ASSESSMENT OF THE X-LIB AND LIB+ LIBRARY SOFTWARE IN ACADEMIC AND SPECIAL LIBRARIES IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The study compared the use of X-LIB and LIB+ library software in selected academic and special libraries in Nigeria. Six research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. A total of nine academic libraries and eleven special libraries in Nigeria were selected for the study. The selection was based on the libraries that make use of the two software under study. Data relevant to the study was collected using the questionnaire method. A total of 73 copies out of 73 of the questionnaire returned were found usable, signifying 100% response. One hypothesis was tested. Data were analyzed using percentage and  mean scores.  The  hypothesis was tested with T-test of Independent Means. The findings reveal that the method used for library software application in academic and special libraries is mainly by recommendation; most academic and special libraries select their software based on its compatibility with existing hardware, failure of the previous software to support library operations, user-friendliness of the software, persuasions from the company that designed the software and the fact that most libraries are using the software; all the academic and special libraries that use LIB+ assessed it as higher than X-LIB in that it has more features than X-LIB, it is more user-friendly, it has more networking environment support, it is more compatible with the existing library hardware, it has more modules, it supports library operations more than X-LIB; the major problems encountered in the usage of library software in academic and special libraries are hanging of systems, abnormal termination, corruption of data, back-up errors, and errors  in  import  and  export; strategies  for  enhancing  library  software  utilization  in academic and special libraries include proper training of staff, provision of software manuals, good working environment, adequate software design, release of funds, sorting of network problems, and purchase of adequate software. Test of hypothesis showed there is no statistically significant [p<0.05] difference between the assessment of X-LIB and LIB+ as software in academic libraries; there is no statistically significant [p<0.05] difference between the assessment of X-LIB and LIB+ software application in special libraries.  Appropriate  recommendations were  proffered  which  include  academic  and special libraries should select their software based on its compatibility with existing hardware, failure of the previous software to support library operations, user-friendliness of the software, persuasions from the company that designed the software and the fact that most libraries are using the software; Strategies to enhance effective utilization of software in academic and special libraries should be devised such as: proper training of staff,  provision of software  manuals,  good  working environment, adequate software design, release of funds, sorting of network problems, and purchase of adequate software.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

In higher institutions, there exist libraries where academic resources are housed for the library clientele. Resources of this kind could come in form of physical materials such as theses, dissertations, books, inaugural lectures, institution newsletters, ephemeras, grey literature – which are materials that can hardly be found elsewhere, or electronic materials such as  Compact  Disk  Read-Only-Memory (CD-ROM), Internet  resources –  which are located in databases, but could be thereafter be printed and bounded in hard covers for perusal. Such higher institution libraries that house the aforementioned kind of materials are called academic libraries. Edoka (2000) pointed out that academic libraries exist in higher institutions  of higher  education  such  as  universities,  colleges  of education,  colleges  of technology polytechnics. Academic libraries are libraries in Universities (public and private), Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and Monotechnics. Their collection is tailored towards achievement of the  institution goals of teaching,  learning and research. They serve the students, lecturers, administrative members of the academic communities as well as others (Omekwu and Ugwuanyi, 2009).

On the other hand, special libraries exist in government parastatals, ministries/private companies, agencies, non-governmental organizations, churches. These kinds of libraries are often small depending on the size of the organization where they exist. According to Aina (2004), special libraries are libraries established to meet the highly specialized needs of a professional  or  business  group.  They  are  libraries  meant  especially  for  research  on  a

particular field of study and often for a limited group of users. Everything about the library is special – collections, subjects, users and parent  body. Edoka (2000) added that  special libraries go all out to provide every information they can muster to further the activities of their parent organizations.

Both academic and special libraries exist to aid the actualization of the goal and visions of the parent body wherein they exist. Such libraries are hearts of their parent bodies. In other words, the major goal of academic and special libraries is to actualize the dream of the parent body via the provision of resources required for research. Academic and special libraries have specific functions which they carry out in a bid to actualize the dreams of the parent body. Edoka (2000) stated seven functions of academic libraries, the seventh of which is  to  provide  specialized  information  service  to  appropriate  segments  of  the  wider community. He also stated that special libraries provide required information quickly and precisely.

In order for academic and special libraries to serve their patrons effectively, they need to keep up with the pace of emerging technologies which is being adopted by many libraries home and abroad in this digital age. As observed by Campbell (2006), “numerous creative and useful services have evolved within academic libraries in the digital age: providing quality learning spaces, creating metadata, offering virtual reference services, teaching information literacy,  choosing resources and  managing resource licenses, collecting and digitizing archival materials, and maintaining digital repositories”. Academic libraries presently are faced with not only the decision on what books and journals to acquire to satisfy faculty and students but also on how to remain relevant in the digital era, mindful of

low budgets and resentment on the part of institutional administrators (Anunobi and Okoye,

2008).

Information  technology  systems  and  telecommunications  have  revolutionized library operations and services and become a growing emphasis in library and information science education (Dike, 2000). This is due to the manner in which computers speed up activities and increase available information. There is no doubt that the use of computers in libraries has helped in many ways. Mohammed (1997) added that computers have had tremendous impact on acquisition, storage, processing, retrieval, access and dissemination of information. He went further to say that resources are not just confined to the traditional texts. Rather,  new information resources are  being  produced in combinations of text, graphics, video and audio sounds, animation and virtual reality.      Manual work, involving the use of hand, paper, biro and human brain in the performance of library duties, can be cumbersome as well as inadequate. In view of the above, Madu (2004) noted that one of the reasons for library automation is the apparent and visible improvement in the access to information for users. According to Bozimo (2006), speaking with reference to Ahmadu Bello University, the information explosion has made it increasingly obvious that access to, rather than ownership of resources is the only way to  manage and exploit  resources. Especially for electronic resources, access to and sharing of resources are dependent on the automation of  library  operations  through the  use  of  Information  and  Communication Technologies (ICTs) (Garcia, 1996). It has been noted by the Mortenson Centre (2005) that the key to great libraries is providing access to the resources in a reliable, easy-to- use, and affordable manner. Access relies on several important factors including the catalogue and

developing a library website, robust local area network, adequate facilities and sufficient and reliable infrastructure.

According to Omoniroa (2001), this has been the reason for the interest of the Ahmadu Bello University libraries in the application of information and communication technologies to the automation of its operations as long ago as 1972.

The computer systems that perform the various operations in the library exist in two forms: hardware and software. Hardware refers to the physical components of the system that can be felt. Alhasaan (2003) defined hardware as referring to all the physical devices that  make up  a  computer system.  On the  other  hand,  software refers to  the  detailed instructions that control the operation of a computer system. In the words of Norton (1992), software refers to the program which instructs the system to carry out the required tasks. Rowley (1998) defined software as a suite of programs that are packaged together because they perform a specific function. In her publication on the choice of library application software, Oketunji (2003) defined software as denoting the program of defined sequences of instructions that computers execute to accomplish given information processing tasks. One can refer to computer software as a program. In that sense, Burton and Petrie (1991) defined a computer program as a set of instructions to the micro-computer designed to carry out a desired operation. The computer is functionless without a program or software. This prompted Nwalo (1999) to  say that  ‘without software, the computer can neither understand nor obey instructions; it would be like a mere log of wood’.

Historically, the computer industry distinguished two classes of software: systems software and application software. Rowley (1998) listed three different types of software as

follows: (i) operating system (ii) utility software (iii) application software. The software of interest in this study is the application software. Application software is a sequence of instructions that will tell the computer what to do, how to manipulate data and how to relate to users.

Choice of application software is so crucial to success of any library because if a library should choose the wrong software, it will affect the entire operations in that library. Chisenga (1996) noted that in the process of choosing the right system, a number of factors may play influential roles. Nwalo (1999) added that one of the important decisions to be made by any library in the process of automation is the choice of software. Research findings by Chisenga (1996), Rowley (1994, 1998), Oketunji (2003) have it  that it  is preferable to use a well-tested package that  is established in a market, where several applications similar to that being considered are available for examination. As Nigerian research and  academic  libraries  began to  computerize their  library operations, certain software packages were tried.   Adogbeji (2004) found out that out of seven libraries considered, software selection and acquisition was imposed by management decision in three of the libraries. Four libraries based their decision on what was heard about the software during conferences, workshops or seminars, while none of the libraries based her decision on systems analysis.

Librarians make use of application software for such tasks as ordering of materials and  registration of  students.  A  number  of  factors  are  considered  in  choosing  library software. Rowley (1998) identified them as other people’s experiences, cost, originator, supplier, language, operating system, hardware, ease of use, documentation and advice in setting up. On his own part, Oketunji (2003) gave some necessary guidelines in selecting

library application software; these include hardware peripherals, rights in respect of software, history of the supplier, etc.  In choosing library software, the history of the software should be considered, that is, whether it has been supportive to library operators, or whether  it  has  been compatible with the  library’s database, or hardware. This  led Howden (2000) to advise that one should be sure the software is compatible with the kind of printer, scanner, modem, or other peripheral devices one wishes to use it with.

Research and academic libraries are at  the forefront in the use of computer and information technologies in Nigeria. A number of these libraries in Nigeria attempted to automate their operations in the early 70s and 80s without much success, but Idowu and Mabawonku (1999) noted that from the early 90s more successful implementation efforts were recorded. For instance, in 1991, most of the federal universities were to be supplied with books and journals under the NUC/World Bank Credit facility agreement, and one of the  conditions  in  the  agreement  was  that  the  libraries  would  automate  their  services.

The most widely used software in academic and research libraries in the early years were CDS/ISIS and TINLIB.

The Micro Computer Documentation System Integrated Set of Information Systems (Micro CDS/ISIS) is a package designed by UNESCO to assist libraries in managing their resources.   Madu   (2004)   remarked   that   UNESCO   released   the   CDS/ISIS   for microcomputers  in   1985.   Version  2.0,   released   in   1989   has   addition  of  Pascal programming. Idahosa (2001) added that the CDS/ISIS is a non-numerical bibliographic information  storage  and  retrieval  software  package  designed  for  small,  special  and corporate libraries as well as sections of large academic libraries.

UNESCO’s intention in developing CDS/ISIS, according to Hopkinson (1998) was to benefit developing countries in which library and information services had no easy and affordable access to software. CDS/ISIS is a package that has been developed for bibliographic information, that is, information about documents such as books, journal articles or conference proceedings. Mahmood (1998) noted that CDS/ISIS has multilingual nature and that text on menus and worksheets can be important features of the program. The package is available in many languages including English and French; and it  has features that allow it to function in a multi-access environment.

Some special libraries have used this software, for instance the Lagos Business School (LBS) library which adopted the CDS/ISIS mainly because of its no-cost nature. As noted by Idahosa (2001),

the LBS considered that an in-house software should be developed. Efforts were made using FoxPro, however, its shortcoming made it impracticable to use. It was at this point that CDS/ISIS was considered as a necessary option, based on zero cost availability, and the librarian’s working knowledge of the package. Accepting CDS/ISIS as the software for the library automation was just the beginning of a long process of convincing, negotiating, and educating the computer department and management (p.62).

However, despite the advantages and functions of CDS/ISIS, some libraries discarded it  for some other software due to some reasons. For instance, according to Bozimo (2006), after examining and testing CDS/ISIS on sample collections, the heads of six university libraries decided against its use because it was not integrated with library management software.

On the other hand, TINLIB, widely used systems application software in libraries, was introduced in 1993 as part of the World Bank Loan Project in Nigeria. The National Universities Commission (NUC) introduced TINLIB software for Online Public  Access Catalogue (OPAC)  for  use  in  Federal University libraries.  Some  state  universities also followed suit and adopted this software (Faniran, 2001). According to Oyinloye (2004), TINLIB is a management software package developed by Information Management and Engineering (IME) ltd. It is considered to be one of the most widely used library software. This is because it is user-friendly and very easy to understand. The most spectacular of its features are Browsen and Navigate search facilities, query search techniques, filter technique and validation facilities.

TINLIB has  some excellent  features that  prompted some  libraries to  select  and purchase it instead of some other software. Kenneth Dike Library for instance, decide at the beginning, to use Mini-Micro CDS/ISIS that was donated to the library by UNESCO in 1998, but  because of the  inadequacy of CDS/ISIS as  mentioned  by Ikem (2000), the  library eventually chose the IMES TINLIB software – a network version that was installed in 1993. Oyinloye (2004) listed some of the features that make TINLIB preferred over other library software as: (i) the availability of catalogue and retrieval module; (ii) circulation control; (iii) acquisitions module; (iv) serials management module, etc. However, it was discarded by some libraries for a locally developed software called X-LIB that was designed to meet the library’s immediate needs and was more flexible.

X-LIB was developed at the Raw Materials Research and Development Centre in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria (Bozimo, 2006) as a local library software developed to meet the immediate needs of Nigerian libraries. It is commonly used in polytechnics and colleges of

education, although some universities have started adopting it. The system, according to Oyinloye  (2004),  completely  automates  the  management  of  the  library  –  acquisitions, catalogue and other allied readers’ services. X-LIB has been in use in Nigerian libraries since

1996. It is a windows-based package and it is a product of a local effort accepted by Madu and Adeniran (2004).Anaeme (2006) reveals that the Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, Nsukka started with a computerized list of Serials Holdings of the library using the university mainframe computer. The  library management  later opted for  automated cataloguing systems using TINLIB.

Recently, new library software has been introduced to Nigerian libraries. Library automation software called LIB+ has been acclaimed by the Nigerian Library Association as a major breakthrough in library management in Nigeria (F. Akinshola, Personal Communication. September, 2007). LIB+ is an upgrade of X-LIB. In other words, both software are somewhat related in the sense that both have the same functionality only that some features have been added to LIB+ in a bid to make it a better software. X-LIB and LIB+ have such modules as acquisitions, cataloguing, circulation and enquiries. Little has been done to compare these two software and to ascertain reasons for changing or not changing from one to the other.

Statement of the Problem

Software  proficiency  is  a  big  determinant  of  effective  computer  application  in libraries. The poor use of computers in library operations can be caused in part by inadequacies of the selected software (Adogbeji, 2004). One of the most important decisions to be made by any library in the process of automation is therefore, the choice of software that will best meet the needs of the library.   Since the introduction of computerization,

Nigerian academic and special libraries have tried various software without consensus on the most appropriate and proficient one. After trying other types, a number of libraries adopted the X-LIB software due to such capabilities as the menu-driven feature, which provides options like acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, systems administration (Oketunji, 2004). Some of these libraries have recently upgraded their software from X-LIB to LIB-PLUS, which purports to  be an upgraded version of X-LIB. However, little  has been done to document the reasons for these choices. A few studies (Akinshola, 2007; Odumole, 2005) have examined software proficiency in individual libraries which amounts to software migration, such as the change from GLAS to X-LIB in the Petroleum Training Institute (Adogbeji, 2004) and from CDS/ISIS to TINLIB in Kenneth Dike Library (Ikem, 2000). However, out of the afore-mentioned studies, none vividly examined the reasons behind the proficiency of software such as of X-LIB and LIB+. The problem of this study put in the form of question becomes: what is the comparative assessment of X-LIB and LIB+ software by academic and special libraries in Nigeria?

Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to undertake a comparative assessment of X-LIB and

LIB+ software by academic and special libraries in Nigeria.

Specifically, the study is conducted to:

1.  Identify the software packages that have been used in the selected academic and special libraries;

2.  Find out the criterion applied in selection of software in academic and special libraries using X-LIB and LIB+;

3.  Find out the libraries’ assessment of X-LIB and LIB+ library software;

4.  Ascertain the extent to which the software has met the purpose for the use;

5.  Compare problems of library software applications in academic and special libraries;

6.  Determine strategies for enhancing effective application of X-LIB and LIB+ in academic and special libraries in Nigeria.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study are expected to go a long way in helping librarians to make decisions and also help them to discover the best ways to integrate choices with their library operations. It  will educate librarians on the necessity of computer application to library operations. The traditional way of doing things in the library is still the order of the day in some academic and special libraries. But with this study, a number of people will begin to appreciate library software applications, especially when they see how computers can be applied to boost the traditional functions of the library.

Secondly, software designers will gain from the findings of this study, as this study will reveal how academic and special libraries rate the software employed in their libraries. This will enable the designers learn from their mistakes and improve on the development of the library software.

Researchers in Library and Information Studies will gain from this study in that it will widen their horizon of knowledge in the area of library automation. It will give them insight

on the available software used in libraries and how they are utilized. Moreover, this study will fill the gap in knowledge created by previous researchers in this area.

Scope of the Study

This research was limited to academic and special libraries in Nigeria that make use of X-LIB and LIB+ software. This is with a view to eliciting information on the reason why they did or did not upgrade their software.

Research Questions

In line with the set objectives of this study, the following research questions were formulated to guide the research:

1. What software packages have been used in the selected academic and special libraries?

2. What criterion was applied in selections of software in academic and special libraries using X-LIB and LIB+?

3. What are the libraries’ assessments of X-LIB and LIB+ library software?

4. To what extent has the software met the purpose for its use in libraries?

5.  What  are the problems of software applications in academic and special libraries in

Nigeria?

6. What are the strategies for enhancing effective application of X-LIB and LIB+ library software in academic and special libraries in Nigeria?

Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis was tested:

Ho:  There is no significant [p<0.05] difference in the assessment of X-LIB and LIB+ library software by librarians in academic and special libraries.

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