Impact of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on Staff Training and Development in John Harris Library at the University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of this study is to determine the impact of Information Technology on staff training and development in John Harris Library in University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria. Specifically the study seeks to:
- Determine availability of staff training and development programs in libraries.
- Identify the types of staff training and development programs in John Harris Library, University of Benin.
- To identify the benefits of staff training and development programs in John Harris Library, University of Benin.
- Ascertain the effect of ICT on staff training and development programs on libraries.
- Identify the challenges that affect staff training and development programs in John Harris Library, University of Benin.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
For the purpose of this study, literatures related to this topic under study will be reviewed under the following sub-headings:
- Concept of staff Training and Development
- Concept of Information and Communication Technology
- Extent of Staff Training and Development on Libraries
- Impact of ICT on Library Staff Development
- Effect of staff Training and Development on Libraries
- Appraisal of Literature
INTRODUCTION
University library is a library which is accessible to the university community (staff/student) and is generally for knowledge acquisition either for research work or examination purposes. It is a library that is open to all members of university community regardless of age, educational qualification, sex, religious belief, political leaning, social class or status etc. The university library is generally considered as the people’s university due to its non-restrictiveness to any group of users cited by Okeoma (2011). University libraries exist in most of the higher institutions in Nigeria and are often considered as essential to having an educated and literate population.
According to UNESCO, cited by Edoka (2000), the key missions that should form the core of library services include: creating and strengthening reading habits; supporting both individual and self-conducted education as well as formal education at all levels; providing opportunities for personal creative development; stimulating the imagination and creativity of young people; promoting awareness of cultural heritage, appreciation of the arts, scientific achievements and innovations, etc.
A fundamental feature of a university library is that usage should be free to all members of university community. Users of a university library range from the youngest to the oldest adult, from the wealthiest to the most economically disadvantaged and from the most highly educated to the stark illiterate. In order to accomplish the expectations highlighted, the university library performs specific functions which include the following: to provide for educational development of all people in the university community; to positively support the civic and cultural activities of groups and organizations; to promote and encourage wholesome recreation and positive use of leisure time; and to give the user access to information over the whole range of human activities such as agriculture, crafts, commerce and industry, Edoka (2000).
The university library must therefore be well equipped to satisfy the information needs of the various individuals and groups in any given university community. By its nature, it is a library that is open to all.
Learning is again coming to the forefront of university library service as economies and societies of the 21st century require people to learn new skills and to retrain several times in their working lives. As Sutherland (2003) rightly observes, “whether one lives in the industrialized or developing world, acquiring an education and learning new skills is of primary importance to securing a person’s future”.
CONCEPT OF STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
In simple terms, training and development refers to the imparting of specific skills, abilities and knowledge to an employee. A formal definition of training and development is any attempt to improve current or future employee performance by increasing an employee’s ability to perform through learning, usually by changing the employee’s attitude or increasing his or her skills and knowledge. The need for training and development is determined by the employee’s performance deficiency, computed as follows:
Training and Development need = Standard performance – Actual performance.
We can make a distinction among training and development. Such distinction enables us to acquire a better perspective about the meaning of the terms. Training, as was stated earlier, refers to the process of imparting specific skills. Development, on the other hand, refers to learning opportunities, designed to help employees grow.
*Training refers to the process of imparting specific skills.
*Development refers to the learning opportunities and designed to help employees grow.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter deals with the method used in collecting data required in carrying out this research work it explains the procedures that were followed and the instrument used in collecting data.
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment, the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information for the study impact of information communication technology on staff training and development in John Harris Library in university of Benin, Edo state. The researcher randomly select 200 staff of John Harris library as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of information communication technology (ICT) on staff training and development in John Harris library in university of Benin, Edo state.
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of the impact of outsourcing on employee’s engagement.
Summary
Information communication and technology have significant impact on staff training and development in John Harris university in University of Benin, Edo state Nigeria. This suggests that information communication and technology is a critical variable in the effective management of the university library. The problem of shortage in power supply found in this study has lead the researcher to opine that universities in Nigeria are not yet ready for technological development. This is because ICT has not been effectively utilized in the management of John Harris library in university of Benin, Edo state.
Conclusion
The factors acting as impediments to the impact of ICT on Nigerian University Libraries were inadequate funding which has given birth to some other problems e.g. automation at infancy level, lack of training facilities, lack of competent search skill on the side of the library staff at both strategic and operational level. And some that are also caused by the government for example epileptic power supply which has become a thorn in the flesh of an average Nigerian organization or establishment which also disrupts or acts as a breakdown to computers. Also interrupted network caused by poor electronic gadgets and so many others that also hinders the positive impact of ICT on Nigerian University Libraries.
Recommendations
The Arising from the findings and conclusion are the following recommendations.
- More generous financial support should be made available to provide the basic ICT infrastructural facilities,
- Since Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has come to stay, library staff that are not computer literate should take positive steps to remedy their deficiencies so as to flow along with the reforms. By this, library and information services will become ennobled through the acquisition of adequate ICT knowledge/skill and its full application in Nigerian University Libraries or else they will become irrelevant in this era of ICT.
- Effective and efficient power supply supplemented with standby generators should be provided to check the menace of frequent electricity power failure. In the same vein, the government should address the problem of erratic power supply more seriously not through military order but through research and development.
- The assistant of some donor agencies such as Education Trust Fund (ETF) and Open Society Initiative for West Africa must be actively enlisted (OSIWA)
- Every division of the Nigerian academic libraries should be automated in order to facilitate and create an avenue for effective services.
Reference
- Aguolu, C & Aguolu, I. E (2002): Libraries and Information Management in Nigeria. Maiduguri: Ed- Linform Services. 267pp.
- Ani, O. E., Esin, J.E. & Edem, N. (2005): Adoption of information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Academic Libraries: a strategy for Library networking in Nigeria. The Electronic Library Journal, 23 (6), 27-37.
- Aniekwu, A.N and Ogbeide, F.N. (2002): Information Technology and Technological Development in Africa. In Yusufu, A.K. (ed) Journal of Engineering Science and Applications (JESA). Faculty of Engineering and Technology, AAU, Ekpoma. 3 (2), 83pp.
- Anunobi, C.V. (2005): ICT Availability and use in Nigerian University Libraries. Global Review of Library and Information Science.1 (1), 39-51
- Bryson, J. (1990): Effective Library and information Center Management. England: Gower Publishing. 165pp
- Chisenga, J. (1995): The Skills of Information Technology in Zambian Libraries. African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science. 5(1)19-24 pp