The effectiveness of web 2.0 in marketing academic library services in Nigerian universities: a case study of selected universities in South-South Nigeria.
Year: 2017
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of using Web 2.0 to market \nacademic libraries services in three purposively selected universities in South-South Nigeria. \nThe following research questions were addressed: \n1) What are the Web 2.0 tools used by academic libraries in South-South Nigeria? \n2) To what extent do academic libraries in South-South Nigeria use Web 2.0 tools to market \ntheir services? \n3) What policies do academic libraries in South-South Nigeria have to guide the \nimplementation of Web 2.0 tools for effective marketing of their services? \n4) What are the attitude and perception of librarians in South-South Nigeria towards the use \nof Web 2.0 tools to market their services? \nThe post-positivism paradigm was used to underpin the study with an exploratory survey \nresearch design. The population of the study consisted of librarians and students in the \ninstitutions surveyed. Purposive random sampling was used to select the respondents. The \nvalidity and reliability of the data collection instruments were achieved through the piloting \nand triangulation. Survey questionnaires and semi-structured face-to-face interviews were \nused to collect data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to sort, code and \nanalyse quantitative data, while thematic content analysis was used to analyse qualitative \ndata. \nThe results revealed that librarians and students in the selected universities in South-South \nNigeria were active users of Web 2.0 tools. The results further revealed that the most used \nWeb 2.0 tools were Facebook, Twitter, Instant Message, and Internet Forum. Moreover, it \nwas found that Web 2.0 tools were being used to promote library services, reach a new \naudience of potential users, push library news and press releases to users and provide quick \nupdates about the services to users as well as provide reference services online. The results \nshowed that librarians and students in the institutions surveyed have positive attitude and \nperception towards the use of Web 2.0 tools, and librarians desire to use Web 2.0 tools. \nStudents were interested in using Web 2.0, as librarians were anxious to learn modern ways \nof marketing library services. The results revealed a lack of policies to guide the \nimplementation of Web 2.0 tools for the marketing of library services in the institutions \nsurveyed. The results found the need to optimise the use of Web 2.0 tools to market library services through training of librarians, the provision of stable and/or alternative power \nsupply, the provision of adequate funding and facilities for the implementation of Web 2.0 \ntools. \nThis study has implications for practice, policy, methodology and theory. From the practical \nperspective, the study creates awareness about using Web 2.0 tools to market academic \nlibrary services widely to users anytime anywhere. The study also provides baseline \ninformation for improving access and use of library services in an environment of rising cost \nof journals and other information resources. The study also provides information upon which \nrelevant training programmes for librarians and students can be based to enhance provision \nand use of library services respectively. As far as policy is concerned, the study provides a \nframework for developing relevant policies and availing necessary resources to leverage \nopportunities created by new technologies for effective marketing of library services to the \nusers. Theoretically, the study contributes towards validating UTAUT in an academic library \nenvironment and from a developing country perspective regarding the constructs of \nbehavioural intention, effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence and \nfacilitating conditions. \nThe study recommends among other things the provision of adequate budget to libraries for \ninformation technology infrastructure development, capacity building, creating enabling and \nconducive institutional environment through relevant policies to optimise the use of Web 2.0 \ntools. The study also recommends the infusion of Web 2.0 into the General Studies (GS) \ncurriculum, a compulsory course at the entry level into the university that exposes students to \nliberal education.
Author: Faith Okite-Amughoro
Language: English
Topic: Web and Library Services
Subfield: Library and Information Sciences
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2612431804