An Assessment of Computer Literacy Skills of Professionals in Nigerian University Libraries
| Date | 01 February 2006 |
| Published date | 01 February 2006 |
| Pages | 10-14 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/07419050610660735 |
| Author | Esharenana E. Adomi,Silvester O. Anie |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
An Assessment of Computer Literacy Skills of
Professionals in Nigerian University Libraries
Esharenana E. Adomi and Silvester O. Anie
10 LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 2 2006, pp. 10-14, #Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/07419050610660735
Introduction
Computer literacy has to do with
taking control of one's computer and
not letting it control one; an individual
is computer literate when he feels he is
telling the computer what to do and not
the other way round; it is the ability to
manage the relentless bits and bytes
flooding one's electronic desktop on a
regular basis; it is the ability to
systematically ± yet flexibly-
communicate this management process
to other people; it is not necessarily
knowing what button to push, but it is
knowing the difference between a
world processor and a text editor, a
spreadsheet and a database program, or
a local disk drive and a network file
server; computer literacy is knowing
what a computer can and cannot do
(Morgan, 2004).
The ability to use a computer
effectively for various tasks has become
a skill that is increasingly lauded as an
essential part of everyone's education.
Skills that were once regarded menial,
such as bookkeeping, clerical and
administrative work, stocktaking, and
so forth now constitute the main subset
of computerised practerises that form
the core ``IT skills'' package:
spreadsheets, word processors and
databases (Reffell and Whitworth,
2002).
The use of computers and
communication technologies in
information handling and processing
has arisen as a result of the increased
workload involved in coping with
information explosion. In order to keep
pace with handling the increasing
number of information carriers,
computers are used to handle
information processing with greater
speed and accuracy then manual
processing; access to information
processed by computer is instant and
can also be accessible over long
distance regardless of which the
information is processed-this is possible
through telecommunications technology
(Aina, 2004).
In this information technology (IT)
driven age, every one requires
computer, competence/skills to survive.
Within the professional work (including
LIS profession), organizations are
finding it necessary to train and re-train
their employees to establish or increase
their knowledge of computers (Tyler,
1998). This is so because a wide range
of activities in organizations (including
the library) require the use of computers
to perform them. According to Morgan
(2004) the tools of librarianship are
your brain, your peers, and your
computer; the brain enables the staff to
think creatively and systematically,
peers enable librarians to work together
to achieve the goals of the organization,
while computers provide the most
powerful means for implementing the
ideas created by the interaction of the
first and second tools-brain and that
librarianship requires the mastering of
all three tools in order to do quality
work, adding that in today's world,
nobody would trust a librarian whose
profession is about information and
knowledge who did not know how to
master a computer.
Morgan (1998) asserts that the
computer tools librarians need to use to
accomplish specific computer tasks
involve editing text, organizing text and
disseminating text, that is text editors
and word processors, spreadsheets and
databases, and local and networked
services respectively.
Until recently; information
technologies were neither available nor
affordable in Nigeria. Only very few
libraries had access to computers and
most of them were located in research
institutes or international organizations.
Owing to this slow pace in automation,
individual libraries became
autonomous in its approach to
computerization, each tailoring its
collection and services to its limited and
secluded clientele. Consequently,
Nigerian libraries became more
oriented towards collection than access;
thus library and information services in
Nigeria failed to transcend the
traditional activities such as reference
and information services, circulation,
interlibrary loan/exchange, photocopy,
selective dissemination of information
and manual compilation of
bibliographies. However, the application
of IT in Nigerian libraries has today
become an acceptable norm and is the
most realistic way and means of
providing timely, accurate and efficient
services (Daniel et al., 2003). The
application and use of computers is now
widespread in Nigerian libraries
(especially academic, research and
special libraries).
The adoption of computers in
Nigerian libraries requires the staff to
acquire/possess computer skills which
can enable them to manipulate the
machines. Ivancevich and Matteson
(1996) have accordingly noted that the
information age which is sweeping the
world requires manages (personnel)
who understand and can use the
products of computer; that computer
abilities are essential because using
computers substantially increases the
staffs productivity. Okiy (2005a) posits
that power will rest largely on staff that
possess multiple skills and employment
of librarians will be based on skills in
technology applications in the new
information age, noting further that
library staff will be expected to provide
leadership in computer application,
internet capabilities and CD-ROM
technologies; therefore librarians in the
new digital age will be more
To continue reading
Request your trial