Research Paper

1. International Journal of Library and Information Science Research and Development (IJLISRD), ISSN: 2277
– 3541 (Print), ISSN: 2277 – 3673 (Online) Volume 4, Issue 1, January-April 2015, © PRJ Publication
19
ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE ESSENTIAL
ELECTRONIC AGRICULTURAL LIBRARY (TEEAL)
VERSION: A CASE STUDY OF LADOKEAKINTOLA
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OGBOMOSO
ISAAC OLUGBENGA AJALA
Olusegun Oke Library,
Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology,
P. M. B. 4000.Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
ADEWALE JOEL SOBALAJE
Olusegun Oke Library,
Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology,
P. M. B. 4000.Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
OGUNMODEDE, THOMAS AYINLA
Olusegun Oke Library,
Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology,
P. M. B. 4000.Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
This paper analysed The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL) version
in Olusegun Oke Library. Data used for the analysis were generated by accessing the TEEAL
database in the library. This was achieved through the assistance of ICT Librarian. Three
hundred and forty (340) consultations were made during the year of 2010. The analysis
revealed that the most consulted journal title was Agronomy (14.1%), also the most article
title consulted was Economic and Development (30.6%), while the most year of publication
consulted was 2008-2010 (55.6%). The research also shows that only one Nigerian local
journal, Nigerian Agricultural Journal was among the journals consulted by (1.2%). It has
been established that the consultation of TEEAL database were not encouraging. Therefore
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION
SCIENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (IJLISRD)
ISSN: 2277 – 3541 (Print),
ISSN: 2277 – 3673 (Online)
Volume 4, Issue 1, January-April (2015), pp. 19-25
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2. International Journal of Library and Information Science Research and Development (IJLISRD), ISSN: 2277
– 3541 (Print), ISSN: 2277 – 3673 (Online) Volume 4, Issue 1, January-April 2015, © PRJ Publication
20
the library needs to create a good platform for researchers to create more awareness,
advocacy and encourage the use of TEEAL. This can be done by organising workshops or
seminars within the institution.
Keywords: TEEAL, Journal, Article, consultation, Library
INTRODUCTION
The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL) is a digital collection of
research journals for agriculture and related disciplines such as environmental sciences.
TEEAL was established primarily to support researchers, students, librarians and extension
workers/agents for research activities without the use of the internet. The ultimate goal of
TEEAL is to increase the quality and effectiveness of agricultural and environmental science
research in low-income countries. The attainment and sustenance of high levels of
agricultural and environmental research are not potentially possible without an effective use
of current journals. For the agricultural sector to continue to grow, research-based knowledge
of the existing agricultural practices, the potential of the sector, the approach for transforming
the sector, and the impact of the transformation on the economy, sector, and population is
needed. Resources at today’s library are not only available in print but also in electronic
format such as CD-ROM databases have reported an increase in the use of journal
collections.
According to Carden (2004), research findings may not have immediate and direct
influence on decisions, but over time, their impact can be seen more clearly. The release of a
research report represents an occasion for collective discussion and perhaps reconsideration
of the issues raised by the report. An effective database such as The Essential Electronic
Agricultural Library is required for high quality research. The researchers need to have access
to recent, high quality literature, methodology, and data; and the capacity to use this
information analytically to lay a solid foundation for research applicable to Nigeria’s
agricultural sector. Popoola (2008) noted that other stakeholders in the agriculture industry,
such as policymakers, educators, students, development partners, members of the private
sector, and extension personnel, need high quality, relevant, and timely agricultural
information to make good strategic decisions. Among the available information portals,
TEEAL was considered to be the most widely accessible by faculty and students (Valerie, et
al, 2010). TEEAL is updated annually with the previous year’s content and is delivered to
clients on applicable hardware.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this paper is to analyse the study of The Essential Electronic
Agricultural Library, 2010 version in relation to journals title, articles title and year of
publication. The study will also achieve these specific objectives:
i. to identify the most consulted journal titles;
ii. to find out the most consulted article titles; and
iii. to know the most used article based on the years of publications.

3. International Journal of Library and Information Science Research and Development (IJLISRD), ISSN: 2277
– 3541 (Print), ISSN: 2277 – 3673 (Online) Volume 4, Issue 1, January-April 2015, © PRJ Publication
21
LITERATURE REVIEW
THE ESSENTIAL ELECTRONIC AGRICULTURAL LIBRARY (TEEAL)
TEEAL (The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library) is a self-contained library of
the core journals in the field of agriculture (Mary, 2005). It can also be said that TEEAL is
electronic data-base that mostly housed agricultural and other related field journals. This is a
program being managed at Mann Library at Cornell University with the cooperation of many
scientific publishers, data-base producers and affiliated with the Rockefeller Foundation.
Mary (2005) noted that TEEAL system is designed to support the three main uses scholars
make of the literature: current awareness in their fields; subject searching to support research
proposals, student papers, and ongoing projects; and known item searching, such as finding a
specific article by a specific author. The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL)
contains the full-text articles complete with graphics and illustrations of over 200 journals
spanning seventeen years from 1993 to 2009. Chituru (2010) stated that, The Essential
Electronic Agriculture Library (TEEAL) is designed as a stand-alone compact disc system,
which uses a standard micro-computer, compact disc readers, and laser jet printer, together
with its own user-friendly software. Library users are satisfied with TEEAL because they can
review information fast.
Since agriculture is the national priority sector, it is one of the potentially beneficial
areas for the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) for proper
use of TEEAL software. ICTs tools are very important because they enable the accessibility
and use of e-resources. According to the investigation made by Tumsifu (2002) on the use of
TEEAL in Tanzania, he noted that access and use of ICTs in agricultural research institutes in
Tanzania, shows that almost all the researchers from the selected institutes had TEEAL. Most
International organizations like CTA, Rockefeller Foundation, FAO and some donor agencies
sponsored their acquisitions by information centres and organizations from developing
countries including Nigeria, (Abdulkadir,2010).
OVERVIEW OF OLUSEGUN OKE LIBRARY
The LadokeAkintola University of Technology Ogbomoso’s Library now Olusegun
Oke Library was established in July, 1990 as one of the academic units in the University. Up
to date, it has been performing its academic roles to support learning, teaching and research.
The collections in the first six years of inception were under nine thousand (9000) volumes of
text books and eight hundred (800) journal articles (Afolabi, 2003).After twenty four years
they have risen to about thirty six thousand (36000) text books and four thousand journal
articles (4000) and are continuously increasing every day. Due to the revolution of ICT, the
library created Virtual Library unit from existing units in the library. The Virtual Library unit
is the repository of all types of e-resources and ICTs tools. Resources at today in the library
are not only available in print but also in electronic format. CD-ROM technology has enabled
libraries to provide instant, easy, and convenient access to a substantial amount of relatively
current and retrospective information. In the year of 2010, library subscribed and installed
TEEAL CD-ROM databases. Due to the availability of CD-ROM databases, the library has
reported an increase in the use of journal collections.

4. International Journal of Library and Information Science Research and Development (IJLISRD), ISSN: 2277
– 3541 (Print), ISSN: 2277 – 3673 (Online) Volume 4, Issue 1, January-April 2015, © PRJ Publication
22
METHODOLOGY
This research sources it data primarily through the assistance got from ICT librarian.
The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL) usage data was collected from
subscribed institution. The data was compiled from 2010 TEEAL version at the Olusegun
Oke Library in LAUTECH, Ogbomoso. Three hundred and forty consultations were analysed
by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Simple percentage was also used to
analyse the results.
DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
Table 1: Most consulted Journal Title
Journal Title Percentage Frequency Cumulative
ActaAgriculturaeScandimavica. Section C, Food Economics
African Crop Science Journal
Adansonia
African Farming and Food Processing
Biochemistry and Cell Biology
African Journal of Agricultural and Resources Economics
FAO Training Series
Plant Disease
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
Animal Biotechnology
African Journal of Agricultural Research
Bioresource Technology
Phytopathology
Australian Journal of Soil Research
FAO Research and Technology Paper
Agricultural Engineer
Journal of Soil Science and Environmental Management
American Journal of Physiology
Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics
South Africa Journal of Botany
African Journal of Food
Canadian Journal of Forest Research
Food Biotechnology
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
World Bank Economic Review
Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics
European Economic Review
Developing Economises
Food Policy
Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies
Development Southern Africa
Journal of International Food and Agribusiness Marketing
Commonwealth Forestry Review
American Journal of Agricultural Economics
World Development
Economic Development and Cultural Change
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
IDS Bulletin
Food Chemistry
Nigerian Agricultural Journal
Journal of Stored Products Research
8.5
4.4
1.5
1.8
0.6
2.4
0.3
0.9
1.5
1.2
7.1
3.5
0.3
0.9
0.9
1.5
2.1
0.3
0.3
0.3
2.1
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.9
0.6
8.2
0.6
1,2
0.3
0.3
2.6
0.9
0.9
2.6
0.3
0.3
0.3
2.1
1.2
1.8
29
15
5
6
2
8
1
3
5
4
24
12
1
3
3
5
7
1
1
1
7
1
1
1
3
2
28
2
4
1
1
]
3
3
9
1
1
1
7
4
6
8.5
12.9
14.4
16.2
16.8
19.1
19.4
20.3
21.8
22.9
30.0
33.5
33.8
34.7
35.6
37.1
39.1
39.4
39.7
40.0
42.1
42.4
42.6
42.9
43.8
44.4
52.6
53.2
54.4
54.7
55.0
57.6
58.5
59.4
62.1
62.4
62.6
62.9
65.0
66.2
67.9

5. International Journal of Library and Information Science Research and Development (IJLISRD), ISSN: 2277
– 3541 (Print), ISSN: 2277 – 3673 (Online) Volume 4, Issue 1, January-April 2015, © PRJ Publication
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AMA, Agricultural Mechanization in Asia
Spore
Journal of Food Production
Agronomy Journal
American Journal of Physiology
Journal of Sustainable Forest
Annals of Applied Biology
Journal of Rural Studies
Journal of Development Economics
Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
Agricultural Economics
Crop Science
Journal of Plant Nutrition
Botany Botanique
Photochemistry
Bragantia
Environmental Entomology
Archive of Animal Nutrition
Livestock Production Science
South African Journal of Animal Science
Soil Science Society of America Journal
Soil and Tillage Research
Total
0.9
0.3
0.3
14.1
1.8
1.5
1.2
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
1.8
0.9
0.3
0.3
0.6
0.3
0.3
2.1
0.6
1.2
0.3
100.0
3
1
1
48
6
5
4
3
3
3
3
6
3
1
1
2
1
1
7
2
4
1
340
68.8
69.1
69.4
83.5
85.3
86.8
87.9
88.8
89.7
90.6
91.5
93.2
94.1
94.4
94.7
95.3
95.6
95.9
97.9
98.5
99.7
100.0
Table 1 show that three hundred and forty (340) consultations were made in the year
2010 on TEEAL database at Olusegun Oke Library. The most consulted journal titles were:
Agronomy Journal 48(14.1%), Act a AgriculturaelScandinavica Section C Food Economics
29(8.5%), European Economic Review 28(8.2%), and African Journal of Agricultural
Research 24(7.1%) respectively. Nigerian Agricultural Journal 4(1.2%) was only journal
from Nigeria and it was among the least journals consulted by TEEAL users.
Table 2: The Most Consulted Article Titles
Article Title Percentage Frequency Cumulative
Agricultural Engineering
Agriculture
Animal Sciences
Biotechnology and Applied
Microbiology
Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biophysics
Economics and Development
Entomology and Pest Control
Environment and Ecology
Fisheries
Food and Nutrition
Forestry
Human Medicine
Plant and Soil Science
Total
00.3
14.7
4.7
5.6
1.5
8.5
30.6
3.8
1.2
0.6
7.7
1.5
3.2
16.8
100.0
1
50
16
19
5
29
104
13
4
2
24
5
11
57
340
00.3
15.0
19.7
25.3
26.8
35.3
65.9
69.7
70.9
71.5
78.5
80.0
83.2
100.0

6. International Journal of Library and Information Science Research and Development (IJLISRD), ISSN: 2277
– 3541 (Print), ISSN: 2277 – 3673 (Online) Volume 4, Issue 1, January-April 2015, © PRJ Publication
24
Table 2 indicates that the most article titles consulted by the users of TEEAL database
in 2010 was: Economics and Development 104(30.6%), Plant and Soil Science 57(16.8%)
and Agriculture 50(14.7) respectively. While the least article title visited was Agricultural
Engineering 1(0.3%). This suggested that most of consultants were from Agricultural
economics and Extension.
Table 3: The Most Used Articles Based on the Years of Publication
Year of Publication Percentage Frequency Cumulative
1985-1987
1988-1990
1991-1993
1994-1996
1997-1999
2000-2001
2002-2004
2005-2007
2008-2010
2008-2010
0.9
1.8
3.5
2.9
4.1
2.1
10.0
19.1
55.6
100.0
3
6
12
10
14
7
34
65
189
340
0.9
1.8
3.5
2.9
4.1
2.1
10.0
19.1
55.6
100.0
From table 3 above it can be seen that most year of publication article consulted by
users were: 2008-2010 189(55.6%), 2005-2007 65(19.1%) and 2002-2004 (10.0%)
respectively. The least year of publication visited was 1985-1987 3(0.9%). The TEEAL users
preferred to use the latest publication for their research works than works that has been
published a long while.
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
It was discovered from the finding of this study that the most consulted journal was
Agronomy Journal which accounted for 14.1% utilization. It was followed by European
Economic Review, 8.2% and African Journal of Agricultural Research 7.1% respectively.
This is contrary to the earlier finding of Abdulkadir (2004) who found that the most consulted
journal in TEEAL database was Animal Feed Science and Technology and Bioresource
Technology.
Furthermore, the use of TEEAL based on article title revealed that Article on
Economics and Development was ranked highest with 30.6%, followed by Plant and Soil
Science, 16.8% and General Agriculture accounted for 14.7% utilization. This as certion
contradicted the submission of Ochs (2005) and Adulkadir (2010) report which posit that
Animal Scientist and Agricultural Economist use more article that other areas of agricultural
sciences.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The research shows that a small number of consultations were made in 2010 TEEAL
version. This suggests that a large number of users were not aware of the existence of

7. International Journal of Library and Information Science Research and Development (IJLISRD), ISSN: 2277
– 3541 (Print), ISSN: 2277 – 3673 (Online) Volume 4, Issue 1, January-April 2015, © PRJ Publication
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TEEAL in the library. Hence the result of its usage is not encouraging. The researchers are
yet to take advantage of the benefits emanating from access to the database.
Based on the findings of this research, the following recommendations are hereby made:
i. The Nigerian authors and journal publishers should reform and repackage local journals
to meet international standards so as to contribute to the TEEAL’s repository.
ii. Internal awareness about TEEAL policies and usage that will provide researchers with
clear guidance on the opportunities available is highly recommended and librarian should
as a matter of urgency see to it.s advocacy.
iii. Availability of TEEAL in Olusegun Oke Library does not necessarily translate into
effective utilisation of these resources for academic purposes. For this reason, it
recommends that library should consider organising workshops and seminars for
researchers to increase the level of awareness and provide further inducement to use
TEEAL database.
REFERENCES
1. Abdulkadir, A.And Nock, G. I. (2010). “The Use of Library Databases among
Academic Staff and Postgraduate Students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria”.
Information Trends Vol. 6 and 7. Pp 11-16.
2. Afolabi, D. (2003) LAUTECH: The journey so far. LadokeAkintola University of
Technology, Ogbomoso. 269p.
3. Carden, F. (2004). Issues in assessing the policy influence of research. International
Social Science Journal 179:135-151.
4. Mary, O. (2005).TEEAL (The Essential Agricultural Library): A User Study Report
to the Rockfeller Foundation, Mann Library, Cornell University.
5. Popoola, S.O. (2008). Faculty awareness and use of library information products and
services in Nigerian universities. Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science
13 (1): 91-102.
6. Tumsifu, E. (2002). “Access and Use of Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) in Selected Agricultural Research Institutes”. Case of Ministry of Agriculture
and Food Security in Tanzania.M Sc Dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam.
7. Valerie R., Victor O., and Peter S. (2010).The Role of Libraries in Supporting
Agricultural Policy Research - Evidence from Selected University and Research
Institute Libraries in Nigeria. International Food Policy Research Institute, NSSP
Background Paper 14.