Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
Fall 6-2022
Abstract
The study examined the utilization of library resources and services by academic staff of Federal College of Education (special) Oyo, Oyo state, Nigeria. The participants included all the academic staff of the college from the seven schools. In terms of geographical scope, the study was limited to Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo. Descriptive survey design was adopted. The study population comprised 415 academic staff of the college. Total enumeration technique was employed and the instrument used to obtain data from the respondents was a self-constructed questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation was used in analyzing the data. Findings of the study showed that textbooks (251, 75.5%, mean = 1.89), journals (237, 71.0%, mean = 1.71), dictionaries (231, 69.2%, mean = 1.59) and newspapers (187, 56.0%, Mean = 1.37) were the most prominent types of library information materials available. It was reported that majority of the respondents were aware of the availability of the information materials but not aware of the availability of e-books (133, 39.8%), e-journals (119, 35.6%), audio-visual materials (105, 31.4%), manual (67, 20.1%) and assistive listening devices (67, 20.1%). In addition, the respondents used library information materials for research and other purposes (251, 75.1%, mean= 1.76). It was also revealed that the respondents were satisfied with information materials in general subject (242, 72.5%), rather than in their various fields of interest (136, 40.7%); attitude of library personnel in rendering services (218, 65.3%) and quality of library services (199, 59.6%) respectively. Poor Internet access (265, 79.3%, mean = 3.16), lack of adequate library information resources on their fields of study (251, 75.1%, mean = 3.07) and inadequate up-to-date resources (235, 70.4%, mean = 2.95) were the most prominent challenges. Hence, rigorous creation of awareness on the available library information materials, provision of Internet facility with effective bandwidths among others were recommended.