Digital Capacity and Consortium Participation An Empirical Analysis of Polytechnic Libraries in Nigeria

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between digital capacity and membership in consortium by Nigeria's polytechnic libraries with a perspective of evaluating their readiness for collaborative engagement in a digitally evolving information environment. The study is motivated by four broad objectives, which involve the evaluation of digital infrastructure, digital literacy among personnel, institutional facilitators, and existing levels of consortium membership. Through a mixed-methods design, the information was collected using semi-structured interviews with primary stakeholders including polytechnic librarian, heads/staff of ICT units, acquisition/collection development librarian and cataloguing/technical services librarian. The results were explored thematically to elicit challenges and strategic drivers. Evidence suggests that a majority of polytechnic libraries have achieved baseline ICT deployment i.e., internet connection and library management systems while gaps still exist in the development of staff capacity, funding, and policy environments that limit effective membership within consortia. The study concludes by calling for targeted policy interventions, digital skill acquisition, and enhanced institutional cooperation to improve the readiness of polytechnic libraries to function effectively in library consortia in the long run. This research contributes empirical information to digital information literacy and interlibrary network cooperation in developing worlds.