Age and exposure to computers as determinants of attitudes of librarians towards automation in Nigerian universities

Purpose – The paper seeks to examine age and exposure to computers as determinants of librarians’ attitudes towards library automation in Nigerian universities.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a survey approach to determine the attitudes of academic librarians in Nigeria.Findings – The investigation shows that an overwhelming majority of the librarians registered a high and positive attitude towards library automation. However, the two variables of interest to this study were found not to influence the librarians’ attitudes towards library automation. Also, several university libraries in Nigeria are yet to be automated due to some identified impediments like: financial constraints, shortage of IT personnel, irregular electric power supply, poor communication facilities, and absence of a national policy on information technology.Practical implications – Generally librarians, system administrators, university authorities, IT researchers, and the National Universities Commission of Nigeria will ...

[1]  H. Lærum,et al.  Doctors' use of electronic medical records systems in hospitals: cross sectional survey , 2001, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[2]  Maryam Alavi,et al.  Revisiting DSS Implementation Research: A Meta-Analysis of the Literature and Suggestions for Researchers , 1992, MIS Q..

[3]  R. L. Babcock,et al.  Computer anxiety in young and older adults: Implications for human-computer interactions in older populations , 1997 .

[4]  Leon G. Schiffman,et al.  Value orientations of new-age elderly: The coming of an ageless market , 1991 .

[5]  Martin Engström.  Use and Development of Information Technology at two University Libraries in Costa Rica , 2001 .

[6]  F. W. Lancaster,et al.  Has Technology Failed Us? , 1990, Essen Symposium.

[7]  H. Triandis.  Attitude and attitude change , 1971 .

[8]  Peter Scott,et al.  University Leadership: The Role of the Chief Executive , 2000 .

[9]  Ahmed H. Helal,et al.  Information Technology and Library Management. Festschrift in Honour of Margaret Beckman. Papers Presented at the International Essen Symposium (13th, Essen, West Germany, October 22-25, 1990). , 1991 .

[10]  Michael E. Wallace.  Brave New Workplace , 1989 .

[11]  Micaela Waldman,et al.  Freshmen's use of library electronic resources and self-efficacy , 2003, Inf. Res..

[12]  Glenn S. McGuigan.  Databases vs. the Web , 2001 .

[13]  Ananda Mitra,et al.  Faculty Use and Non-Use of Electronic Mail: Attitudes, Expectations and Profiles , 2006, J. Comput. Mediat. Commun..

[14]  Andy Smith,et al.  Human-Computer Factors: A Study of Users and Information Systems , 1997 .

[15]  Steven L. Mandell.  Computers and Information Processing: Concepts and Applications , 1992 .