Return on investment (ROI) in subscription databases by Nigerian academic libraries: a survey

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12775/FT.2021.003

Keywords

Return on Investment, Subscription Database, Cost, Use, Librarians, Universities, Nigeria.

Abstract

Aim: There seems to be a dearth of literature on how much Nigerian university libraries are spending on the acquisition of Online Electronic Database (OED). This study sets out to investigate the annual cost of acquiring this important and evolving aspect of library collection with the view of determining whether the returns in terms of utilization is commensurate with the invested fund.

Methodology: The study adopts a quantitative research method. A self-developed questionnaire was used to collect data from 55 librarians in 41 academic libraries across Nigeria. The data collected were processed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.

Findings: Academic libraries in Nigeria spend an average of ₦12,500,000 or $32,637 on OED subscriptions annually. The study has shown that Nigerian academic libraries usually subscribe to the EBSCOhost and Research4Life databases with few adding specialized databases such as Law Pavilion, HeinOnline, Legalpedia, and ScienceDirect. To ensure adequate returns on investment, the libraries are massively providing support infrastructures, user education, and other information services. However, challenges limiting the widespread use of online databases include irregular power supply and slow internet connectivity among others. 

Conclusions: The study, therefore, concludes that there is a middling to low return on subscribed OED in Nigerian academic libraries. However, there are still various huddles that must be scaled for Nigerian academic libraries to reap adequate returns on their investments in online electronic databases.

Author Biographies

Adekunle Emmanuel Oyadeyi, Ajayi Crowther University. University Library

Adekunle Emmanuel Oyadeyi is in charge of electronic information resources services at the T. Y. Danjuma Library, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo. He has over nine years of experience in the management of electronic information resources. He has journal publications to his credit. His research interests include: user information behavior; electronic information resources use; digitization; digital repository, library management software; Librarians Job motivation and satisfaction. He is a member of the Nigerian Library Association (further: NLA).

Taofeek Abiodun Oladokun, Lead City University, Ibadan

Taofeek Abiodun Oladokun is in charge of electronic information resources services at the Lead City University library, Ibadan. He has over five years of experience in the management of electronic information resources. He has journal publications to his credit. His research interests include: electronic information systems; digital library user experience; electronic information management and library software. He is a member of NLA.

Oludare Adebanji Shorunke, University of Lagos. Medical Library

Oludare Adebanji Shorunke jest bibliotekarzem zasobów elektronicznych w bibliotece medycznej Uniwersytetu w Lagos (Idi-Araba). Jest certyfikowanym bibliotekarzem w Nigerii, mającą na swoim koncie kilka publikacji w krajowych i międzynarodowych czasopismach. Oludare jest obecnie w trakcie studiów doktoranckich w Instytucie Bibliotekoznawstwa i Informacji Naukowej na Uniwersytecie w Ilorin. Jego zainteresowania badawcze obejmują: wykorzystanie zasobów elektronicznych; dostępność; zadowolenie użytkowników i jakość usług bibliotecznych. Jest członkiem SBN.  

Omobolanle Seri Fasola, Ajayi Crowther University. University Library

Omobolanle Seri Fasola is the technical services librarian at the T. Y. Danjuma Library, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo. She is a Certified Librarian of Nigeria (CLN) with several local and international journal publications and conference papers to her credit. Omobolanle is presently on her PhD programme at the department of library and information science, University of Ibadan. Her research interests include: knowledge management, organisational behaviour, social media for library services, and library management. She is a member of NLA.

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Folia Toruniensia

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Published

2021-11-24

How to Cite

Oyadeyi, A. E., Oladokun, T. A., Shorunke, O. A., & Fasola, O. S. (2021). Return on investment (ROI) in subscription databases by Nigerian academic libraries: a survey. Folia Toruniensia, 21, 63–85. https://doi.org/10.12775/FT.2021.003

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Vol. 21 (2021)

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