DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

FEDERAL UNIVERSITY DUTSINMA, KATSINA STATE
LECTURE NOTES

COURSE CODE:
LIS 162
COURSE TITLE:
INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS, RESOURCES ND SERVICES
COURSE UNITS:
TWO
COURSE LECTURERS:
DR. IBRAHIM IDI AHMAD
&
SIRAJO ABUBAKAR DANZANGI

APRIL, 2024
COURSE SYNOPSIS

 Concept of Information Systems

 Components of Information Systems
 Advantages and Disadvantages of Information Systems
 Roles of Information Systems
 Types of Information Systems
 Concept of Information Services
 Various Types of Information Sources
 Concept of Digital Information Systems
 Information Systems Evolution
 Users Education
CONCEPT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Information is a series of data that are arranged into a meaningful and useful form for the desired user. It
can be seen as processed data. Example; “I am studying Library and Information Science at the National
Open University of Nigeria”. This tells your audience that you’re a student of the National Open
University of Nigeria. This is a complete data which have been understood by your audience and is
information.
The system as defined by the Oxford Dictionary as a (set of thing working together as parts of a
mechanism or an interconnecting network or complex whole”. It can also mean an arrangement of sets
of things that are related to form a whole. So information system can be defined as a set of interdependent
components working together to process data into unified meaningful information which can be useful
to the user. Almost all organizations and establishment require information systems to function
effectively. Information systems (IS) are a man-made computer-based device that collects and transforms
data into information for distribution to desired users using computer-based resources to achieve the
task.
Information systems are also defined as the combinations of hardware, software, and telecommunications
networks that people build and use in collecting, creating, and distribution of useful data, in
organizational settings. “Information systems are interrelated components working together to collect,
process, store, and disseminate information to support decision making, coordination, control, analysis,
and visualization in an organization
COMPONENTS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
The information systems are made up of five various components namely: hardware, software, data,
telecommunication network and people. To fully understand information systems, you must understand
how all of these components work together to bring value to an organization. Technology can be thought
of as the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. Technology is a part of our lives in
so many ways that we tend to take it for granted. As discussed before, the first three components of
information systems – hardware, software, and data – all fall under the category of technology.
Information systems today have continued to evolve with the improvement in the hardware and software
components.

Hardware
Information systems hardware is the part of an information system you can touch with your hands – the
physical components of the technology. Examples of information systems hardware are computers,
keyboards, disk drives, ipads, and flash drives.

Software
Software is a set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do. Software is not tangible – it cannot be
touched. They are the operating system and application software developed by programmers. What they
are doing is simply typing out lists of instructions that tell the hardware what to do. There are several
categories of software, with the two main categories being operating-system software, which makes the
hardware usable, and application software, which does something useful. Examples of operating systems
include Microsoft Windows on a personal computer and Google’s Android on a mobile phone. Example
of application software is Microsoft Excel.

Data
Data is another component of information systems defined as a collection of raw facts and figures. For
example, your street address, the city you live in, and your phone number are all pieces of data. Like
software, data is also intangible. By themselves, pieces of data are not very useful. But aggregated,
indexed, and organized together into a database, data can become a powerful tool for any business.
Organizations collect all kinds of data and use it to make decisions. These decisions can then be analyzed
as to their effectiveness and the organization can be improved.
Telecommunication Network
All the information systems components of hardware, software, and data, cannot function effectively
without telecommunication networks. Telecommunications networks such as the internet, extranets and
intranets, have become essential to the successful operations of all types of organizations and their
computer-based information systems. Telecommunications networks examples are computers cables,
hubs, routers, network cards and software such as data servers, web servers, and application servers. All
these resources facilitate the flow of information in any organization.

People
People in information systems (IS) are the Information Specialists and End users. The information
specialist is the people who develop and operate the information systems such the systems analysts,
programmers, System analysts, chief information officer (CIO) and other managerial, technical
Information Systems personnel. The end users are library users, accountants, engineers and managers.
People involved with information systems are an essential element that must not be overlooked.
These are the possible people that can be found as information system personnel:
Chief information officer (CIO) is the highest-ranked information manager that is responsible for
strategic planning and the use of information system in the organisation.
Information System Director: Manages all the system and day to day activities or operations in the
organisation.
Information Centre Manager: takes care of all the information system services like help desks,
hotlines, training, consulting etc.
Project Manager: responsible for managing a new system project
System Manager: responsible for managing an existing project.
Programming Manager: responsible for coordinating all application programming efforts
Database Administrator: in charge of database and database management software use.
Quality Assurance Manager: develops and monitors standards and procedures making sure that every
system in the firm are in good conduction and accurate
Operations Manager: supervises the day –to- day operations of data and/ or computer centre.
Therefore for all these components of information systems to work effectively they have to follow a
defined process to integrate the collected data into useful information. A process is a series of steps
undertaken to achieve a desired outcome or goal. Information systems are becoming more and more
integrated with organizational processes, bringing more productivity and better control to those
processes. Any business and organization hoping to gain an advantage over their competitors should
highly focus on this component of information systems to achieve their goal.
THE COMPONENTS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

PEOPLE
DATA

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

HARDWARE
TELECOMMUNICATION
SOFTWARE NETWORKS
ADVANTAGES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Advantages of information systems are as follows:
Communication
With help of information technologies, instant messaging, emails, voice and video calls have become
quicker, cheaper and much efficient.
Globalization and Cultural Gap
By implementing information systems we can bring down the linguistic, geographical and some cultural
boundaries. Sharing the information, knowledge, communication and relationships between different
countries, languages and cultures becomes much easier.
Availability
Information systems have made it possible for libraries to be open 24x7 all over the globe. This means
that a business can be open anytime anywhere, making purchases from different countries easier and
more convenient. It also means that you can access information at your palm with a single muscle touch
on the screen of your phone or a click on the computer screen.
Creation of New Types of Jobs
One of the best advantages of information systems is the creation of new and interesting jobs. Computer
programmers, Systems analysers, Hardware and Software developers and Web designers are just some
of the many new employment opportunities created with the help of IT.
Cost-Effectiveness and Productivity
The IS application promotes more efficient operation of the company and improves the supply of
information to decision-makers; applying such systems can also play an important role in helping
companies like libraries and information centres to put greater emphasis on information technology to
gain a competitive advantage.

DISADVANTAGES OF INFORMATION SYSTEM

Information Systems have a positive impact on organisational productivity. It is not however without
some frustrations such as lack of training and poor systems performance because of system spread.
Disadvantages of information systems are as follows;

Unemployment and Lack of Job Security

As technology improves, tasks that were formerly performed by human employees are now carried out
by computer systems. For example, automated telephone answering systems have replaced live
receptionists in many organisations. Industry experts believe that the internet has made job security a big
issue as since technology keeps on changing with each day. This means that one has to be in a constant
learning mode if he or she wishes for their job to be secure.
Dominant Culture
While information technology may have made the world a globalvillage, it has resulted in one culture
dominating another weaker culture. For example, it is now argued that the US influences how most young
teenagers all over the world are dressing, speaking and behaves. Some languages too have become more
prominent than others, for example, English becoming the primary mode of communication for business
and everything else.
Security Issues
Thieves and hackers get access to people’s identities and internet fraud hackers target sensitive company
data. Such data can include vendor information, bank records, intellectual property and personal data on
company management. The hackers distribute the information over the Internet, sell it to rival companies
or use it to damage the company's image.

Implementation Expenses
To integrate the information system it requires a pretty good amount of cost in a case of software,
hardware and people. Software, hardware and some other services are rented, bought and supported.
Employees need to be trained with unfamiliar information technology and software.
TYPES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Information technology transmits processes or stores information. Information technology includes
electronic databases, electromagnetic storage of data, and the networks that connect them. An
information system is an integrated and cooperating set of software directed information technologies
supporting individual, group, organizational, or societal goals. Information Systems help in the
processing, storage, and dissemination of information. PDAs, cellular phones, music players, and digital
cameras are all examples of information systems. These devices use multiple information technologies
in creating personal information systems. Similarly, other information technologies, such as database,
networks, and programming languages, are used in creating organizational systems. The followings are
different types of information systems:
Transaction Processing Systems
Process Control Systems
Enterprise Collaboration Systems (Office Automation Systems
Management Information Systems
Decision Support Systems
Executive Information Systems
Expert Systems
Knowledge Management Systems
Functional Business Systems (Functional Area Information ii. Systems)
Electronic Commerce Systems
Manufacturing and Production Information Systems
Finance and Accounting Information Systems
Human Resource Information Systems
Transaction Processing Systems:
Transaction processing systems (TPS) are used in organisations to record day to day activities or
transactions of an institution or a company. The Transaction processing systems keep records of customer
orders, bills, and inventories, check out the cash register and production output of the organisation.
Process Control Systems: Process control systems are Monitor and control industrial or physical
processes. Examples: petroleum refining, power generation, and steel production systems. For example,
a petroleum refinery uses electronic sensors linked to computers to monitor chemical processes
continually and make instant (real-time) adjustments that control the refinery process.
Enterprise Collaboration Systems (Office Automation Systems):
Office automation systems are one of the most widely used types of information systems that will help
managers control the flow of information in organizations. Enterprise collaboration systems (office
automation systems) improve efficiency among employee and enhance team and workgroup
communications.
Management Information Systems:
Management information systems are computer-based information system which produces a standard
report in a summarized form. Here the details of all the data collected in the transaction processing
systems are put into a standard report for the middle – level manager for decision making. Examples are
budget summaries, statistics of users and number of consulting information resources in a library.
Decision Support Systems:
A Decision Support System is a computer-based system used by a senior manager or usually a group of
managers at any organizational level in making a semi- structured decision and solving complex
problems. Decision-support systems are specifically designed to help management make decisions in
situations where there is uncertainty about the possible outcomes of those decisions. An example is when
a librarian has faced the problem of “What will happen to our information resources and services if the
library users do not come again to use the resources and services? This shows that there is a situation of
uncertainty. Decision Support System is used in product forecasting system. DDS uses internally and
externally generated data in decision making. Internal data from sales while external are information on
the interest rate and current trend in business.
NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Accuracy: data generate or gather by the system should be free from error
Completeness: the software should have a large capacity to accommodate much data
Satisfactory: Information system must fulfil day to day activities of the user and should satisfy the need
of the user.
Heterogeneous: must be heterogeneous based on different technology with user
interface functionalities.
Simple to manipulate: design should user-friendly, easy to manipulate not complex.
Functions of Information System in Libraries

However, Information systems are used in libraries to carry out the following activities:
Selection and acquisition of information resources:
Information systems help in the selection and acquisition of information resources to meet the needs of
users. When the right information system is used in selecting and acquiring relevant resources it will
enhance the use of the information sources. This, besides, saves the time of the users and increase access
to useful and relevant information.
Description and organization of information resources:
Information systems also help in describing the acquired information resources. The descriptions of these
resources help in their effective storage. In other words, most of the capabilities that add value to
information are created at the stage of organization. Effective description of information sources in the
library results in giving such resources effective searching terms to aid dissemination of such
information. So access to information in a library depends on the quality of description and organization.
Information system requires each information resource to be catalogued and organized before its
publication (CIP= Cataloging In Publication). The “Cataloging In Publication” is a bibliographic record
created for each item in a catalogue instead of repeatedly recreating the bibliographic record of the same
item by cataloguers, they copy and it. This gives uniformities description of each information source. In
this way, it saves time and energy of the descriptors and minimizes cost. The information system has
helped in the creation of electronic subject analysis, indexing and classification schemes for quick and
easy retrieval and location of information sources.
Storage and processing of information: Information systems are used for the storage of bibliographic
data in a standard format (such as MARC format and/or Dublin Core Metadata). Information systems
allow the copying, exchange, and transfer of information records from one system to another and
librarians, can now make copies of what they have retrieved on the web for free. They can forward it to
others via email services.
Integration of information:
Information systems have help in linking / integrating components of the system to one another, using
linking techniques and standards of data exchange. This is done to promote the exchange and sharing of
data. For example, in a computerized library system, all units or sections (such as acquisitions,
cataloguing, and loans) are linked making it possible for sharing and/or exchange of information across
different files in the system. This will enable the librarian to use the same terminal to access information
stored in any sections of the library, transfer data and carry out quality control (i.e., editing of records).
This saves time and money there is no need to retype or re-enter data already existing in one section to
another in another section.
Information search and retrieval:
Information systems have help in easy retrieval of information which was impossible or difficult and
time-consuming using manual systems. These have benefitted librarians, information workers and end-
users, in terms of accuracy as well as speed. For example, concerning acquisitions and cataloguing,
librarians use advanced and accurate search technique to retrieve desired records; thereby avoiding
creating new records (i.e., doing original cataloguing) which is expensive and time-consuming. Examples
of such techniques are the use Online Computer Library Centre which provides bibliographic and
abstracts on information resources and the use of the Library of Congress online Catalogue for
cataloguing. Information on the title, subject; publisher, date of publication and author of particular
information can be displayed at the time. This will make cataloguing easy and fast.
Management of Information:
Information systems help in keeping records of the activities happening in the library. Such records are
records created, records in the database, transferred, items borrowed and returned by each user, overdue
notice, fines; recorders of the compiler, translators, updated or information deleted. All these records are
essential because the management uses them in decision making.

CONCEPT OF INFORMATION SERVICE AND SOURCES

Libraries are meant to provide information services to its clientele. Modern libraries provide various
library and information services to fulfil the information needs of the clientele. The information
revolution is responsible for an increase in the variety and volume of information services. Electronic
delivery of information has become a necessity. The Internet has opened a new version of information
service. Information service is provided through a variety of techniques, it takes a variety of forms’
including direct personal assistance, directions, signs, exchange of information culled from a
reference source, reader’s advisory, dissemination of information and access to electronic information.
American Library Association stated that the main aim of information services is to provide the
information sought by the user. Information service should base on meeting the information needs of
users. The services should aim at creating user awareness of the information resources available to fulfil
individual information needs. Based on this definition information services should be users’ needs-
oriented. Information services could be divided into two main categories: assurance of information
needed by users and awareness of users about available information resources and ability to find the
information appropriate to given needs by themselves. Information services are classified into direct and
indirect services; direct services are communication between the users and librarians using questions and
answers in seeking for knowledge. The indirect services are activities carried out by librarians which the
users are not aware off (behind the scene) these activities include preparation and development of
catalogue both online and card catalogue, bibliography and all other tools which assure access to
libraries’ collections. All libraries and information centres should provide information service activities
that are timely and accurate which will meet. They also help teach users searching & browsing
techniques’ that will help look up for facts, sources and available bibliographic material.
CONCEPT OF INFORMATION SOURCE
The information they say is power and has been seen as an essential ingredient in decision making,
planning and forecasting. To obtain quality information to be used in decision making the nature of
information sources available for use should be considered. The information available is packaged and
stored in different formats or media, these formats determine the type of information source. Therefore
information sources are the platforms or media, on which information is documented to store or preserve,
manage, disseminate or retrieve for easy utilization by its user. In another word, an information source
is where you got your information or knowledge from or where you were informed about something.
This implies that one can get information from observations, documents, human sources such as
speeches, and organisations. Information source could be oral or written, human or virtual, in-house or
external, lay or authoritative, easily accessible or hard to get. Information sources are resources or
materials from which people get ideas, meaningful messages, enlightenment and direction that enable
them to accomplish a given task, make decisions and solve problems. Information sources are defined as
the vehicle through which ideas, news, facts, symbols and sound are stored and transported across time
and space appearing in various documents or record form that aid the dissemination of information and
knowledge.

TYPES / CATEGORIES OF INFORMATION SOURCES

Primary Information Sources:

Primary sources of information are first- hand words, images, objects spoken or created by a person
directly involved in the activity or activities. It is known as a direct speech not reported speech these
include personal letters, eyewitness testimony in a court trial, manuscripts, speeches, spoken stories,
telephone conversations and email among others. Simply put, primary sources are original information
materials from which other information sources are derived. They contain new and original idea or new
interpretations of already known facts. According to Kumar (2010) a primary source of information as
the first published record of original research and development or description of a new application or
new interpretation of an old theme or idea. This implies that primary sources share new information and
are the first to present the finding of a research or experiment. This type of information source could also
appear in electronic form. Adomi (2012) and Nnadozie (2014) gave examples of primary information
sources as first-hand information sources these include; theses, journals, letters and diaries, government
publications research data, artefacts, photographs, video recordings, films, autobiographies, newspapers,
magazine, memories, interviews, speeches, lecture notes, personal letters, audio recordings, and diaries
among others.
Secondary Information Sources:
These are sources of information derived from an already existing primary source. Most times, they come
from a further interpretation of a source of information or a first-hand information source or document.
Secondary documents analyze, comment on, describe, discuss, evaluate, and interpret the evidence
provided by primary sources or documents. Secondary sources cite primary sources of information as
well as enable the user to locate a primary source of information. They are sources that provide
commentary about evidence (primary sources). Examples of secondary information sources are
bibliographies, biographical works written on someone, Conference proceedings, literature review,
commentaries, treatises, indexes and textbooks.
Tertiary Information Sources:
Tertiary information sources are compiled from the secondary sources of information. They serve
as pointers to the secondary sources of information. These are information sources born as a result of the
distillation and collection of both primary and secondary sources. Tertiary sources compile, index and
arrange citations to serve as aid or direct users to other sources. This type of source comes last among
the three because its existence, functionality and relevance are drawn from the existence of the primary
and secondary sources. Tertiary sources are not usually credited to a particular author and are not
considered very acceptable to base academic research. At times, the nature of reference materials
identified under secondary sources overlaps with the tertiary sources so that similar examples of sources
are used to describe both tertiary and secondary which makes their distinction difficult. Some examples
include encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, manuals, chronologies, guidebooks and bibliographies.

Classification of Information According to their Formats

This information derived from the primary, secondary and tertiary sources are stored for present and
future use. The formats of their storage determine the type of information the resources will be.
Information resources are classified into two major types namely the print and non-print materials.

Print recourses are information recourses that are in their hard copy which are produced by applying ink
on papers. Examples of print resources are almanac, dictionaries encyclopedia, magazines, yearbooks,
government gazettes, textbooks, Maps, Atlas and directories etc.

Non-print information resources are all electronically based information resources whether they are
derived from the primary, secondary and tertiary sources of information provided they can only be
accessed or read through a technological device such information resources are non- print or electronic
resources because they do not appear on papers. Examples of electronic resources (non- Print ) are web
sites, audio, visual, and/or text files, online databases, e-journals, e-books, and e- articles, e-books, online
newspapers, online magazines. Some of the print resources can be converted into non-print through the
use of computers, scanners and telecommunication network to enable such information resources to be
accessed electronically by computer devices.

Nature and Characteristics of Information Sources

Data or facts when analysed and interpreted meaningful by the recipient such data becomes information.
For such facts or data to become information it must possess the following characteristics namely;
Must have meaning - understandable to the recipient
Complete- Should contain all the necessary facts and figures needed in taking decisions.
Relevant- must be meaningful to solve the problem at hand.
Available- should be made accessible to any individual who needs it.
Timely- should be delivered at the right time when it is needed to avoid obsolete or outdated.
Concise- should be simple worded not cumbersome, too much information become burdensome in using
them in solving problems.
Cost-effective- access to information should not be expensive. Money spent on information should not
be higher than the problem it is expected to solve.
Reliable- information should be factual, true, accurate and misleading or incorrect.

CONCEPT OF DIGITAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS, RESOURCES AND SERVICES

Digital means electronic technology that generates, stores, and processes data in information. Information
can be regarded as data or figures that have been interpreted into meaningful and useable form by the
recipients. You can define digital information as data or figures which have been interpreted into
meaningful and useable information which are converted into electronic format using electronic
technological tools. This digital information is stored on the web and access using the internet. For
example, digital forms are an electronic version of paper forms that are filed online using your
computer or mobile devices to eliminate the costs of printing, storing, and distributing the paper
forms.
Digital Information Systems (DIS)
Digital Information Systems are electronic systems that combine software and hardware to enable
communication and collaborative work. The explosion of information in this technological age
necessitated the need to store information in a different format to promote information storage and
information sharing. The uses of information system have increased the scope of knowledge sharing
among users of information in different locations. Digital Information uses digital devices in caring out
the process of converting the information sources that are in their print form to digital formats. The
followings are the digital information system devices:

Desktop computers
Input devices – keyboards, mouse, scanners
Output devices – printers and speakers
Mobile phones
E-readers
Tablet computers
Storage devices – flash drives
All these digital information systems devices gave rise to the availability of digital information resources
for knowledge sharing among users from their remote locations.

ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS

The digital revolution has brought dramatic changes to information storage, access and retrieving
processes. The creations of digital information systems have made essential impacts on teaching, learning
process and research. Today’s information environment is hybrid. This has been occasioned by the
desire of library users to have access to unprecedented amounts of information in varying formats.
Libraries are undergoing many changes due to digital information systems. The followings are the
advantages of Digital information system;

 The use of automated transaction processing has shifted in the value placed on information
resources to the establishment or development of internet-enabled flexible information
 The Digital Information System (DIS) has been a rapid development of vital information and
communication technologies to reduce transaction cost.
 DIS has enabled extraction and exchange of knowledge across the globe.
 Also with the open standard in DIS architecture like UNIX, Linux and HML and Protocols
(TCP/IP) organization or libraries can integrate their existing intranets and extranet on the internet
which reduces the cost of multiple connectivities and yet extend access to information in the
organizational boundaries and national borders.
 DIS uses wireless internet-based technologies to enhance mobility in information knowledge
exchange and information sharing across the firms.
 Digital Information System (DIS) gave rise to the creation of new job like system analysts,
System Librarians, computer programmers etc.
 The application of Digital Information System (DIS) in library information resources brought
about an increase in accessibility, utilization and patronage of libraries.
 It helps to reduce the time needed to transmit order slips, invoices, shipping notification during
procurement.
DISADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL INFORMATION SYSTEM (DIS)
In as much as Digital Information Systems have improved sharing of knowledge across the globe but it
is not free of challenges. There are some disadvantages of using Digital Information System (DIS) such
as

 More bandwidths are required for the use of Digital Information System (DIS) for fast processing,
storing and access to information.
 Digital Information System (DIS) requires electricity or charging of the information technologies
for accessing and sharing of information, where it is not available the access and information
exchange is hindered.
 The use of Digital Information System (DIS) in an organization creates unemployment and lack
of job security since certain task performed by a human is carried out by computer systems. An
example is the job of a receptionist which has been taken up by an automated telephone
answering machine.
 The hardware and software change rapidly making the cost of DIS use high.

DIGITAL INFORMATION RESOURCES

Digital Information Resources are information resources which were in print form (hard copy), but have
been converted into non- print form (soft copy) and are accessible through computer machines and other
corresponding ICT tools. These Digital Information Resources (DIR) includes published journals and
books, pictures, music, cartographic materials, games, stories, articles from magazines, encyclopedias,
pamphlets, and other published resources that are in hard copies but are converted in electronic format
using the digital information systems devices make it to be accessible through the web. Digital
information resource can be accessed with the aid of a computer and other brands of ICTs such as phones,
laptops, palmtops and Ipad. Also, Shariful (2012), defined electronic information resources (EIR) as
those resources that are born electronically and digitized materials which can be either accessible from
the library in house database or the world-wide-web. The born electronically materials are e-books, e-
journal, e-newspaper, e- magazine, e-projects, e-thesis, e-dissertations, e-reports, website, www-
resources and other related materials which can be considered necessary by the users, researchers, and
information professionals or even by the library management itself. The digitalized materials are printed
resources or other formats which have been converted into electronic format.
Digital information resources such as E-books are commonly perceived as offering greater potential for
teaching and research. Indeed, the digital format offers many opportunities for books to be developed as
interactive learning resources and in some cases substituting for locally designed learning resources and
experience. These Digital resources include a wide range of materials such as information collections
which contents are converted into a machine-readable form for online access, Examples are Scanned
images, images of photographic or printed texts, etc, information in CD-ROMs, Online databases and
interactive video components, databases accessible through the internet and other networks, digital audio,
video clips or full-length movies.
Digital information resources serve as a motivating factor to students as it provides the opportunity to
transmit, acquire or download process and disseminate information on a subject of interest. Digital
information resources offer today students and researchers greater opportunities that are quite different
from their predecessors that consulted only printed forms. Access to digital information resources is often
faster than consulting print indexes, especially when searching retrospectively, and using keywords in
searching. This is because the use of digital information by students of today enhances their performance
in academic activities. Information resources and systems are being made available in various formats
such as portable document format (PDF), Hyper Text Mark-up Language (HTML), image audio and
video. In this changing world, librarians and academic libraries should have a major role in managing
these digital information resources and systems. Information communication technology has made it
possible to provide and make information more accessible than it used to be.
ADVANTAGE OF DIGITAL INFORMATION RESOURCES

Digital Information Resources, in reality, have become the backbones of in the preservation and
dissemination of archival information resources found in their printed format and also for other printed
books, journals, magazines and artefacts. These information sources are converted to electronic readable
resources some appear as images, pictures accompanied by audio recordings. The followings are some
advantages of digital information in libraries;

 They serve as a motivating factor to students for their research and learning because users of
information can now access, transmit, acquire or download and disseminate digitalized
information on any subject of interest.
 It exposes library users to current and archival information resource in their respective subject
fields, in contrast with print media which are not regularly updated like the electronic ones.
 Digital information resources are available 24 hours and give wider access to users than printed
format.
 Provision of information in digital formats, such as e-journals, e- books, reference work published
online and CD-ROM, bibliographic databases, and other web-based services on the Internet. This
allows for easy access from any location.
 The provision of DIR has promoted better, faster, easier access to information to, increase
usability and effectiveness.
 Digital information resources do not require separate space in a library because they are stored
and accessed using computers and other handheld technological devices can be accessed
remotely.
 Digital information resources allow library users to search multiple files at the same time;
this reduces the incessant hardship faced by libraries in the acquisition of information in print.
 It will help to reduce the cost of buying multiple copies of one title since one copy on the web
will serve numerous users at the same time in different locations.
 It helps in solving the problem of physical space for storage of information since information can
be scanned into CD-ROMs, flash drives and uploaded into the library website.

DISADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL INFORMATION RESOURCES

Digital information resources are designed for the information seekers (patrons) as well as for
professional staff to satisfy their informational needs. These processes of converting printed in electronic
readable resources have some disadvantages associated with it. The following are some of the
disadvantages:
 Copyright and intellectual property rights infringements; some users download information
resources and use them for profit reason without the consent of the author or the publishers. Also
a major administrative challenge is in complying with the copyright and intellectual property
rights issues. The information provider (library) authorities have to discuss seriously with
publishers on this aspect. The process of securing approval from, publishers and authors may take
a long time.
 Users are charged directly or indirectly for each access or download from severs or each kind of
digital library collection; the user can not afford such charges user is denied access to the needed
information.
 Some organization lack technical support staff for the manipulation and maintenance of digital
information systems devices such as the hardware and software devices. So digital knowledge of
hard and software are required for the digitization of information.
 Low bandwidth is another challenge that affects the utilization of digital information resources
because some the digital resources contain structured text, sound graphics, pictures, photographs
and video clips which require intensive use of bandwidth. The increased use of the network for
transferring data by more people increases the load on the network traffic. The delay in the access
to digital information resources is worse when the size of transferred or download resources
include full-text multimedia document. Indeed, the simple text takes up an only small amount of
space, picture and graphics take up more; video and sound files are space-hungry demanding
much more space and transmission time.
 Technological and associated internet and web technologies are in a continuous flux of change.
New standards and protocols are being defined regularly for file formats, compression techniques,
hardware components, network interface storage and devices. Digital information resources
stored in an obsolete format face the problem of constant migration and conversion to the new
technology format to ensure compatibility for the products with the current technology. This is
to ensure that valuable digital objects are not left behind in an obsolete system which eventually
breaks down rendering data inaccessible.
 Requires a lot of money to execute. The process of conversing printed-text into digital objects is
so expensive and requires a lot of manpower and resources for the migration.
 Inadequate funding affects the use of new technologies for institutional development. Funding is
necessary to develop digital information resources collection where the fund is not adequate for
the process of producing digital resources will end the half. Also, money is needed to re-bind the
printed resources torn during the processes of scanning them. It takes a lot of money.