International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology

Research Institute for Knowledge Content Development & Technology (건국대학교 지식콘텐츠연구소)
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Enhancing Global Research Visibility of Faculty Staffs by the Academic libraries in Public Universities in South East, Nigeria

  • Francisca C. MBAGWU (Federal University of Technology, Owerri) ;
  • Judith S. NSE (Federal University of Technology, Owerri) ;
  • Jacintha EZE (Enugu State University of Science and Technology) ;
  • Ijeoma Irene BERNARD (Federal University of Technology, Owerri)
  • Received : 2023.01.29
  • Accepted : 2023.02.26
  • Published : 2024.06.30
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Abstract

Academic libraries are at the forefront of supporting their parent institutions in teaching and learning, research activities, and community services for the students and faculty members, but, the researchers observed that some of the research emanating from faculty members in academic institutions particularly universities remains largely unknown, unrecognized and invisible on the global scene. This present paper is therefore a modest attempt towards addressing the issue of enhancing the faculty research visibility in the institutions of higher learning by the academic libraries. It also examines the extent academic libraries in public universities in Nigeria use research visibility channels to increase the global visibility of their faculty members. Difficulties encountered by librarians and ways of tackling the visibility of the faculty were also examined. A descriptive survey research design was adopted and the population consisted of all the 162 librarians in public universities in South-East (S.E), Nigeria. Telephone calls and Online Questionnaire were used for data collection. The number of librarians was obtained through phone calls from the Heads of each of the Libraries. The Online Questionnaire was submitted to the WhatsApp platforms of librarians in Nigeria- Academic and Research Libraries (ARL) and Chartered Librarians in Nigeria Connect (CLN-Connect). The questionnaire was structured in such a way that only the Librarians in Public universities in the S.E. Nigeria will respond to it. At the end of the day only 120 librarians responded, at a response rate of 74%. The study was analysed using tables, percentages and charts. The study recommended that librarians who are unaware of RVCs and its utilization should go for training to acquire the knowledge that will enable them enhance the global visibility of faculty staff, Management of Public universities in S.E, Nigeria should in addition to addressing copyright issues by the use of disclaimer notices and creative common licensing and provision of infrastructural facilities e.g. steady power supply, High power brand Internet connectivity, establishment of an Institutional Repository, etc, also should mandate the faculty staff to release their productive work to the library for onward submission to the RVCs platforms for enhancement of their global visibility.

Keywords

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