Dr Oluwaseun Omowumi Akin-Fakorede, Imelda Barrong Edam-Agbor & Elizabeth-Amu Opinion Iyamba
Abstract
The study evaluated the readiness of public university libraries in Cross River State to fully adopt digital archiving and e-library services. It was guided by two research questions and two hypotheses. The study covered the two public universities in Cross River State: University of Calabar and University of Cross River State. The sampling technique adopted was a census approach making use of the entire population of 45 professional librarians and 33 ICT/library support staff in the study area. A descriptive survey research design was utilized to examine infrastructural readiness, staff competency, policy framework, and funding availability for digital archiving and e-library implementation. Data was collected with the aid of an instrument tagged “Digital Library Readiness Assessment Questionnaire” (DLRAQ), a validated instrument with Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients ranging from 0.78 to 0.86. Mean, standard deviation and population t-test were used for data analysis. Findings revealed, among others, a moderate level of infrastructural readiness in both universities, but inadequate funding and gaps in advanced digital archiving skills among staff. It is recommended, among others, that university management and relevant government agencies should increase funding allocation, strengthen ICT infrastructure, and provide continuous professional development programmes to enhance digital archiving and e-library service delivery.