Management of Institutional Repositories and Service Delivery in Selected Agricultural Research Institutes in North Western Nigeria
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Date
2025-08
Authors
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Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
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
Description
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Science, School of Pure And Applied Sciences, Kenyatta University. August 2025
Supervisor
Martin Gichugu
Peter Wamae