The Adoption Footprints of Free and Open-Source Library Management Systems in Higher Education Institutions in Zambia

Main Article Content

Tuesday Bwalya Akakandelwa Akakandelwa

Abstract

Many libraries the world over have turned to free and open-source library management systems (FOSLMS) for their automation needs. The main objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which FOSLMS were being used in libraries in Zambian higher education institutions (HEIs). Furthermore, the study sought to investigate factors that influence the adoption of FOSLMS in HEIs. The study was quantitative in design and data was collected from 142 HEIs with functioning libraries. The findings revealed that 42 (78%) out of 54 libraries in HEIs that have automated their operations use FOSLMS. Koha was found to be the most used FOSLMS and that low cost of adoption was the principal factor fueling FOSLMS’s adoption in HEIs in Zambia. Given the findings, the study recommends that the Zambian Government introduces a policy promoting the use of FOSS in public institutions including HEIs; the Library and Information Association of Zambia raise awareness of FOSLMS through workshops and conferences; the Zambian library science schools include, in their undergraduate programs, modules on FOSLMS. 


 

Article Details

How to Cite
BWALYA, Tuesday; AKAKANDELWA, Akakandelwa. The Adoption Footprints of Free and Open-Source Library Management Systems in Higher Education Institutions in Zambia. Zambia Journal of Library & Information Science (ZAJLIS ), ISSN: 2708-2695, [S.l.], v. 4, n. 2, p. 11-25, dec. 2020. ISSN 2708-2695. Available at: <https://zajlis.unza.zm/index.php/journal/article/view/62>. Date accessed: 03 oct. 2024.
Section
Library Management Systems

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