Personal Factors and Digital Preservation Practices Among Library Personnel in Federal Universities

The emergence of digital technology and digital information resources have made it necessary for university libraries to prioritise digital preservation as a way of safeguarding these resources. However, ensuring long term use of information materials through digital preservation seems difficult as some library personnel lack experience, skills and are ill qualified to carry out digital preservation practices. The study examined personal factors and digital preservation practices among library personnel in federal universities. The survey research design of the correlational type was adopted for this study. The population of the study consisted of 202 library personnel from the six federal universities in Nigeria. The total enumeration (census) was adopted for the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection and the results are presented in tables and percentages. Digital preservation practices mostly undertaken by library personnel in federal universities include: migration (𝑥̅=3.26; std dev. =.528); emulation (𝑥̅=3.25; std dev. =.654); encapsulation (𝑥̅=3.19; std dev. =.654); digitisation (𝑥̅=3.35; std dev. =.660); cloud computing (𝑥̅=3.15; std dev. =.857); technology preservation (𝑥̅=3.17; std dev. =.787); refreshing (𝑥̅=3.11; std dev. =.825) and replication (𝑥̅=3.06; std dev. =.852. Female library personnel constituted the majority of the respondents. The study composed of library personnel within the 41-45 years age bracket, dominated by library personnel with 6-10 years of working experience and library personnel who are bachelor degree holders. There was a significant relationship between educational qualification and digital preservation practices among library personnel while age and work experience of library personnel were not significant. Personal factor (educational qualification) determined the digital preservation practices among library personnel in federal universities. Therefore, library personnel in federal universities should be constantly trained and retrained in requisite skills needed to carry out digital preservation practices to remain abreast of and fit into the demand of the fourth industrial revolution.