Technology-Enabled Knowledge Sharing in Federal Universities: Examining the Predictive Factors among Professional and Paraprofessional Librarians in South-East, Nigeria
Keywords:
Technology availability, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, technology enabled knowledge sharing, Technology Acceptance Model, professional and paraprofessional librarians.Abstract
This study examines factors predicting technology-enabled knowledge sharing among
Professional and Paraprofessional Librarians (PPLs) in federal universities across South-East
Nigeria. A total enumeration technique was employed, involving all 238 PPLs from five federal
universities in the region. Data were collected using a validated structured questionnaire, with
reliability coefficients of 0.84 for technology availability, 0.75 for perceived ease of use, 0.84 for
perceived usefulness, and 0.90 for technology-enabled knowledge sharing. Descriptive statistics
addressed research questions, while simple regression analysis tested hypotheses. Findings
revealed that technology availability, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness positively
and significantly predicted technology-enabled knowledge sharing. However, despite the
availability of technology, ownership is primarily personal rather than institutional. Ease of use
was moderate, as some PPLs struggled with troubleshooting and felt intimidated by technology.
A small group perceived technology as unnecessary. Although LIS professionals actively
engaged in online discussions and networking, their participation in content creation and
structured knowledge-sharing platforms remained low. To address this, the study recommends
among others, that the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) and the Librarians Registration
Council of Nigeria (LRCN) organize training programmes to enhance librarians' librarians'
ability to use technology for knowledge sharing as part of their ongoing professional
development.
