Comparative Study of Koha Usage in Bowen University and University of Ilorin Libraries

Abstract

The study is comparative on Koha usage in Bowen University and University of Ilorin Libraries. It adopted a descriptive survey research design. The sample size for the was 50 professional and para-professional librarians who usually make use of Koha Integrated Library System (ILS) at the University of Ilorin library and Bowen University Library (Timothy Olagbenro Library). The questionnaire, interview and observation were used as data collection instruments. The survey was validated while the reliability coefficient of the tool using Cronbach's Alpha found to have 0.746 correlation coefficient. The IBM SPSS version 21.0 used for the analysis of the questionnaire with simple frequency counts and percentage in tables. Similar reasons were for the adoption of Koha software in both institution libraries, and those justifications could be summarised based on philosophical and ethical reasons. The extent of Koha usage at the University of Ilorin Library is low while its usage is very high extent Kohaat the Bowen University Library. Also, findings showed that the usage of Koha software is effective and efficient in University of Ilorin library and Bowen University Library. Lastly, the two selected academic libraries are not without one or two challenges in the use of Koha. At the Bowen University Library, inadequate power supply and system crashing are the challenges affecting their usage of Koha. Whereas at the University of Ilorin library, insufficient workforce; high cost of maintenance; inadequate funding; lack of training and retraining of staff; and insufficient technical knowledge were the challenges faced in the practical usage of Koha ILS. Among other recommendations, the study recommended that university libraries should collaborate with ICT experts and bodies to develop personalised quality library software.

Automation of University Library Operations: An Analysis of the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience in the United Kingdom and Nigeria

“…There have been several efforts to identify which open-source software is most appropriate for library operations. Koha is the most used open-source ILS in university libraries, and the significant justifications for the adoption are user-friendliness, richer features, low cost of purchase, low cost of maintenance, and a support community [21,26,33].…”

“…In an investigation of public university libraries in north central Nigeria, only the cataloging routine was automated [16]. Comparing the extent of automation in a private and a public university library; most operations of the private university library were automated, while the public university only had automated cataloguing and circulation [26]. One assessment found that only 5% of university libraries in Nigeria are fully automated, while the remaining 95% are either not automated or partially automated [19].…”

Persepsi Pemustaka pada Layanan Penelusuran Koleksi melalui Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) dalam Sistem Informasi KOHA di Perpustakaan Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta

“…Namun, penerapan sistem informasi KOHA jarang ditemukan pada perpustakaan-perpustakaan di Indonesia, hal ini dikarenakan KOHA perlu konektivitas internet yang memadai, staff yang terlatih, serta membutuhkan perawatan yang tepat (Tunde Omopupa et al, 2019). Selanjutnya kemampuan dalam membaca bahasa pemrograman sangat diperlukan oleh pustakawan perpustakaan, sebab KOHA memiliki proses instalasi dan pengoperasiannya yang dikenal lebih rumit dari pada sistem informasi perpustakaan lain, hal ini dikarenakan KOHA belum dilengkapi dalam versi bahasa Indonesia.…”