Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Abstract
The dream of every student on entry any institution of learning is to excel academically and this can be achieve through self-belief facilitated by effective reading which is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or derive meaning as an essential skill for academic success. Above all, the library should be seen by such student as information warehouse where desired information can be obtained through reading. This study therefore is an assessment of the effect of self-efficacy, reading culture and utilization of library habits on the academic achievement of student-librarians. The study employed a descriptive survey method with a population sample of 250 student-librarians as respondents selected through stratified sampling techniques from five public universities in Nigeria. The study was guided by five objectives and research questions respectively as well as five formulated and tested hypotheses. The principle instrument used in collecting data was a structured questionnaire designed by the researcher titled: ‘The effect of self-efficacy, reading and utilization of library habits on academic achievement’. The instrument was tested for reliability using Cronbach alpha after being validated by two experts in the field of measurement and evaluation and the reliability coefficient indicated that self-efficacy scale=0.88, reading habits=0.67; library utilization habits=0.90 and academic achievement=0. 90 The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Coefficient (PPMC) and Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA). The outcome of the study showed that there was statistical significant relationship between self-efficacy and academic achievement, there exist also a positive relationship between reading habits and academic achievement while the result also indicated no significant relationship between library utilization habits and academic achievement. However the result of this study did reveal that self-efficacy, reading and library utilization habits are effective predictors of academic achievement of student-librarians and by extension, all students. It was based on the findings that it was recommended that students-librarians should be effectively encouraged, mentored, monitored fortified and persuaded by school management, lecturers and librarians into believing in themselves, reading and utilize the library regularly and that government, university management and university librarians as well as other stakeholders in the management of higher education should ensure that academic libraries are equipped with enough print and e-materials with state-of-the-art facilities as to making the library attractive, functional and conducive, for the students to use among others.