Data Collection Today: An Overview Of Data Collections And Acquisition Procedures In Health Libraries In The South-West, Nigeria by Joseph O. Olorunsaye, CLN Chairman, Nigerian Library Association Oyo State Chapter Hd. Cataloguing and Classification Unit E. Latunde Odeku Medical Library, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. [email protected]; +234-08166552100 Abstract Data collections and acquisitions in the electronic age are increasingly unique globally. But the growing in equity in access to data for effective information service delivery and global relevance is a serious import of this study. Therefore, the effect of current economic and political challenges in Nigeria to the community of data, and the need to bridge the gap in literature is extremely imperative. The purpose of the study is to determine the extent to which health libraries in the South-West, Nigeria have formalized data collections and acquisitions in the electronic age and to highlight the guidelines and policies used for collection and acquisition in the electronic age as against the traditional purchasing models. And, to determine the extent of current economic and political challenges on collection development and acquisitions for improve access to relevant data. There are scores of medical/health libraries in Nigeria but the policies and guideline of collections and acquisitions in the electronic age for effective information service delivery is underdeveloped. Giving the growing importance of this study, questionnaire-interview approaches were explored to gather data from the Data Librarians or Medical/Health Library Directors. So as to identify their roles, set guidelines and policy development involved in supporting academic research, teaching and education. Keywords: Data Collection today, Data Acquisition, Data Procedures, Acquisition Procedures, Health libraries

Introduction We live in a world driven by hyper-competition where the supply of businesses exceeds the demand. In order for an organization to survive in such an aggressively competitive environment, a better understanding of its competition and competitive forces that affect its success is required. Companies should know how to remain competitive and how to anticipate and react to changes inside and outside of their industries. In order to manage such an achievement firms should have a process in place for turning data into actionable intelligence, from which strategic and tactical decisions can derive. The utilization of such knowledge is known as Competitive Intelligence (CI¹), (Nickolaos,2012). The health science libraries live in such a competitive information intelligent environment where it becomes absolutely necessary then to collect data and convert the data into actionable intelligence from which strategic and tactical decisions for global relevance and effective services delivery would emanate. Then, what is data and data collection that would be converted into actionable intelligent? The need to have the right meaning cannot be overemphasized. Data may be a commonly used word but meaning assumed. In spite of this, how is the current practice operating in health libraries? Also, with the advent of technology, many changes in data collection have occurred in recent years, many libraries are getting involved in consortia arrangements to acquire, share, archive data, review their acquisition procedures and policies. Yet, many library budgets have not increased to support the data collection or the processes due to economic downturn. Data and Data Collection In Webopedia according to Beal (2015), data is distinct pieces of information usually formatted in a special way. Data in its plural form is datum and can exist in a variety of forms—as numbers or text on pieces of paper, as bits and bytes stored in electronic memory, or as facts stored in a person’s mind. These pieces of information could be operational or enterprise data that will serve as a useful, strategic business assets or creative intelligent products to delight health library patrons when it is collected. While data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on variables of interest, in an established systematic fashion that enables one to answer stated research questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes. The data collection component of research is common to all fields of study including physical and social sciences, humanities, business, etc. While methods vary by discipline, the emphasis on ensuring accurate and honest collection remains the same. Data is important to persuade health library funders and supporters that our works has value and in assessing and developing user services most especially in our competitive health information intelligent environment. The lack and non–use of such knowledge may be the passive reason of poor utilization of health libraries in Nigeria. ‘’Creating an effective data environment requires change and coordination across the board, with business and IT joined at the hip’’. (Barth, 2015).

Health libraries in Nigeria A health library or medical library in any part of the globe is a library designed to assist the physicians, health professionals, students, patients, consumers, medical researchers and information specialists in finding health and scientific information to improve, update, assess or evaluate health care. Medical libraries in Nigeria are typically found in medical schools, colleges, hospitals, health and private universities. Its personnel formed the Medical Association globally. Medical libraries are meant to give information service to their home institutions. In Nigeria there are thirty–two medical schools. Out of which only twenty eight were fully accredited and others are partially accredited (See the fig. below).

HEALTH INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA S/N 1

2

INSTITUTIONS COLLEGE

OF

MEDICINE

LOCATION AND

ABIA

HEALTH SCIENCES

UTURU

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

EBONYI

STATE

UNIVERSITY

STATE

UNIVERSITY

ABAKALIKI 3*

*COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, IDI ARABA, LAGOS

4

*COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

OBAFEMI

AWOLOWO

UNNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE OSUN STATE 5

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY

OF

PORT

HARCOURT 6

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

USMAN

DAN

FODIO

UNIVERSITY, SOKOTO *7

*COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, OYO STATE

8

*COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

UNIVERSITY

OF

ILORIN,

KWARA STATE 9

COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY

OF

CALABAR,

CROSS RIVER STATE 10

*COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

LAGOS

STATE UNIVERSITY,

IKEJA LAGOS 11

COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

AMBROSE ALLI UNIVERSITY, EKPOMA

12

FACULTY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF JOS

13

FACULTY OF MEDICNE

BAYERO UNIVERSITY KANO

14

*OBAFEMI AWOLOWO COLLEGE OF

SAGAMU, AGO IWOYE OGUN

HEALTH

STATE

SCIENCES

(FORMERLY

OLABISI ONABANJO) 15

COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

IMO STATE, OWERRI

16

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE

MADONNA UNIVERSITY ELELE, RIVERS STATE

17

*COLLEGE OF SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN CITY, EDO STATE

18

*OBA

OKUNADE

COLLEGE

HEALTH SCIENCES

OF

IGBINEDION OKADA,

UNIVERSITY

BENIN

CITY

EDO

STATE 19

COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

UNIVERSITY

OF

NIGERIA

ENUGU CAMPUS, ENUGU 20

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, NNEWI

21

FACULTY OF MEDICINE

AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA

22

COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF MAIDUGURI

23

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY, ABRAKA

24

COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

ENUGU STATE UNNIVERSITY

OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ENUGU 25

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF UYO, AKWA IBOM

26

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

NIGER

DELTA

UNIVERSITY,

WILBERFORCE ISLAND 27

*COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

LADOKE

AKINTOLA

UNIVERSITY

OF

TECHNOLOGY, OGBOMOSO 28

*COLLEGE MEDICAL

OF

HEALTH

SCIENCES

AND

BENJAMIN’S

BABCOCK

UNIVERSITY,

ILISHAN-REMO OGUN STATE

CARSON SCHOOL OF MEDICINE 29

*FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE

IDO FABORO EKITI STATE

29

COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

ANAMBRA STATE UNIVERSITY, ULI ANAMBRA

30

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

BIGHAM

UNIVERSITY

KARU

NASARAWA 31

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

BENUE

STATE

UNIVERSITY,

MAKURDI 32

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

BOWEN UNIVERSITY , IWO

(Table. 1: Courtesy-Medical Library Association, Secretariat Nigeria MLA-NG) These medical libraries essentially have five main user-centric functions: (a). General activities, such as conducting user survey using survey tools, revising and updating of policy and procedures manual, planning and designing major revision to the library’s home page, developing a strategic plan and long range goals, costing of lost books and journals and charging and discharging of library collections (b) Collection Development of print: which entails evaluation of medical textbook collection, working with library network to review and select electronic resources, evaluating of new products and teaching and training on the use of various electronic resources. (c). Collection development of Journals: entailing the preparation and

conduction of journal usage study, transiting of print journals titles to electronic only (digitization), reviewing subscription to journals and developing new system for journal check-in. (d). Document delivery such that inter-library document delivery statistics are collected, expenses for interlibrary loans and document delivery are reviewed and selective dissemination of information to medical community are offered. (e). Finally, Marketing/Promotion activities, such that additional marketing pieces are developed, outreaches to department are ongoing and current awareness services are offered to the library community. These are aimed at supporting patient care, research, teaching and information needs of all library users. Scope of study This study covers only the south western states of Nigeria i.e. (Kwara State, Oyo State, Ogun State, Osun Ekiti, Ondo State, Edo State, Lagos State, Delta State, Bayelsa State and Kogi State). There may be need to enlarge the scope of study subsequently for comparative analysis. Statement of the problem There are scores of medical/health libraries in the south west of Nigeria but the policies and guideline of collections and acquisitions in the electronic age for effective information service delivery is underdeveloped. In spite of the uniqueness of data collection importance globally, there is a growing in equity in access to data for effective information service delivery and global relevance. The current economic and political challenges in Nigeria to the community of data are daunting. Komolafe (2011) affirmed that ''in Nigeria, the long-standing issue of inadequate funding coupled with little hope for improvement; still make the practice of collection development to mean; trying to do more with less. The issue of underfunding the Nigerian university libraries had caused negative ripples since the 1980s, bringing about many changes in the basic tradition of book acquisitions in affected libraries''. Hypothetically, the situation is not different to data collection and acquisition procedures in health libraries. It is pertinent therefore to ascertain this claim and know the effect of the current economic and political challenges on community of data and bridge the gap in literature. This will enable the determination of the extent to which health libraries in the South-West, Nigeria have formalized data collections and acquisitions in the electronic age and to highlight the guidelines and policies used for collection and acquisition in the electronic age as against the traditional purchasing models. Finally, to determine the extent of current economic and political challenges on collection development and acquisitions for improve access to relevant data and better performance in a competitive technology environment.

Methods Giving the growing importance of this study, a descriptive survey design utilizing questionnaire-oral interview approaches were employed to gather data from the Data Acquisition/Collection Development Librarians or the Medical/Health Library Directors depending on which of them was available. The targeted audiences were to identify their roles, on set guidelines and policy development involved in supporting academic research, teaching and education. The phone contacts of the respondents were sought via the Medical Library Association Secretariat and the South West States Chapter Chairmen of the Nigerian Library Association. The designed questionnaire was used by the researcher to gather information via cell phones from the respondents this became necessary due to the discovered size of the health libraries and to forestall unnecessary delay. A pilot study was however conducted in the University College Hospital Library and Medical Library College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.

Results As depicted in the table 1 above out of the targeted ten (10) institutions only seven (fig.1. below) were reached while the others were not available. The demographic survey also shows that all the respondents are master’s degree holders and their type of library varies, 3 are from School/College Library, two from hospital library and two from university medical library as depicted in fig. 2, below. Fig. 3: below shows the age range of the respondents, 2 (36-40) years, 1 (41-45) years and 4 (46 year and above) depicting that the elderly and experienced are still heading the library but it is also good to see that the younger colleagues are also coming in to the management level at sectional heads.

Fig. 1: Sex of respondents

Fig. 2 Types of health library in Health libraries in the South West

Fig. 3: Age of respondents

Fig. 4: Data Acquisition expenditures of the libraries Fig. 4: shows the acquisition expenditures of the health libraries in the south west of Nigeria, only 3 libraries depict 1-2millions naira as acquisition expenditure and indication that the acquisition expenditures of the health libraries are relatively poor.

Fig. 5: Use of data collection policy

Fig. 5 shows that five out of the seven institutions gave a yes answer. An indication of the availability of data collection policies in health science libraries in the south west but observed that they are all unwritten policies.

Fig. 6: Membership of an Information Consortium Fig. 6 shows that the health science libraries have a data information consortium. An indication of a strong information network and data sharing that will ease data acquisition procedures.

Fig. 7. Data Collection development and subject specialists Fig. 7: above shows those four libraries out of the seven that gave a Yes answer, two gave a No answer, while one has a missing value because the library is less than a year in existence. However, this is an indication that subject specialists are engaged in data collection development in health libraries in the south west of Nigeria.

Fig. 8: Data Collection Development Activities Fig. 8 above shows the order of data collection development activities of the health science libraries in the south west of Nigeria, 6 of 7 were patron driven, 7of 7 were patron acquisition driven, 2 of 7 were print on demand, 5 of 7 were demand driven, 5of 7 were demand driven acquisitions, 3 of 7 short term rentals non for deep dyve (probably an unknown activities in the south west of Nigeria),1 of 7 operate glue jar activities, 4 0f 7 get it now and finally 4 of 7 engage in library renewal activities he data collection activities order. This is an indication that data collection activities were actually taking place in the health science library of the southern states of Nigeria. And essentially they are Patron driven acquisition or demand driven.

Fig. 9: Reasons for conducting data collection analysis

Fig. 9 shows that accreditation is the major reason for conducting collection analysis, followed by administrative while monetary and maintenance reasons were at per but material donations and downsizing were the lowest reason for conducting such analysis.

Fig. 10: Librarians Knowledge about the Data Collection and discipline. Fig. 10 above shows that 5 of 7 of the Data Librarians uses the librarians knowledge about the collection as the main reason for conducting the analysis. This is an indication that data analysis is taking place in the health science libraries.

Fig. 11: Collection Development Policy Use Although the collection development policy is unwritten Fig. 11, show that the data librarians or medical director uses collection development policies for collection analysis, weeding, administrative and faculty communication respectively. Recommendations The analysis of the descriptive survey shows that most of the health libraries in the South western Nigeria are yet to formalize data collections and acquisitions in the electronic age. No written guidelines and policies guiding data collections and acquisition procedure as against the traditional purchasing models in the electronic age in health science libraries. Most of the data acquisition procedures are base on unwritten policies and professional assumptions. The poor comment of the respondents about the library budgets allocation and expenditure for the academic year 2014/15 undoubtedly, is an indication that the current

economic and political challenges on collection development and acquisition are adversely affecting improved access to relevant data. It is very necessary therefore, that the Health Science Libraries in the South West of Nigeria should have a formalized data collection development policies as against the current unwritten policies that does not give room for access, information service delivery, equity and global relevance. The effect of the current economic and political challenge in Nigeria with the current wind of change in the political terrain is a mark of hope to the community of data. The result of this study is a new contribution to knowledge and the community of data to bridge the data collection and acquisition procedure gap in health libraries. Acknowledgements My unreserved acknowledgement goes TETFUND, Nigeria and the University of Ibadan management for sponsoring the attendance of this conference. My heartfelt appreciation is also to Odeku Library Data Collection Librarian and Colleague, Mr. Asubiaro, Toluwase, who helped in the data analysis. Also, to the State Chairman of Nigerian Library Association and Medical Library Association Secretary for the giving the detailed data of accredited Medical institutions in Nigeria and contacts. I do acknowledge my wife, Olayinka O. Olorunsaye for her regular encouragement and unconditional love, And, finally to IASSSIST 2015 conference organizers for accepting my article for presentation during a concurrent oral session. References Beal, V. (2015). Data: Online tech dictionary http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/data.html. accessed on 24.03.2015 Barth, P. (2015). Turning big data into useful information. http://turning-big-data-into-usefulinformation.pdf. Accessed on 24.03.2015 Komolafe,H.O. (2011). A Ten-Year Descriptive Review of Book Acquisitions Trends, Challenges, and Current issues in a Nigerian Medical School Library. Library Philosophy and Practice 2011. ISSN 15220222.http://unllib.unl.edu/LPP/ accessed on 19.02.2015

Appendix AN OVERVIEW OF DATA COLLECTION AND ACQUISITION PROCEDURES IN HEALTH LIBRARIES Please answer the following questions and ‘Tick box’ beside them appropriately. They are strictly for academic exercise. J.O. Olorunsaye, (cln) 08166552100 Section A. Demographic 1. Name of Library……………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. Status:…………………………………………..…………………………………………………….……….. 3. Gender A. Male [ ] B. Female [ ] 4. Educational Qualification a. B.A/B.Sc/B.ed. [ ] b. MLIS/ MLS M.A. [ ] c. P.hd. [ ] d. Other (please specify)…………………………………………………………………………………..……………..……… 5. Which health library domain do you work in? Please tick one box only. Public libraries University libraries Hospital Libraries School or College libraries

Business or commercial libraries/information services Private libraries Government libraries/information services Others– (please specify) what:

6. Do you have a professional qualification in librarianship? If so, which one(s)?

7. How long have you worked in health libraries? Please tick one box only In first year

1-5 years

6-10 years

11-20 years

21-30 years

31 years or more

8. . Age: 26-30[ ]. 31-35[ ], 36-40[ ], 41-45[ ], 46 and above [ ] Section B. DATA COLLECTIONS AND ACQUISITION PROCEDURES 9 . What was the total acquisition expenditures for the academic year 2014/2015? a. <1,000,000.00 N [ ] b. 1,000.000.000-2.000,000.00N [ ] c. 2.000,000.00 – 3.000,000.00N [ ] d. 3,000.000.00 – 4,000,000.00N e. >4,000,000.00N 10. a. What is the total budget allocated for the collections? a. Less than 2 million N [ ] b. 2 million- 4 million N [ ] c. 4 million -6 million N d.Over 6 million N 11. Does your library currently use collection development policies? Yes [ ] No[ ] 12. Is your library a member of an information consortia? Yes [ ] No [ ] if yes please mention… If no go to 14 13. Do the consortia have a collection development policy? a.Yes [ ] b. No [ ] 14. Are the collection developers at your library subject specialists? a.Yes [ ] b. No[ ] 15. Approximately what percentage of time is allotted for collection development activities for each librarian? a.0 % -20% [ ] b. 20%- 40% [ ] c. 40% -60% [ ] d. 60% -80%[ ] e. 80% 100%[ ] f. Other (please specify 16. How frequently is your collection development policy reviewed? a. Every year [ ] b. 1- 5years c.5- 10years [ ] d.10-20 years e. As Needed f. Other (please specify)……… 17. How frequently is your collection development policy updated? a. Annually [ ] b.1- 5years [ ] c.5-10years [ ] d. 10-20years[ ] e. As Needed [ ] f. Other (please specify)…………….. 18. Is your library's collection development policy available: a. For public access (on the web) [ ] b. For internal use only[ ] c. Upon request [ ] d. N/A[ ] f. Other (please specify)……………… 19. Select [√] all of the collection development activities your library engages in:

S/No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Coll. Dev. Activities Patron Driven Acquisitions (PDA) Print on Demand (POD) Demand Driven Acquisitions (DDA Short term rentals Deep Dyve Glue .Jar Get it Now Library Renewal Other (please specify

Option(s)

20. At your library, what is the role of Technical Services in the collection development process?

21. Does your library have a collection development policy for the entire library collection? a. Yes[ ] b. No[ ] 22. Does your library have separate collection development policies for branch libraries? a. Yes [ ] b.No [ ] c. For some of them [ ].d. N/A [ ] S/No Does your library have a separate collection Yes No development policy for: 22 each discipline? 23 each collection? 24 each format? 25 electronic resources? 26 all electronic resources? 27 e-Books? 28 e-Journals? 29 databases? 23. Under what circumstances does your library conduct a collection analysis? a. Accreditation [ ] b. Required by Administration [ ] c. Monetary donation to develop the collection [ ] d. Materials donation to develop the collection [ ] e. Downsize the collection [ ] f. Maintenance [ ] g. Other (please specify)………………………………………………………………………………. 24. What does your library use to conduct a collection analysis? a. Conspectus [ ] b. World Cat Collection Analysis [ ] c. Librarian's knowledge about the collection and the discipline d. Reports [ ] e. Other (please specify)……………………………………………………………………………….. 25. What is your collection development policy used for? a. Collection analysis [ ] b. Weeding [ ] c. Faculty communications [ ] d. Administrative communications [ ] e. Other (please specify)……………………………………………………………. 26. Is there anything else that you would like to add?............................................................................................. 27. If you would like to receive the survey results, Please provide an e-mail address. 28. What role is the current economic and political challenge playing to the community of data? a. Very good [ ] b. Unknown [ ] c. Very Bad [ ] d. Extremely Poor [ ] e. Other (please specify)………………………….