Research and Publication Productivity of Academic Staff of Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria
Abstract
Purpose: This study examined the research and publication productivity of the academic staff of Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria. This paper ascertained the research and publication productivity of academic staff in Auchi Polytechnic, identify the sources the academic staff commonly publish their research findings, examine the authorship pattern of the research and publication productivity of academic staff in Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, examine the factors that motivate academic staff in Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi in their research and publications productivity and identify the factors that hinder research and publication productivity of academic staff in Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi. Design/Methodology/Approach: Descriptive design adopted. The research instrument used for data collection in this study was the questionnaire. The total population is 836. However, 30% which is two hundred and fifty (250) of the total population was used in this study. Purposive sampling technique was adopted in this study. The researchers administered and retrieved the completed questionnaire from the respondents. The data to be obtained from the copies of the questionnaire retrieved from the respondents was analyzed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) to determine the frequency, percentage, mean score and standard deviation. Findings: This paper reported that majority of the academic staff used in this study research and publication productivity is between 6-10 and contribution to knowledge, Career advancement, Promotion, Recognition, Visibility, Institutional recognition, Prestige, Departmental recognition and Job satisfaction are the factors that motivate academic staff in Auchi Polytechnic to research and publication productivity. Research implication: Motivation such as promotion and publication based incentives such as training and retraining on research, regular funds; departmental support and building sophisticated research infrastructure from government and polytechnic management are among measures that could improve the research and publication productivity of academic staff of Auchi polytechnic Originality/Value: The paper provided valuable insight into the research and publication productivity of academic staff at Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi. The study pointed out the importance of research and publication productivity in terms of career advancement, contributing to knowledge, institutional visibility, and personal prestige. The study showcased the research and publication productivity of academic staff in Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi
Gender and Information Needs and Seeking Behaviour of Cataloguers in University Libraries in Edo and Delta States
Abstract
This study investigated Gender and Information Seeking Behaviour of Cataloguers in University Libraries in Edo and Delta States, Nigeria. The study employed a descriptive survey method and questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The population of this study consisted of fifty-two (52) cataloguers in all the university libraries in Edo and Delta States. The population of this study is relatively small and as such the entire population was used as the representative sample using purposeful sampling techniques. The researchers visited the sample institutions to administer the questionnaire. It was revealed from the study that male cataloguers often use list of subject headings compared to their female counterparts. Both sexes very often and often use classification schemes respectively in the process of performing their duties. Findings also show that there are more males cataloguers compared to females. Males and females cataloguers very often and often use Anglo-American Cataloguing Rule 2nd edition. The finding indicates that there is more female’s percentage in the use of Anglo-American Cataloguing Rule 2nd edition (AACR11) in the process of performing their task. The study also reveals that authority file is the least tool used by both sexes of cataloguers in the process of performing their duties. From the study, it is obvious that a majority of both male and female cataloguers consult the university’s main library when they are seeking for information. The study recommended that universities’ and libraries’ management should enact policies mandating cataloguers to be attending seminars, conferences and workshops because these are avenue where ideas can be shared on the advancement of their professional duties such as cataloguing and classification.
Sociology of Fourah Bay College Library as Critical Cultural-Social Space in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Abstract
The thought and modes of sociological study of Fourah Bay College library emanate predominantly from the sociology of communications and organisation, according to which a library is a social mechanism. The functional social function of this is to probe and form selections from the stream of engraved communications to systematise and stock the preferred publications and to form the streamed stock of publication accessible to a social public and to determine the social and cultural domination of the touch between the library and the students’ social community. The accomplishment of students in the future is lodged upon the social pillar established during years utilised at Fourah Bay College. Fourah Bay College library plays a critical functional social function in carving the future of students by nurturing them for intellectual engagement beyond the college. The college library as a fundamental presence of the college curriculum has considerable potential to carve students through contingent privileges for autonomous learning. The research will seek to find out the strategies that Fourah Bay College library exploits to advance students’ relational abilities in the onset of Information and Communication Technology. It will also examine the functional social function of Fourah Bay College library in broadening relational abilities progress amongst students to bolster authoritative social behaviour or intellectual self-determination. The research will explore the extent to which Fourah Bay College library can utilise technology to enhance interpersonal communication, thus enhancing social inclusion. The researcher will utilise a phenomenological prototype to point out the challenges and conveniences or opportunities facing Fourah Bay College library in traditional metropolitan Freetown to provide competent library services to students so that they can be appropriately processed for the electric technology motivated life predicated on such abilities like information social scholarship.
