Academic Librarians Research Productivity amidst Open Access Resources: Issues and Challenges
Academic Librarians Research Productivity amidst Open Access Resources: Issues and Challenges
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Date
2017-11
Authors
Musa, Aminu Umar
Sahabi, Mohammed Kabir
Dahiru, Lawal
Dauda, Amishe
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Abstract
This study explores the factor that influencing the use of open access resources for research productivity by academic librarians in federal universities in Northwestern States of Nigeria. Two research questions and one hypothesis were formulated and tested. Out of 200 copies of questionnaire distributed to academic librarians in federal universities in Northwestern States of Nigeria, a total of 174 (87%) copies were returned duly completed and found useable for the study. The data collected were analyzed using frequency distribution tables and percentages, while the hypothesis was tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The results indicated that factors such as access policy, accessibility to scholarly literature at no cost, visibility and increased citation rate among others were considered as important factors resolving to use open access resources. On research productivity of academic librarians there are lack of enabling environment, positive working area and good facilities, low level of education, skills, training and low level of motivation. In view of the above challenges the study therefore, concludes that not scarcity of information resources, neither lack of awareness of myriad benefits of Open Access information resource hindered research productivity among academic librarians in the area covered by the study, since most of the respondents attested to the various benefit attached to the utilization of Open Access Resources. Hence, while measures should be taken to strengthen the facilitating condition and policies to improve effective use of open access resources for better research productivity, much more emphasis should be focused toward ameliorating inhibiting challenges on research productivity such as enabling environment, cordial relationship and collaboration, positive attitude towards conducting research, motivation, overloading teaching schedule and tenure, education and training of academic librarians need to be given adequate attention.
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Post-print Journal Article
Keywords
Open Access,, Research Productivity,, Academic Librarians,, Federal Universities in Nigeria