Abstract
The purpose of the study is to investigate the digital preservation practices in institutional repositories (IRs) in Nigeria. Data from the IRs developed in university libraries in Nigeria was collected in three phases: initial phone calls, website investigation, and questionnaire. After the phone calls to librarians and website investigation of libraries of the 141 approved universities in Nigeria, the researchers found only 15 university libraries to have developed institutional repositories in Nigeria. Out of these numbers, 12 respondents, representing their university libraries were reached to respond to the questionnaire. Results from the study showed that the majority of IRs in Nigeria used DSpace software to manage their digital contents and that half of the IRs engage in information migration. The study also revealed that the majority of the responding institutions provide long-term digital preservation. Regrettably, most of the IRs do not have a digital preservation policy to guide the implementation of digital preservation for IR contents. Finally, the majority of the respondents indicated that they do not have long-term funding and lack the necessary technical staff with required skills to handle and manage the IR. The findings will inform information professionals, particularly librarians in developing countries who are planning to create institutional repositories and to provide long-term digital preservation of electronic resources in their institutions.
About the authors
Kingdom H. Kari is the Acting University Librarian, Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, P. M. B.126, Yenagoa. He is presently pursuing his PhD in Library and Information Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. He has published in international LIS journals.
Ebikabowei E. Baro is Senior Librarian, Federal University Library, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. He is a doctoral student in LIS at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. He has published widely. An article that he co-authored with G. Prinye Otiode: “Electronic Theses and Dissertations and Institutional Repositories: Roadmap to Research Visibility in Africa,” appeared in Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture 43. 3 (2014): 114–26.
Acknowledgment
This work was funded by Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Abuja, Nigeria. The authors sincerely appreciate the funding agency for their support.
Appendix 1
Digital Preservation Practices in University Libraries: A Survey of Institutional Repositories in Nigeria
Letter of Introduction
Dear Sir/Madam
We are staff of the Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, conducting research on Digital Preservation Practices in University Libraries in Nigeria. We solicit your assistance by responding to the questionnaire. We promise that the data collected will be used mainly for academic purposes.
Thanking you in advance.
The Researchers.
Questionnaire
Name of Institution …………………………
What software is being used to preserve content in your Institutional Repository (IR)? ……………………………….
What are the digital preservation strategies employed in your IR?
Migration [ ]
Emulation [ ]
Encapsulation [ ]
Refreshing [ ]
Others (please specify) ………………………
What level of digital preservation is the IR currently providing?
Short-term (access to the content for a defined period of time)
Medium-term (continued access beyond changes in technology for a defined period of time).
Long-term (access to the content for an indefinite period of time).
Does the IR have a preservation policy?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Does the IR have collection criteria in place to ensure the quality of submitted content?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
How is content deposited in your IR?
Author self-archiving [ ]
By third party on behalf of author [ ]
By repository staff [ ]
Others (please specify) ……………….
Does the IR have the necessary agreements in place with content contributors/authors?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Comments …………………………………………………
What type of agreement does the IR have with content contributors/authors?
Online click through agreement [ ]
Written agreement [ ]
Verbal agreement [ ]
MOUs [ ]
Others (please specify) ………………………………….
Does the IR have sustainable funding?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Comments ………………………………………………………….
Does the IR have adequate staff to carry out digital preservation activities?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
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