A digital library for National Records Center and Archives

Abstract

The study aimed at designing a Digital Library for National Records Centre and Archives. The objectives of the study were to; identify the different types of information resources, find out the methods used to access information resources, examine the challenges faced by the existing methods used, establish strategies of overcoming the challenges affecting users in accessing information resources and design a Digital Library for the National Records Center and Archives.The study employed a case study design while adopting both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Simple random sampling was used to sample the 55 respondents who participated in the study. Interviews, questionnaires and observation methods were used to collect relevant data for the study. The study established that National Records Centre and Archives Library acquires a wide variety of information resources. Among these information materials were; textbooks, journals, magazines, reference books, minutes of meetings, statutory instruments, periodicals, and newspapers which are supplied daily. The challenges in accessing information resources among users and the librarian were; limited library staff to attend to users’ needs, inadequate information materials, limited reading space, time wasting, inadequate funding among others. The requirements for designing a Digital Library for NRCA that would support the staff in providing information resources to the users is to possess the following features; easy to use, a user friendly interface, compatibility with the available hardware and software, accessible to only the authorized users and ensure security for the information materials. The study concluded that electronic library materials would be acquired in the National Records Centre and Archives Library to support the needs of users. Inadequate funding as a major challenge would be solved by increasing the library funding in order to provide adequate funding so as to run the library activities and motivate the library staff to do their work. The study concluded that there was a need for a Digital Library for National Records Centre and Archives Library help in the management of library resources at the National Records Centre and Archives Library. The study recommended that electronic library materials should be acquired through increasing the library funding in order to curb the challenge of inadequate funds and improve on the library Staff in order to effectively provide the information resources to the users of information. The study further recommended the National Records Centre and Archives library staff should adopt the designed proposed Digital Library to support them while providing services and resources to the users.