Academic libraries are libraries established in higher institutions of learning such as Colleges of Education, Polytechnics, university, teacher training Colleges, Institute of Aviation among others too numerous to mention. They are meant to serve the teaching, learning, research, and community development of academic staff and other supporting staff of the institution.
Published in Chapter:
Infusion of Digital Technologies in the Sustainability of Academic Libraries: Opportunities and Threats
Rexwhite Tega Enakrire (Department of Information Science, University of South Africa, South Africa) and Joseph Kehinde Fasae (Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria)
Copyright: © 2022
|Pages: 13
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-3364-5.ch004
Abstract
Digital technologies are now incorporated into organizations for effective and efficient operations of their job performance. Many African countries are yet to advance into the technology phase whereas other parts of the world are already adopting digital technologies in their operations and service delivery. The qualitative research approach was applied in this study using a literature review to harvest different articles in online databases of Scopus and Web of Science. Findings indicate that digital technologies could be used in the sustainability of academic libraries through accessing, processing, gathering, manipulating, presenting, and communicating information in different format such that library users' information needs are met. Digital technologies such as smartphones, ebooks, blogs, social media, digital computers, scan machines, digital cameras, robotics, drones, etc. were used to support library and information services. The study recommends proactive steps by parent bodies to provide libraries with financial support to acquire necessary digital facilities.