33 From the literature reviewed on the use of digital resources, including the empirical studies discussed above, the present researcher rarely found studies guided by a theoretical framework. A theoretical framework is important to help the researcher focus on relevant theories and studies, so that the dynamics of the situation and the relationships among variables can be understood. At the same time, gaps in the literature can be easily identified.
Researchers who carry out studies without the guidance of a theoretical framework struggle to produce quality work (Neumann 2006:77). The present study was enlightened by the TAM to understand why users were showing a preference for digital resources at the ORI Library.
Most studies conducted on the use of electronic resources were done in universities. The present study sought to fill a gap by improving the availability of literature on small corporate organisations in South Africa and the African region at large.
34 No literature was found that investigated user acceptance of digital information within marine and aquatic institutions. However, establishing current trends in the use of electronic resources in these institutions expose, among other things, digital information dissemination programmes that can be adopted, ICT infrastructure necessary to facilitate access to digital information, capacity building needs and relevant digital resources available. A number of these institutions have developed viable e-resource programmes for their libraries. KMFRI and NaFIRRI will be discussed as examples of such organisations.
2.7.1 Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI)
KMFRI was established in 1979 to conduct research and make management recommendations essential for the national exploitation of aquatic resources in the marine and freshwater sector (Agolla 2011:1). KMFRI’s main objective is to undertake research into marine and freshwater fisheries, aquatic sciences, biological, chemical and physical oceanography, limnology, pollution, aquaculture, natural products and marine geology (Agolla 2011:1).
To support these research activities, KMFRI library was established to provide quality, user- focussed library services and develop library resources that support aquatic research and promote the sustainable use of marine and freshwater resources (Agolla 2011:1). The library has an institutional repository built on open-source software DSpace, in which KMFRI’s research output is archived and accessed by researchers (Agolla 2011:1). The system contains both metadata and links to full-text documents. Apart from the repository, KMFRI has access to e-resources through agreements and consortiums with the IAMSLIC, International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA), Online Access to Research in the Environment (OARE), Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI), United Nations (UN) and other international bodies. The library has access to a wide range of online journals, e-repositories and databases such as Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), in which the library acts as the national input centre (Agolla 2011:1). KMFRI also offers the following online literature services:
AFRILIB – a union catalogue of Africa’s co-operating institutions,
AFRIPUB – a catalogue of scientific journals, articles and monographs published by African ocean scientists,
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AFRICURRENT – a current awareness tool based on users’ profiles of specific interests,
AFRIDIR – a directory of marine and freshwater professionals in Africa.
In a study conducted by Agolla (2011) to examine the impact of the use of e-resources by KMFRI library users, it was found that the use of e-resources was common among researchers and they depended on e-resources to get the required and relevant information.
The study revealed that e-journals had become a basic need for the researchers’ everyday life, as they were easy to access. The findings showed that there were concerns about the stability of the Internet connection, the need to sift through information to find legitimate sources and the need to train researchers in the use of e-resources. The results also revealed that some researchers were not happy with the IT infrastructure available to access electronic resources.
However, the use of electronic resources among researchers was common.
2.7.2 National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI), Uganda
NaFIRRI was established in 1947, with the mandate to conduct basic and applied research of national and strategic importance in the water environment, capture fisheries, aquaculture, socio-economics and marketing, information communication and management and emerging issues in the fisheries sector (Endra 2011:1). In the same year, an information centre was set- up to provide information to research scientists at NaFIRRI and the greater East African Region. The purpose of the information centre was to provide access to relevant information so that the institution could produce quality research products (Endra 2011:1). The information centre covers the following subjects: fish biology, ecology, invertebrates, fisheries management, environment, socio-economics, fishes, water quality, aquaculture, agriculture (crops and soils), research information on lakes such as Victoria, Albert, Edward, George, Kyoga, Nabugabo, Tanganyika, Rukwa, Chad, Malawi, the River Nile, the Zambezi River and many other satellite lakes in Uganda (Endra 2011:1). It also contains project reports and consultancy reports carried out by the institute in the area of fisheries, water environment, aquaculture and fisheries.
In 2009, NaFIRRI Information Centre established a locally designed network called Electronic Board to enable researchers scientists, technicians and support staff to have access to information from the comfort of their offices (Endra 2011:1). The Electronic Board was
36 developed based on a Local Area Network (LAN) to allow easy dissemination of electronic internal information and internal communication flow within the Institute (Endra 2011:2).
The E-Board has bibliographic databases, publications from the section comprising digitised papers (reprints), reports, work plans and project technical reports. It has an internal interaction window for notices; memos; news; development programmes; activity schedules, future plans, budget estimates and reports/presentation and other documented materials (Endra 2011:2). In addition, NaFIRRI Information Centre joined the international network of fisheries information centres, IAMSLIC, where it now has global access to literature related to fisheries and aquaculture. It was one of the eight agencies in Africa that contributed to the development of the Aquatic Commons repository (Ibeun 2011:7).
To facilitate effective use of available digital resources, electronic resource training and database training was conducted for NaFIRRI research scientists and technicians with support from INASP and the LVFO/IFMP project, respectively (Endra 2011:5). No studies were conducted to establish the effectiveness of e-resource training programmes conducted and no evaluations were made on usage of the e-Board by research scientists and technicians. Like most institutions in the region, NaFIRRI is faced with challenges of inadequate computers to access electronic information (Endra 2011:5).