Staff training and development programmes in academic libraries in Imo State, Nigeria

This study examined the staff training and development programmes in academic libraries in Imo State, Nigeria. Five research questions guided the study. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for the study. All academic librarians in five institutions of higher learning in the state, comprising 81 academic librarians were investigated. Structured Questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. Data generated were analyzed using percentage, frequency and arithmetic mean rating. Findings of this study showed that there are available training and development programmes in academic libraries in Imo state to a high extent; library needs, institutions objectives, librarians request/staff need are the criteria used to select librarians to attend staff training and development programmes. Challenges of staff training and development programmes in the academic libraries according to the study include: poor funding, and lack of management policy on training and development programmes. The study concluded that there should be continuous educational and professional programmes for librarians to update their knowledge on new technology, and adequate infrastructural facilities should be provided in academic libraries to enable librarians practice what they learnt

Towards enhancing national security in Nigeria: The roles of library

The study investigated the role of the library on national security in Nigeria. It was carried out to identify the extent the library can contribute to national security effectiveness through information sharing, information provision, and public education. This is because if the problem of insecurity must reduce in our society, all the stakeholders, including the library has positive roles to play. The study highlighted the strategies adopted by the library in promoting national security. They include: Moral boosting strategy, selective dissemination of peace information/ education strategy, transformation and change strategy, peace and reconciliation strategy, social integration strategy, national development strategy, and free access to information resources strategy. Based on the these, it was recommended that security agencies should be as a matter of deliberate government policy, work closely with the library in the war against insecurity; library should design a blueprint for security consciousness; and rural libraries/mobile libraries should be more functional to distribute literacy materials to help rural dwellers be better information sensitive in this information driven society.

Effect of computer aided instruction on students’ interest in selected topics in electronic libraries course in federal tertiary institutions in Anambra State, Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to find out the effect of computer aided instruction on the interest of students in electronic libraries course. The population consisted of 100 electronic libraries students in Library and Information Science Departments in federal tertiary institutions in Anambra State, Nigeria.A27 item structured questionnaire was used for data collection. It was subjected to content validity by experts in Computer Science, Library and Information Science, Vocational Education and Measurement and Evaluation. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted quasi-experimental design. Pretest-posttest equivalent groups was used. The sample for the study consisted of sixty third year library and information science students. The internal consistency of the instrument was determined using Kuder-Richardson Formular 21 which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.92. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research question. Experimental group was taught through computer aided instruction whereas control group was taught through modified lecture method. On the completion of six weeks, the level of interest of the two groups was determined. The findings revealed that the computer aided instruction method of teaching enhanced students’ interest in electronic libraries than the modified lecture method. It was recommended that lecturers should adopt the use of computer aided instruction in teaching of electronic libraries in tertiary institutions in order to enhance students’ interest in electronic libraries.

Students’ use of Federal University Library, Gusau, Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to find out how undergraduates of Federal University Gusau, Nigeria use the library resources The descriptive survey design was used in the study. The population was 3,728 registered library users from the three faculties in Federal University Gusau Library, Nigeria. Proportionate stratified sampling technique was adopted to ensure equal participation of the subgroups (Faculties) in line with their respective population and Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula table for determining sample size from a giving population was used. Sample population of 346 was arrived at. The instruments for data collection were Students’ library registration record and a structured questionnaire. 346 questionnaires were distributed while 328 copies were returned and 282 was duly completed and found usable. The distribution tables for faculty, level and sex were analysed using simple percentage while the research questions were analysed using Mean and Standard Deviation (STD). The criterion mean, 2.50 and above was set for decision. 2.50 and above was considered positive (accepted) on any response to an item, mean score below 2.50 was negative (rejected). Major findings of the study are that Faculty of Science make most use of the Library. It was also found out that 200 and 300 level students make most use of the library. It was also discovered that Male students use the library more than their Female counterpart. Some of the challenges identified include lack of internet access, lack of information retrieval tools, opening hours etc. some recommendations were made including that the Library Management should enhance and provide more information retrieval tools (e.g OPAC, Index to its Serials materials etc.) to discourage users from going direct to the shelf to locate materials.

Occupational stress among library personnel in public universities in Nigeria

Occupational stress, which is stress experienced by employees at the workplace, is increasingly becoming a challenge. It is often the case that when employees are confronted with work demands and pressures beyond their knowledge and abilities, stress may be the outcome. Due to their role expectations, paraprofessional and professional librarians are susceptible to occupational stress which could lead to a decreasing commitment to the organization. The study adopted a survey research design to investigate occupational stress among paraprofessional and professional librarians in public universities in South-West, Nigeria. Total enumeration was used to cover all professional and paraprofessional librarians in the study area. Out of the 280 copies of questionnaire administered, 268 (95.7%) were retrieved for analysis. The findings revealed that male library personnel experience more stress in public universities than their female counterpart. Specifically, the precursors to stress among library personnel, with high mean scores, include sourcing of funds for career development (x̅=3.79), the quest for promotion (x̅=3.41), excessive workloads (x̅=3.49), and broken interpersonal relationships with management (x̅=3.09). The study, therefore, recommends equity in the sharing of responsibilities between the male and female genders to partly reduce pressure due to excessive workloads. Also, library personnel should have access to research funds to facility upward mobility in their career. In addition, interpersonal relationship workshops should be regularly conducted for allcadres of staff to promote team spirit.

Undergraduates’awareness, utilization and satisfaction with online public access catalogue (OPAC) in public university libraries in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

The study investigated undergraduate’s awareness, utilization and satisfaction with online public access catalogue (OPAC) in selected University libraries in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Four (4) objectives with corresponding research questions guided the study. The study adopted survey research design. The population of the study was 7,233 registered library users (undergraduates) in two (2) public universities in Nasarawa State, namely Federal University Lafia (FULAFIA) and Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK). The sample size for the study was 379 drawn using Taro-Yemene’s formula for sample size determination. Proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select the sample of respondents from the two (2) universities under study (i.e.) FULAFIA with 150 and NSUK, 299 respectively. Questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. A total of 379 questionnaire were distributed and 362 retrieved for analysis representing a percentage of 95.5%. Data was analyzed using frequency counts; mean scores and standard deviation. Findings of the study revealed that, undergraduates were highly aware of Online Public Access Catalogue in selected University Libraries in Nasarawa State. The finding also revealed, undergraduates in selected university libraries in Nasarawa State utilized OPAC to a little extent and students were not satisfied with the use of OPAC, hence their extent of satisfaction derived from the use of OPAC was little extent. Findings further revealed factors affecting use of OPAC by undergraduates in selected university libraries to include: library guide to explain how to use the OPAC is not available, unstable power supply, library staff not friendly, network/server problems, lack of computer systems, among others. Finally, conclusion and recommendations were made based on the findings of the study.