Challenges about Integration of Open Access to Libraries Collection Development Workflows in Nigeria

Abstract

This study was generally designed to investigate the challenges to the integration of OAR into libraries collections development workflow in Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the challenges to defining OA, and the challenges about making open access material a part of the collection development workflow. The survey method was used for the study. Collections development librarians in selected academic libraries in Nigeria were the target of this study. The questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument was administered on respondents via email and social media platforms. This was necessitated by the lockdown imposed by the government as a measure to curtail the spread of the dreaded Covid 19 pandemic. The questionnaire was designed to understand the challenges about defining OA and the challenges about making open access materials a part of the collection development workflow in academic libraries in Nigeria. One hundred and ninety four questionnaires were administered on collection development staff of the following institutions as follows: Federal university Libraries (22), State university libraries ( One hundred and seventy eight (178) questionnaires were however, completed and returned. This implies 92% return rate. All the respondents surveyed are members of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), and are certified by the Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN). Data were analyzed using graphical charts. The findings indicate that 60% and 20% of the respondents strongly agree and agree respectively that defining OA is a challenge to collection development; challenges about making OA part of collections development workflow include difficulty in discovering titles for OA selection 86%, OA materials have novel features 90%, OA preservation is complex 60%, licensing/ legal issues 86%, challenges about access and delivery of OA 76%, absence of OA in library school curriculum 80%, absence of OA in librarians' duty schedule 74%, lack of skills to handle OA integration 68%, slow internet speed and low bandwidth 88%, lack of ICT deployment 58%, erratic power supply 82%, lack of OA handling skills 74%, Others 12%.