Globalisation of Technology and The Role of Academic Libraries in The Management of Information Resources in Higher Educational Institutions

Abstract

This study put forward the perspective that the transformation of academic libraries is hinged on globalisation through applications of technological developments, which have heralded educational, economic and cultural opportunities in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) globally. This is a clear departure from the erroneous notion that The effects of globalisation have greatly subjugated Academic Libraries (ALs). The research gap in this study stems from the inadequate replication of ALs and ICTs in rural areas, communities and suburbs. The methodology adopted for this study is a systematic method sought from scholarly works in e-journals, peer-reviewed books, google scholar and other resource articles by different scholars. The study observed the numerous challenges affecting most ALs, particularly in Africa, such as inadequate funding, insufficient resources/ library collections, and the continued proliferation of HEIs despite the global economic downturn. Furthermore, there is a need to ensure the implementation of workable policies for ALs development and ICT education to facilitate the development of ICT-enabled ALs. The review also revealed that many developing economies are replicating the technologies associated with information resources management practised in the technologically-inclined countries by reproducing ICT-enabled ALs in rural areas to bridge the digital divide between developed and developing countries.

Keywords

• academia; academic libraries
• globalisation; higher educational
• institutions (heis); information communications technologies (ict)
• research commons