ABSTRACT
The study Assessment of Library Application Software Packages for Library Operations and Services in Federal University Libraries in North Western States of Nigeria was conducted to assess automation of library operations and services in Nigerian University Libraries. This is because efforts are being put forward to improve on the library operations and services from being manually driven to electronically driven where information work is most done traditionally. Application of library management Software to library services could facilitate effective participation in the information sharing methods. Four objectives were achieved by formulating and answering four research questions for the study. The objectives were to find out the types of application software packages available for library operations and services in federal university libraries in North Western states of Nigeria, identify the criteria that influenced the choice of software, find out the ICT infrastructure and strategies put in place for the sustainability of the software packages and to ascertain the challenges affecting the full implementation and utilization of automation software packages in federal university libraries, Survey method was adopted for the study. The research instruments used to collect data for the study were questionnaire and interview. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 218 sample subjects from five federal universities where library automation has begun. That is 113 subjects from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 36 from Bayero University, Kano, 34 from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, 15 from Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State and 20 from Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State. Data were presented in frequency tables and percentages. Analysis and discussions were made to each table. Findings of the study revealed that all university studied are making use of KOHA, Virtua and E-lib as well as DSpace and Greenstone to manage their digital information resources, that available module, functionality and open source features are some of the criteria used to choose the software packages. Again the finding revealed that all universities have put in place high-speed Internet connectivity, high capacity bandwidth, Institutional websites and are also conducting appropriate training at the introduction of the software, purchase after study and evaluation of software and are involving library staff in the acquisition and management of the software packages. The study concluded that these universities are confronted by inadequate funding; inadequate technical expertise and rapid software obsolescence were discovered as bane to successful implementation of automation software application packages. Based on these findings several recommendations were made such as the need to apply other Inter library loan software for Serial Management software, Reference Management Software; Digital Management software as far as information delivery is concerned, the need to consider major factors such as the Knowledge on how to identify software available in the Market, cost features, product quality, and compatibility with other programs, data migration or data transfers, record of vendor, operational efficiency, should put in place state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure such as functional library porter and high capacity server machine. In addition, university libraries should involve library staff in the process of procuring and managing library application software packages, interact with vendors and also involve library staff in decision making as part of strategies for the sustainability of library application software packages in the library and need to procure standard ICT facilities and power backups such as power inverter to complement standby generators and National Power Supply Companies in order to have up and running library automation system in federal university libraries.
