SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES OF ELECTRONIC THESES AND DISSERTATIONS IN NIGERIAN INSTITUTIONAL REPOSITORIES

Abstract

Purpose: The study investigated the sustainability challenges of managing electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) in Nigerian institutional repositories (IR). Methodology: A qualitative research design was adopted for the study and ten institutional repositories administrators were interviewed on their responses were recorded in a questionnaire template. The IRs sampled were purposively sampled based on two criteria online presence for three months and inclusion of theses and dissertations as a community, sub-community, or are embedded in the contents of the faculties. Findings: The study found that the major sustainability challenges with ETDs in Nigerian repositories were funding, content population, Poor synergy between IT and library staff and inadequately skilled staff. The study also proposed sustainability recommendations for ETDs. Implications: Based on the challenges identified in this study, there is a need for a paradigm shift in the management process of ETDs.Libraries cannot afford to be onlookers in the knowledge economy. Value/Originality: Several studies in the literature have investigated ETDs in Nigerian repositories. This study however investigated the challenges of managing these contents against the backdrop of poor use and visibility of ETDs from Nigeria.