Development and Preservation of Institutional Repositories in Academic Libraries in Nigeria: Prospects, Challenges and Strategies

Abstract:  Institutional repository is a technology model for storing information which has created the opportunity for libraries to collect, preserve and communicate university research output/data to the global community. This has become a means of increasing the university’s visibility, ranking and reputation among others. Development, implementation and maintenance of an institution’s repository is a critical responsibility of the university as a whole and the library in particular. Universities in developing countries are striving to develop their repositories by attracting the required digital facilities to the library. The paper explores the development and preservation of institutional repositories (IRs) within academic libraries in Nigeria. The study adopted a review of views and opinions of related studies on the topic. It delves into the benefits and methods of building IR contents in libraries, enhancing visibility and dissemination of scholarly communications. The paper examines the challenges faced by academic libraries in establishing effective institutional repositories, including technology obsolescence, low level of awareness, inadequate ICT facilities, lack of technical know-how, etc. Additionally, the paper outlines strategies for overcoming these challenges. By addressing these issues, academic libraries in Nigeria can maximize the potential of IRs to support research, teaching and learning within the academic community.