Libraries and Librarians as Innovators
Being a sum-up of the keynote speech delivered by Dr. Ayodele John Alonge of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria at the 30th Anniversary and Conferecdene of the Nigerian Library Association. Delta State Chapter on Thursday, November 3rd, 2022 at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun,
Delta States, Nigeria
Special Guest of Honour: Dr. Kingsley Ashibogwu, Honourable Commissioner for Education, Delta State
The Chief Host, Professor Akpofure Rim - Rukeh, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Delta States
The Vice-Chancellor, Admiralty University, Prof Paul Omojo Omaji and his wife. Mrs. Alice Omaji
The Vice-Chancellor of Delta State University, Abraka
The NLA President Pastor Dominic Omokaro ably represented by Dr Ugo Uchochuke Emiri, the National Secretary,
Professors in attendance
Heads of Libraries and Information Centres
the Chairman, NLA, Delta Chapter, Dr Nelson Edwor,
The executive members of NLA. Librarians and information Science Professionals Students
Gentle men and women of the Press,
Ladies and Gentlemen
An innovator is a person who can create new ideas, methods, or products.
These individuals might also develop new iterations of products that have already been created.
Introduction
The penetration of information Technologies tools and services -, the internet, Artificial intelligence, the 4th Industrial revolution, the social media, in the 21st century has made innovation and information expedient and advantageous in the present world. The information aspect of the 21st-century advancement through ICT applications for this generation, through repackaging and dissemination of information, requires consistent innovation and creativity that builds improvement for users, organizations, and library design. As the pathways to information services, libraries require continuous innovation and creativity geared towards continuous improvement. ( cos we have a lot of competitors) This trait requires consistent creation of new products and services and rendering techniques, creative and innovative acts that require regular revelations of new ideas.
In the past, the library’s collection was built based on the immediate needs (requests) of users and projected needs which are dependent on the library’s experience and records. They are available "only" if they are requested. This collection model is primarily concerned with "print" materials.
Since user satisfaction is the primary responsibility of any library, the resources should be available to the user as soon as possible Atata, Oji, and Tom (2014) avers that the group must meet future requirements in terms of potential significance. Consequently, the library collection has unfolded from a print format to an electronic format.
Buckland (1996) uses a historical lens to critique the lack of innovation in American libraries in the early 20th century. He said that innovation was a powerful force in the library at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. Ranganathan's law of librarianship states that the library must continue to grow. Therefore, a library will continue to grow and develop its collection which is its stock in trade. The core of library funds is that the library provides efficient and effective services to its users.
Typically, all libraries provide the following services to their users: circulation service; user orientation program; referral services; international loaning; reprographic service; and documentation service. The concept of creativity and innovation are termed differently by different authors. According to Atata, Oji, and Tom (2014), Creativity Involves: making changes to something. creativity is the ability to create new ideas and transform them from ideas to reality.
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FOUR TYPES OF CREATIVITY TESTSEtuk (1992) highlights four key criteria to define something creative which can be translated into four types of creativity tests. For him, the four-way test of creativity can be applied to any activity. In this context, an idea is considered innovative if a product or service meets the following criteria:
l Heuristic (enabling someone to discover or learn something for themselves.)l utility, and
l change. So, the following questions must be answered:
n original? Is it heuristic? Does it work? Will it change?
TYPES OF INNOVATION IN THE LIBRARY.
1) PROGRAM INNOVATIONS
a) A "program" innovation can be termed as a new initiative designed and executed to meet the needs of a specific sponsor. Users , parners etc. . Public libraries implement 4,444 different business models (e.g., subscription-based vs. free service) to release innovations. We identified two subcategories of the Program innovations, in terms of access and use, which represent the two main goals of these innovations. Access-oriented Program innovations diversity by offering broad access to new services and products for new or existing groups of users and visitors, including immigrants, seniors, visitors with disabilities, and children, with autism. multiculturalism in public libraries.
a) Exhibition,
b) workshop and Training - eLearning, use of Google Products. Microsoft Digital skills
c) Soft Skills
d) marking international days World Digital Preservation Day. November 3, 2022 / world AIDS day, etc
PROCESS INNOVATIONS
Process innovations are mostly implemented in public librarians, for efficiency (i.e. doing things right) and efficiency (i.e. doing things right)
cataloging
1) Retrieval (OPAC)
2) Charging and
3) Discharging
4) Registration
5) Survey
6) Library Orientation
The following innovations were reported by one or more of the 4,444 respondents.
Process innovations mainly result in the efficiency and effectiveness of serving public library visitors (Sin and Vakkari, 2015; Stejskal and Hajek, 2015). Continuous innovations are implemented by continuous improvement (Robertson 1967) in libraries as they aim to:
(a) encourage the growth of ideas and parallels, innovations in libraries.
(b) create efficiency in existing business process libraries.
(c) create new systems for the evaluation of programs. for example,
“Seed Grants to Supporting New Ideas by Library Staff” is a project; is an innovation process open to library staff seeking support for the program, or service improvement.
This innovation encourages library staff to develop new programs or services for the library.
The system provides bottom-up development and introduces ideas that may not
have been thought of before.
More than 100 ideas emerged from that innovation, such as funding musicians, urban leadership, organizing social media campaigns for young people,
ü pop-up STEM, cooking reading for children, household income, and a Pride Month library event, among others.
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS
1. Technology products are included as part of the innovation category. Knox, 2012 explains that Library managers Sometimes equate the term innovation with technologies that help libraries attract and retain patrons.
2. Technological innovation can mean a new initiative or procedure that is based on the features and capabilities of a certain combination of technologies.
3. Innovations related to the web, assistive technologies, and artificial intelligence are typical examples
7) Handson Services and Training - Photography/ Graphics Design
MAKERSPACE
ROBOTS - supports
development is big data, DATA SCIENCE which is known to have a significant positive effect on the innovative performance of librarians and the development of more modern libraries in line with the advancement of the big data environment (Zhao, 2020; Zotoo et al., 2021). This development allows for the provision of better library services (Kong, 2020).
In the quest to be innovative, every library and information professional must get purposefully undergo Project Management and be certified (PMP Certification)
Reaching your career destination entails a lot of effort and patience. People look for various ways to succeed in their careers and enhance their experience and earning potential. As Professionals in the field of Library, Archival, and Communication; almost all of our endeavors have to do with the project. Hence, a grand skill and Certification in Project Management is inevitable, especially as regards, Career enhancement, best practices, and Innovation.
Some do realize that becoming PMP certified is a wise move as they get many PMP certification benefits.
PMP Certification for professionals, professors Lecturers, principals and heads of Libraries, religion leaders, Researchers, etc.
- Prepare for Greater Responsibility (leadership Roles)
- Career Growth & Increased Career Opportunities
- Boost Your Income
- Handle with ease Challenging Projects
- Enhances Risk Management Skills
- Enhances Problem Solving Skills
- Upgrades Your Leadership Skills
- People Orientation And Team Work
- Belong to an International Professional Body of Project Management.
📍 Project Management Certification for Professionals & Executives
Online PMP Certification Program for professionals: - Lecturers, principals officers, heads of Libraries, religion leaders, Researchers,
👉 Mode: Virtual (WhatsApp & zoom)
👉 Cost: 45,000
👉 Duration 6 Weeks, 2 hours per week
❗ Course begins in 1st week in December 2022
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Free Registration Here 👉 https://surveyheart.com/form/63691a3fb85f9f7c46794401
______________Note: Full paper with References will be available in a journal soon Watchout
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