ASSESSMENT OF UTILISATION OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES FOR PROMOTING THE USE OF ARCHIVAL RESOURCES IN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed the utilization of Social Networking among archival personnel for promoting the use of archival resources in the Nigerian Archival institutions. The study also examined among other objectives; types of social networking sites use, purpose for utilizing the platforms, factors facilitating the use of the technology and the challenges associated with the use of the technology in the National Archive of Nigeria. Convergent parallel mixed-method research design was used for the study. The population comprises three zonal coordinators and 127 archival personnel. Total enumeration or census was used as sampling procedure, and equally, questionnaire and interview schedule were used as instruments for data collection with seven research questions and four hypotheses. The data was collected and analysed with the used of percentages, mean score and standard deviation with five likert scale questionnaire and 3.0 as criteria mean. The findings revealed that majority of archival personnel (97%) are aware of SNSs and agreed that integration of the technology can enhance the visibility and promote the use of archival resources in the National Archive of Nigeria with the highest mean score of 4.52. The findings further revealed that archival personnel utilises social networking sites not for the sake of promoting the use of archival resources rather on personal bases, with (95%) level of agreement on that and 4.42 as the highest mean score observed. Findings from the hypotheses tested showed no significant relationship between awareness and utilization of social networking sites among archival personnel with the p-value of 0.589 tested at 5% level of significance. The results equally indicate no significant relationship between attitude and use of social networking sites among archival personnel with 0.350 as obtained p-value, which was also tested at 5%. Also 0.135 was obtained as tested at 5% on the types and purpose for using social networking sites among archival personnel and it showed no significant relationship. The study concluded that archival personnel are aware of Social Networking Sites but do not utilize the platform officially for the sake of promoting the use of archival resources. Therefore, the study recommended that archival personnel should be educated and trained to be familiar with the potentialities associated with the use of Social Networking Sites as well as to acquire skills for utilizing SNSs in archival operations. Equally, government should considered archival institutions in its annual budgetary proposal so that adequate fund be allocated to enhance the performance and operations of the agency in line with standard global practice.