Investigating Institutional Factors and Use of Institutional Repositories by Lecturers in Federal Universities in Nigeria

Abstract:  The study investigated the relationship between institutional factors and use of institutional repositories by lecturers in federal universities in Nigeria with a view to establish the influence of institutional factors on the use of institutional repositories. The survey research design was adopted for the study. Questionnaire was used as the instrument of data collection from 540 lecturers that constitute the sample for the study. Findings from the study revealed organizational culture, environmental and motivational factors as the dominant and prevalent institutional factors that supports research in federal universities in Nigeria just as Inaugural lectures, Seminar papers, Photographs, Notebooks, Illustrations and Drawings and Newspapers were the most common types of information resources available in the institutional repositories of federal universities in Nigeria. Major purposes of using of institutional repositories by the lecturers are for preparing seminar/lecture notes, writing papers/proposals, seminars presentations, research works and preparing for lecture series. The study established; occasional use of institutional repositories by the lecturers and a significant positive relationship between institutional factors and use of institutional repositories such that an improvement in institutional factors would lead to increase in the use of institutional repositories. The study recommended the formulation and implementation of adequate university-wide policy that would encourage and supports the use of institutional repositories by the universities’ management.