Cloud hosting of KOHA and DSPACE for effective and efficient library services in Nigerian academic libraries

Abstract

Cloud computing provides a library with cost-effective and dependable technological facilities and computing machines to support the library in carrying out its function of information dissemination and preservation. This transformation has had a favourable impact on many aspects of library operations and services. The automation of library operations and services, as well as the digitalization of information resources, are key parts of library operations and services. Nigerian libraries are investing heavily in order to meet the information demands of the twenty-first century in line with what obtains in Western climes. A functional Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) and interactive institutional repository should be the final product of every automation and digitization project in libraries. This does not appear to be the case in Nigerian libraries. Unreliable software, erratic power supply, low Internet bandwidth, lack of experienced personnel, systems failure, poor administrative support, inadequate staff training, and poor technical infrastructure are just some of the challenges that Nigerian libraries face in achieving a full and successful automation and digitization process that will aid in the effective and efficient service delivery. As a result, this paper looks at two open source software that are widely used in Nigerian libraries for automating library operations and services, as well as developing institutional repositories and propose a practical and cost-effective strategy using cloud computing which is the distribution of computing services via the Internet (the cloud), including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence, in order to provide faster innovation, more flexible resources, and economies of scale.. Recommendations are then made for how Nigerian libraries can take advantage of cloud computing's benefits to overcome certain persisting hurdles and accomplish a successful automation and digitalization process for better delivery of library services