Libraries. According to the article, quality assurance is one way of ensuring that the best practices are encouraged in a social system. Assuring quality means identifying and naming the elements that are essential to the educational process's evaluation, defining the procedures for acting, setting quality indicators and analyzing quality on a regular basis. The Nigerian University Libraries' services, minimum standards, and their enhancing of quality are discussed.