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This study aims to investigate the different channels reference librarians receive reference inquiries from patrons in university libraries in Nigeria.

A questionnaire was used to collect data on the various channels through which reference librarians received reference inquiries in Nigerian university libraries. The questionnaire was administered using an online method.

It emerged that the face-to-face traditional reference desk was rated as the highest channel through which librarians receive reference inquiries in Nigeria, followed by library Facebook page and phone/short message service (SMS). Instant messaging (IM) and e-mail were identified as the least used channels by the patrons. The challenges mentioned include the absence of policy statements concerning virtual reference services; the lack of information and communications technology (ICT) skills on the part of librarians; slow Internet connectivity; power failures; management’s lack of support for emerging technologies; IM’s limitations; user’s expectations of instant answer; inarticulate requests; and lack of adequate current reference materials.

The findings are from a small sample size; therefore, the findings may not be substantial enough to generalize. Further study is necessary to determine if these results are consistent throughout other university libraries in Nigeria.

The findings will inform university libraries in developing countries that are planning to adopt virtual reference services to deliver reference services to users anywhere, anytime.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate digitization activities in university libraries in Nigeria and to identify the challenges encountered in their various digitization projects.

Data collection for the study was in two phase. First, a telephone conversation with university librarians is to investigate whether they have adopted digitization of materials. Second, e-mail questionnaire was sent to the various university libraries into digitization projects.

The study revealed that only few university libraries have adopted digitization of their information resources in Nigeria. The main aim of the digitization projects is to have greater access to local contents globally. However, the digitization projects are faced with challenges such as unstable internet connectivity, lack of fund, irregular power supply, collecting materials for digitization, lack of IT personnel, absence of digitization policy, and copyright issues. Ways to overcome the challenges were suggested such as provision of stable internet connectivity, installation of solar energy, purchase of giant generators, and training of staff.

Findings from this study might be useful to university libraries in developing countries that are planning to go into digitization of information resources for global accessibility.

The purpose of this study is to examine the standards, strategies, support and challenges of digital preservation in institutional repositories in academic libraries in Ghana.

The research was qualitative. Data used for analysis were drawn from interviews with respondents selected purposively from eight Ghanaian academic libraries.

A key finding of the study was that although the academic libraries had operational directions for digital preservation activities in the institutional repositories, available standards and practices for ensuring long-term preservation seem to be unsuitable.

Recommendations based on findings included development of comprehensive digital preservation policies to provide mandate and direction to preservation of the libraries digital collections, development of disaster plans, adequate funding, staff development and support from management.

The study has demonstrated the need for academic libraries in Ghana to have and develop good digital preservation standards for sustaining the institutional repositories to help in realizing its benefits.