خلاصة:
OPAC visibility, implementation of the cloud system and challenges of its adoption are the variables that define the crust of the research. The study, compartmentalizing the Nigerian University libraries, adopted the quantitative methods employing the use of observation and survey. A two-month long observation of the websites and OPAC of the studied universities was undertaken. The non-probability sampling - precisely purposive sampling - was deployed while the entire one hundred and sixty (160) Nigerian universities – as at 2018 – served as the sample size for the study. A questionnaire was designed to collect primary data on the availability of OPACs and adoption of cloud hosting in Nigerian university libraries. This was administered electronically via the email-boxes of virtual/systems librarians. Significant trends noticeable in the research findings include low visibility, in-house hosting of OPAC and indifference to the adoption of cloud computing with hosting (subscription) fee, downtime in internet connectivity and fear of vulnerability to hackers’ attack being the significant challenges. It is recommended that stakeholders should leverage on the existing consortium (platform) facilitated by Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) to benefit from the economy of scale in addition to collaboration with relevant global agencies. Furthermore, a synergy between the librarians and the ICT units should be strengthened for a better understanding of the technical challenges in order to provide appropriate solutions to them.
ملخص الجهاز:
Significant trends noticeable in the research findings include low visibility, in-house hosting of OPAC and indifference to the adoption of cloud computing with hosting (subscription) fee, downtime in internet connectivity and fear of vulnerability to hackers' attack being the significant challenges.
Findings (Oyintola, AbdSalam & Ajani, 2014; Issa, Idowu, Amusan, Ojokuku, Adedeji, & Oguntayo 2016) had reported challenges of work overload as a result of a shortage of personnel and poor staffing in many Nigerian university libraries.
Even though Hussaini, Vashistha, Garba and Jimah (2017) and Wada (2018), and similar authors identified the various opportunities that cloud computing possess for Nigerian university libraries, these and several articles have failed to address specifically the challenges that hinder OPACs from Nigeria from gaining global visibility via the advantages provided by cloud computing technology.
Objectives This study has as its primary objective to find out the adoption of cloud computing to host OPACs by university libraries in Nigeria thereby enhancing their visibility to the larger world.
To identify challenges of adopting cloud computing for hosting OPAC in Nigerian university libraries Research Questions Three basic guiding questions are driving this research, namely: 1.
Enefu, Gbaje and Aduku (2015) say that the cloud system has enabled the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to make library information and services available to its students dispersed across the country due to non- location specificity of the technology and unfettered accessibility.
The adoption of cloud computing technology for library services in the National Open University of Nigeria Library.
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