Information Impact: Journal of Information and Knowledge Management

Curbing cyberbullying on Facebook: An analysis of mitigation strategies in universities in Kenya

Erick Ogolla — 2023-06-21

Cyberbullying is the wilful and repeated use of electronic devices and platforms to harm others. It is becoming increasingly practised amongst university students in digital spaces. This paper examines the mitigation strategies Kenyan university students and administrators adopt to help curb cyberbullying. The study underpinning this paper applied mixed methods research approach employing both qualitative and quantitative studies. The total population of undergraduate students was 610,563, while that of the dean of students was 49. The study used stratified and information-oriented sampling techniques. The study sample comprised 4,770 undergraduate students and 24 deans of students from 16 public and eight private chartered universities in Kenya. Quantitative data was collected from the students using questionnaires. Qualitative data was also collected from the students using focus group discussions and deans of students using key informant interviews. The study's findings indicate that students responded to cyberbullying by enhancing their online security, blocking perpetrators of cyberbullying, flagging and reporting offenders, seeking counselling, and taking legal action against them. The effectiveness of these strategies varied depending on the type of cyberbullying suffered. The authors conclude that cyberbullying is a prevalent socio-technological ill affecting undergraduate students in universities in Kenya. A myriad of strategies to cope with the vice has been adopted. However, this paper recommends concerted efforts of the students, deans of students, universities, government, and society in devising and implementing comprehensive strategies for curbing cyberbullying in universities in Kenya.

Information sources and climate change mitigation support

Adebowale Jeremy Adetayo — 2023-06-21

This study examined the relationship between information sources and support for climate change mitigation among undergraduates at Adeleke University. A simple random sampling technique was used to survey the students anonymously. Data analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that a majority of the 688 participants expressed support for climate change mitigation actions, such as reducing fossil fuel usage, planting trees, and reducing meat intake. The main sources of climate change information for students were Google, Television, friends, family, Facebook, Radio, YouTube, and Instagram. However, Twitter, newspapers, church/mosque, and religious leaders were not commonly used as primary sources. Notably, sourcing climate change information from newspapers had a significant positive relationship (p = 0.036) with support for mitigation measures. The study concluded that information sources play a crucial role in generating support for climate change mitigation efforts. It recommended promoting newspaper readership to enhance awareness and support for sustainable practices, collaborating with newspapers to feature informative climate change content, engaging with Twitter users for accurate information dissemination, and partnering with religious institutions to incorporate climate change messages into teachings and support grassroots initiatives.

Information literacy skills as predictor of electronic information resources use by lecturers in select private universities in South-West Nigeria

Jide Lawrence Ajayi — 2023-06-21

This study examined the influence of information literacy skills on electronic information resources (EIRs) use by lecturers in private universities in South-West, Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The target population for this study comprised 3201 lecturers in fifteen selected private universities in South-West, Nigeria which were established between 1999 and 2007. Out of 3201 study population, the researcher used Taro Yamane statistical formula to get a sample size of 356. A multistage sampling technique was adopted for the study. Bourley Proportional Distribution Formula was used to distribute the figure proportionally across the selected universities to ensure that the universities were proportionally represented. Data were collected with a validated questionnaire. The internal consistency of the instrument was measured using Cronbach’s alpha test which ranged from 0.74 – 0.96. A response rate of 76.2% was recorded. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings from the study revealed that information literacy skills (βeta=0.441, t (275) = 8.156, p<0.05) has a positive and significant influence on EIRs use by lecturers of universities in South-West, Nigeria.

Librarians’ ICT skills and service delivery in private universities in Nigeria

Titilayo C. Ilesanmi — 2023-06-21

This paper examined the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills of librarians for service delivery in private universities with particular reference to Southern Nigeria. The study adopted the survey research method. Forty-five (45) private university libraries in Southern Nigeria and their librarians constituted the sample size for the study. The study’s samples consisted of 181 librarians in the private universities, hence, total enumeration was adopted. Questionnaire was used for data collection from the respondents. Out of the 181 copies of the questionnaire distributed, 173 were returned and found valid for analysis. Data gathered was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21 and the results were presented in frequency count, percentage, mean and chart. Findings of the study revealed that librarians in private universities in Southern Nigeria delivered various library services to their users. The librarians have acquired basic ICT skills and were versatile in its application for Internet searches, information retrieval, social communication and Microsoft-office related activities with the exception of programming skills. Majority of the librarians acquired their ICT skills through self-learning. The finding revealed that the acquisition of ICT skills by librarians in Southern Nigeria private universities is relevant to their delivery of improved library services. The paper recommended that regular acquisition of relevant ICT skills is essential for librarians and university management should support librarians’ ICT capacity development at national and international levels as this would enhance their relevance and get them abreast of the latest development for effective service delivery.

Perceived Superiority Complex and Interpersonal Relationships in Medical Libraries in Nigeria: Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach

Oluyemi Folorunsho Ayanbode — 2023-06-21

This study examined the extent of library personnel's understanding of the concept 'superiority complex', its existence in medical libraries in Nigeria and how it influences their interpersonal relationships. The study adopted a quantitative method using a survey as the research design. Total enumeration sampling technique was used to select all library personnel in 300 medical libraries in Nigeria. An online questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency counts, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics using structural equation modeling. Seventy-eight library personnel participated in the study. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that the measurement model produced an acceptable fit: x2= 476.090, df= 328, CFI= 0.898, TLI= 0.882, RMSEA= 0.077(0.061-0.091), RMR=0.098 SRMR= 0.072. Further empirical evidence showed that even at moderate level, perceived superiority complex had negative relationship with interpersonal relationships among library personnel in medical libraries in Nigeria. The results suggest that a decrease in perceived superiority complex is highly beneficial to increasing positive interpersonal relationships among the participants. Wherefore, the significance of the findings of this study lies in the fact that it will create awareness on the need to identify the affected library personnel for appropriate counselling or psychotherapy recommendation. Self-assessment and seeking help are also crucial to reducing the level of superiority complex and checking attitudes that are detrimental to positive interpersonal relationships and professionalism.

Availability, accessibility and use of library information resources for control of criminality of inmates in correctional centres in South-West, Nigeria

Ayobami Mufutau Asiru — 2023-06-21

The act of relapsing to crime after release has become a recurrent decimal to inmate and it poses a security threat to the society. Persistence on incarceration of offenders without meaningful engagement is like remaking criminality rather than reformation. Extant literature suggests educational opportunities to reduce criminal involvement of inmates. This research investigated the availability, accessibility and use of library information resources for control of criminality among inmate in custodial centres in Southwestern Nigeria. Descriptive Survey Design was used and the population was 455 inmates who affirmed that tapes, radio sets, television sets, sound recording gadgets, video and audio cassette were available for use by inmates in their custodial centre (mean = 3.20), books were adequately available for use by inmates in their custodial centre (mean = 3.06) and pamphlets were parts of reading materials available for use by inmates in their custodial centre (mean = 2.62). The mean score range of 2.50 to 3.24 indicated a high level of availability while 3.25 to 4.00 indicated a very high level of accessibility of library information resources in the custodial centres in Southwestern Nigeria. It was concluded that with the availability and accessibility of library information resources to the inmates, the maximum use of the resources is capable of controlling criminality tendencies among inmates in custodial centres in Southwestern Nigeria.

Librarians as change agents for sustainable library and information service delivery in a digital society

Millie N. Horsfall — 2023-06-21

This paper investigates the role of Librarians as change agents for sustainable library and information service delivery in a digital society. The purpose of the study were: to ascertain the types of Library and information service delivery; to investigate Librarians’ role as change agents for sustainable library and information service delivery; to find out the challenges librarians face as change agents for sustainable library and information service delivery; and to proffer solution to enhance librarians’ role as change agents towards the sustainable library and information service delivery in a digital society. The study adopts a conceptual review based on previous research. It was recommended that Librarians as change agents should re-examine and reconfigure their job roles in library and information service delivery for relevance in their field, there is a need to meet up with their multi-dimensional job roles to sustain library and information service delivery in a digital society. More so, adequate funding, training and retraining, tooling, and retooling to avoid phobia for loss of job/ insecurity should be provided for librarians/libraries to keep up with effective service delivery. The study concludes that sustainable library and information service delivery in libraries generally and for librarians in particular will enhance their multi-dimensional job roles today and tomorrow to know what has changed in a digital society.

Role clarity as a determinant of job satisfaction among library personnel in South-West universities, Nigeria

Vincent Unegbu — 2023-06-21

This research explored the relationship between role clarity and work satisfaction among university library staff in South-West Nigeria. Survey research methodology was used with a sample size of 669 library employees, The study's target population consisted of 440 library workers from 23 out of 46 institutions in South-West Nigeria that were chosen on the basis of their years of inception. In the research, total enumeration was used. For data gathering, a validated structured questionnaire was employed. The Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficients for role clarity and work satisfaction varied from 74 to 75, respectively. Only 356 out of 440 issued questionnaires were returned, representing an 81 percent return rate. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential (simple and multiple regression) statistics. The results suggested that role clarity had a substantial impact on the work satisfaction of university library staff in South-West Nigeria.

Adequacy of legal information resources and services of law libraries in selected Nigerian universities

Adaora Chigozie Obueze — 2023-06-21

This study seeks to determine the adequacy of legal information resources and services of law libraries in selected Nigerian universities. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The total of 252 postgraduate law students of 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 sets in the two federal universities in South-East formed the population. The entire population was used as the sample. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire and observation check-list. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and percentages. Arithmetic mean was used to analyse data obtained from the research questions with scale value of 50%. The findings of the study revealed among others that the findings showed that legal information resources are available in the federal university law libraries in South-East, Nigeria, although more innovative services need to be established to be completely commensurate with the demands of the 21^stcentury.

Interpersonal skills as correlate of career development among librarians in academic libraries in South-South Nigeria

Augustina Chinwe Ekeruche — 2023-06-21

This study examined interpersonal skills as correlate of career development of librarians in academic libraries in South - South, Nigeria. Correlational survey design was adopted to conduct the study. The population of the study is 301 comprising of librarians in south-south, Nigeria. There was no sampling. Questionnaire was used as the method of data collection Data collected were analyzed using inferential statistics. For the research questions, analysis was done using Pearson Product Moment correlational coefficient (PPMC) and point biserial correlation coefficient (r) while multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. The study revealed among others that; There is a high positive relationship between interpersonal skills of librarians and their career development in academic libraries, and there exist a significant relationship between interpersonal skills of librarians and their career development in academic libraries and it revealed low negative relationship between work experience of librarians and their career development in academic libraries and there is a significant relationship between work experience of librarians and their career development in academic libraries. High possessions of interpersonal skills increase librarian’s career development significantly in academic libraries in South-South Nigeria. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others; that library management should engage librarians in a lot of interpersonal skills and communication in the course of their job, the university management should train librarians while on the job, and their skills need to be updated through training and development program, orientation, induction, inventory, conferences, workshop and seminars in order to enhance their interpersonal skills and research.