NAME: ENEMALI, Wada Celestine
Reg. No.: MIM/EDUC/10399/2008-09
Course: LIBS 883 - Online Information Industries.
Implementing a National Virtual Library for higher institutions in Nigeria is a research paper in which the researcher studied the National Library Virtual Project Initiatives in Nigeria.
The paper clears the misconceptions about what a virtual library is and differentiated it from e-library and digital library . A Virtual library is that which provides access to tools such as databases, e-journals, alerting services, e-reference and quality vetted e-resources. An e-library consist of electronic materials and services, while a digital library consist of digital services and materials that are sttored, processed and transferred via binary device and network. Virtual library consist of both digital and electonic library existing virtually. These were the distinction given by the researcher in his attempt to differentiate a virtual library from e-library and digital library. He also listed the characteristics of digital library.
The challenges of implementing a virtual library in Nigeria were discussed. Misconception of what constitute a virtual library, unavailability of the basic infrastructure, poor policy implementation and lack of web techologise skilled digital/system Librarians were identified as challenges of implementing national library virtual initiatives in Nigeria.
The roles of National Library Virtual Initiatives were listed to include improve quality of teaching and research in institution of higher learning in Nigeria, enhance access of academic libraries in the education community in Nigeria to global library and information resources amonst others.
The paper also discussed the steps in building a virtual Library. Digitization and acquisition and collection development were the steps in building a virtual library. The enabling technology for a virtual library was also highlighted. They are web-basedtechnologies, extensive markup language, cascading style sheets, PHP coding and webscripting language.
The roles of the National Information Technology, National University Commission and Academic Librarians in building a virtual library were also discussed. The issues to be handled in Nigeria before successful implementation of National Virtual library initiatives can take place were enumerated.
Finally, the researcher recommended the training of Librarians and information professionals, the use of open access software and open access electronic resources, improvement of basic infrastructure, inclusion of Librarians and information professionals in all virtual library initiatives and shift in emphasis to access rather than ownership as some of the ways forward in the imjplementation of a virtual library initiatives in Nigeria.
CRITICAL ASSESSMENT
The paper does not comment on the issues of renumerations and other allowances for the members of the National Virtual Project at the National Universities Commission; were they adequately compensated for the job?
Another issue to be tackled is the issue of lack of understanding among the members of the project. Investigations need to be done on how members were selected to know their capabilities, intersts and political inclinations to avoid repetition of any mistake that could lead to any failure at the National Library.
Lastly, the writer tends to compare what is obtainable in the developed countries, like USA, to that of Nigeria. Nigeria needs time to get to where the developed countries are today.
Posted by Enemali, Wada Celestine.
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1 comment:
Mr Wada's precis follows the standard of what a summary should be. he copiously refers to the principal work, and this will serve to attract a neutral reader or reseacher to seek for the main paper from which the summary is drawn.
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