The use and future of electronic books in academic institutions in Nigeria
| Date | 16 November 2012 |
| Published date | 16 November 2012 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02640471211282118 |
| Pages | 796-808 |
| Author | Bassil Ebiwolate Posigha |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
The use and future of electronic
books in academic institutions in
Nigeria
Bassil Ebiwolate Posigha
Niger Delta University Library, Wilberforce Island, Nigeria
Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to investigate the use and future of e-books in academic institutions in
Nigeria, to identify problems encountered in using e-books and ascertain the future of e-books in
academic institutions in Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a descriptive survey method supported by
a questionnaire. The population of the study consisted of basic medical sciences and faculty of
education lecturers made up of a total number of 122 academic staff.
Findings – Although the survey sampled response was not large, it represented the university’s
lecturers. The study reveals that all the academic staff sampled in the university make use of e-books.
It also shows that both faculties investigated encountered constraints in the course of using e-books.
Finally it indicated that researchers’ use of e-books would double in the future.
Research limitations/implications – Only 122 (20 per cent) of the entire population of the 640
lecturers participated in the study. Furthermore, the female and male respondents were not evenly
distributed. Hence, the size of the population and the uneven distribution of males and females
surveyed placed certain limitations on the level of generalization of the findings.
Practical implications – The findings of the study may encourage library authorities to purchase
and manage hardware and to negotiate for license issues for e-resources to be done on time. It is also
believed that the study will encourage the library to acquire more models of handheld devices and load
them with e-books from different vendors.
Originality/value – This is believed to be the first published study of the use and future of e-books
in Niger Delta University.
Keywords E-books, Gender,Academic staff, Education, Medicalsciences, Nigeria, Electronicbooks
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
An e-book is an electronic text that constitutes the digital media equivalent of a
conventional printed book, sometime restricted with a digital rights management system
(Adelakun, 2010). However, not all e-books have a paper version, some e-books are written
as born-digital books, while thousand of existing print works have been digitized, and a
small number are published in parallel with the printed. Some are produced
simultaneously with the production of a printed format, as described in electronic
publishing, though in many instances they may not be put on sale until later date. Often,
e-books are produced from pre-existing hard-copy books, generally by document
scanning, sometimes with the use of robotic book scanners, having the technology to
quickly scan books without damaging the original print edition. As a newer development,
sometimes only the electronic version of a book is produced by the publisher. It is also
possible to convert electronic book to a printed book by print on demand. Landoni (2003)
sees e-books more as an attempt to overcome the limitations of paper books.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0264-0473.htm
EL
30,6
796
Received December 2010
Revised April 2011
Accepted April 2011
The Electronic Library
Vol. 30 No. 6, 2012
pp. 796-808
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/02640471211282118
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