Interview with Esharenana E. Adomi
| Pages | 37-39 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/07419050410567380 |
| Date | 01 September 2004 |
| Published date | 01 September 2004 |
| Author | Julia Gelfand |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Interview with Esharenana E. Adomi
Julia Gelfand
LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 8 2004, pp. 37-39, #Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/07419050410567380 37
Introduction
The Editors try to introduce readers
to some of the people ``behind the
scenes'' of Library Hi-Tech News
(LHTN). It is important that we have
stationed several key and well-
connected librarians around the world
who can share what is happening in
those regions professionally and help us
cultivate new authors or contributors.
One of those regional editors for Africa
is Esharenana E. Adomi. He joined the
Delta State University in Abraka,
Nigeria as a member of the library staff
in 1993 and worked there where he held
different positions head of cataloguing
operations, collection development
librarian and serials librarian. He
became a lecturer in the Department of
Library and Information Science, Delta
State University, Abraka on January 22,
2004. Professional service includes that
he has been the secretary of the
Nigerian Library Association, Delta
State Chapter since 2000. In addition to
serving as a contributing Editor for
LHTN, Adomi is a member of the
Editorial Advisory Board of The
Electronic Library and the article ``A
survey of cybercafe in Delta State,
Nigeria'' published in Vol. 21 No. 5,
2003 of The Electronic Library which
he co-authored with two other
colleagues won the most outstanding
paper for the 2003 volume. This
interview was conducted by e-mail
correspondence in early summer 2004.
Q1. Esharenana Adomi, as a lecturer in
the Department of Library and
Information Science at Delta State
University in Abraka, Nigeria, please
share with us your background where
you received your education and
training, and what are your
responsibilities in this new position, and
what do you teach and research?
Answer. I attended the University of
Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria where I
obtained my BEd in English and MLS;
Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
where I obtained an MEd degree in
guidance and counselling and where I
am currently studying for a PhD degree
in library science. As a lecturer, I am
currently the coordinator of the
Students Industrial Work Experience
Scheme (SIWES); that is, I am in
charge of industrial training practice
work/field work/library practice program
of the students; I am also in charge of
screening of new entrants to the
department and for each application in
cataloguing and classification, indexing
and abstracting, collection, development,
and automation/computer. I am currently
deeply involved in information and
communications technology (ICT)
research.
Q2. Prior to accepting your current
position, you were affiliated with the
Delta Sate University Library. What did
you do there and how long where you
on the staff there?
Answer. In the University library, I
worked as cataloger, then head of
cataloging operations, collection
development librarian and finally
serials librarian in the university
library. I was in the library from
January 6, 1993 to January 21, 2004.
Q3. You are a contributing Editor for
Library Hi-Tech News and have
introduced our readers to what is
happening in our profession on the
continent of Africa. What do you see as
the major challenges in academic
libraries in your region?
Answer. The academic libraries in my
region are faced with some challenges.
There is the problem of underfunding
which most of the academic libraries in
the region grapple with. Underfunding
has made the libraries unable to
subscribe to adequate relevant journals
in the different courses offered in the
institutions as well as keep pace with
trends in ICT. Most of the libraries are
yet to be fully automated; most libraries
are yet to be connected to the Internet; a
majority of the libraries have not been
able to establish presence on the Web,
etc. Professionals (especially the older
generation) are faced with the
challenges of retraining to keep pace
with modern trends in ICT. These are
challenges faced by academic libraries
in the region.
Q4. You are obviously well connected
professionally into a strong network of
colleagues. Can you please share how
librarians in your part of the world
communicate with and depend on each
other for professional advancement and
development?
Answer. Librarians in Africa
communicate with each other in various
ways. They communicate via e-mail,
telephone/mobile phone, postal system,
personal contact. They share
knowledge, ideas and stills at
conferences/workshops/seminars and in
departmental meetings. Most of the
conferences/workshops/seminars are
organized by professional associations
in each country. Professional associations
have newsletters with which they
communicate information to members.
Some of the associations have journals
where members publish their papers.
Library managements generally have
the responsibility to encourage their
staff to go for CPD programs by
sponsoring any staff that signifies
intention to attend such programs. Since
academic librarians need publication to
advance, senior colleagues generally
encourage and mentor younger
professionals to get published. Some of
the senior professionals normally show
the younger and newer librarians the
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