PHD-School of Engineering And Technology

Permanent URI for this community

https://repository.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/248
This collections contains bibliographic information and abstracts of PHD theses and dissertation in the School of Engineering And Technology held in Kenyatta University Library

Browse

Browsing PHD-School of Engineering And Technology by Author "Auwal Magaji Abubakar"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Management of Institutional Repositories and Service Delivery in Selected Agricultural Research Institutes in North Western Nigeria
    (Kenyatta University, 2025-08) Auwal Magaji Abubakar
    Institutional repositories (IRs) play a vital role in the preservation, dissemination, and visibility of academic knowledge. Beyond serving as digital archives, IRs showcase an institution’s research outputs, thereby enhancing its scholarly reputation and accessibility. In Northwestern Nigeria—a region facing persistent challenges in agricultural productivity due to inadequate access to relevant information—the Nigerian government has invested in research institutes such as the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), and the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS). These institutions have established IRs to store and share critical agricultural knowledge. To this end, this study investigates the management and utilization of IRs within these agricultural research institutes, intending to enhance their capacity to deliver high-quality services to diverse users. Specifically, it investigated the criteria used for resource selection and uploading, evaluated indexing practices, examined user engagement, and explored strategies to improve the visibility and accessibility of IRs. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research targeted 291 key stakeholders—including chief librarians, digital librarians, extension agents, veterinary doctors, livestock officers, and agricultural officers—using a census sampling technique. Data collection involved both standardized questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics were applied to quantitative data, while qualitative interviews were thematically analyzed. Key findings showed a perceived disconnect between repository content and institutional objectives, pointing to issues related to content diversity, visibility, and academic impact. Participants reported dissatisfaction with indexing quality and limited integration of repositories with global search engines. Usability challenges and a lack of user awareness further hindered effective utilization. Notably, the study introduces new insights by linking these challenges to gaps in user-centered content policies and insufficient metadata optimization—areas often overlooked in previous studies. Based on these findings, the study recommends a strategic realignment of content selection practices, the adoption of quality control frameworks, improvements in indexing standards, and user-focused outreach initiatives. These contributions expand the existing literature by emphasizing the importance of aligning repository practices not only with institutional missions but also with end-user needs. They underscore the need for continuous usability enhancements and sustained visibility efforts to maximize the relevance, impact, and adoption of institutional repositories in the agricultural research landscape of Nigeria