Evaluation of electronic service infrastructures and quality of e-services in Nigerian academic libraries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the quality of online services in academic libraries in Nigeria. It seeks to assess the functionality of electronic infrastructures, to expose areas where the service needs of users are not adequately provided and to recommend solutions. Design/methodology/approach – The sample population was 210 staff and students who used electronic resources in Nigerian university libraries during the 2012-2013 academic session. A questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. Modified WebQual four performance indicators were designed and used to measure: library equipment, library website, online public access catalogue (OPAC) and e-user education in the university libraries. The five-point service performance scale that ranged from very poor performance to excellent was used in measuring the views of the respondents. Findings – None of the indicators was rated excellent; six were rated good; nine were average; two and five indicators scored poor and very ...

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