The Prospects and Challenges of Open Access Educational Resources (OAER) in the Library Retrieval System

Abstract

In this paper, we discussed “Prospects and Challenges of Open Access Educational Resources in the Library Retrieval System”. The paper highlights benefits of open access educational resources (OAER) to include:unrestrained accessibility of educational resources; cheaper and cost effectiveness of information resources; enhances easy publication of intellectual works; global visibility and utilization of research findings; improves societal intellectual capacity building; and easy dissemination of information. Also, the paper points out some challenges militating against the success of OAER to consist of: lack of awareness among the intellectual community; inadequate funding of OAER in libraries; technical and technological problems. However, the paper concludes by proffering some remedies to ameliorate the challenges confronting OAER in library retrieval system; such as: current educational reforms aiming at given e-learning a place in the educational policy in Nigeria should be vigorously pursued; Nigerian government should depoliticize the educational system and give education experts free hand to objectively run the affair of education in the country; library authorities while planning to purchase OAER hard wares and facilities, should go for those ones that have lesser hazard effect on the health condition of its library personnel; library management should engage the services of personnel who are skilful in the ICT and its accessories in order to sustain the effectiveness of OAER in the library operations; and finally, more telecommunication companies especially those who are interested in the educational development should be licensed to commence operations in the country, while the established ones should drastically reduce their internet connectivity charges.