CHAPTER ONE
INTRODCUTION
1.1 Background of the Study:
The utilization of information resources in university libraries is crucial to support teaching, learning, and research activities. University libraries play a central role in acquiring information resources in various formats to meet the diverse needs of educational programs. However, the effectiveness of a library is not solely dependent on its collection; it also relies on the successful exploitation and use of these resources. The goal is not just to possess a rich collection but to ensure maximum use by students and faculty members.
According to Afebende and Ebaye (2008), the effectiveness of a library is not only determined by its collection but also by the success of its exploitation and use. Nwokedi and Ogundare (2005) emphasize that one of the major objectives of any library is to ensure maximum use of its resources and services. To justify the existence of an academic library, it is essential to provide adequate resources, create awareness, and encourage users to take full advantage of the acquired materials.
The effective utilization of information resources is crucial for the intellectual development of students. Students' academic success relies on their ability to use information resources and services provided by the library for teaching, learning, and research. The acquisition of information resources alone does not fulfill the goals and objectives of the university; it is through effective utilization that these goals are achieved.
1.2 Statement of the Problem:
Despite the availability of information resources in university libraries, there is a noticeable underutilization, and the Faculty of Science Resource Centre at the University of Uyo is no exception. Students seem to exhibit a lackadaisical attitude towards library resources and services. This raises concerns about the factors contributing to this underutilization. One possible explanation is related to students' attributes, such as study habits, intellectual curiosity, and information literacy skills.
This study seeks to investigate whether students' attributes, including study habits, intellectual curiosity, and information literacy skills, are influencing the underutilization of the Faculty of Science Resource Centre at the University of Uyo. Understanding these factors can provide insights into designing interventions to encourage students to make effective use of library facilities, thereby enhancing their academic and overall development.
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1.3 Objectives of the study
The main objective of the study is to determine the influence of students’ attributes on the utilisation of library facilities in the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo. The specific objectives are to:
1. Determine the influence of students’ study habits on the utilisation of library facilities in the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo
2. Determine the influence of students’ intellectual curiousity on the utilisation of library facilities in the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo
3. Determine the influence of students’ information literacy skills on the utilisation of library facilities in the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo
1.4 Significance of the Study
The findings from the study would be of immense benefit to students, librarians, library management, and university management as well as scholars and researchers. The students would benefit greatly from the findings of the study because it would throw more light on the needed facilities for them to be able to make good use of the library bearing in mind that the primary obligation of the library is to provide for their information need. The finding from the study would create an understanding on how to improve students’ use of the academic library.
The findings from this study would also go a long way at helping librarians and library management to identify the factors that will enhance the effective utilisation of the library facilities especially in their collection development policy and service delivery since it is their mandate to satisfy the needs of the library users. Furthermore, librarians and library management would be informed on the need to intensify user education in the library from time to time to intimate the library users on the importance of the library to their academic and otherwise development.
The university management would benefit from the findings from this study as it would make the management to understand the impediment to the effective use of the library and strive to provide the needed facilities that would encourage library use through making funds available for the acquisition of resources and facilities as well as ensure through its relevant committees that these facilities are put to effective use. Furthermore, it would help the university management to seek out ways to help the student to become intellectually conscious in a global world.
Finally, the findings from this study would be of immense benefit to researchers and scholars as it would add to the pool of resources in this areas and stand as a reference point for further researches.
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions are formulated to give direction to the study:
1. What is the influence of students’ study habits on the utilisation of library facilities in the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo?
2. What is the influence of students’ intellectual curiousity on the utilisation of library facilities in the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo?
3. What is the influence of students’ information literacy skills on the utilisation of library facilities in the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo?
1.6 Null Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were formulated to guide the study:
1. Students’ study habits does not significantly influence the utilisation of library facilities in the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo.
2. Students’ intellectual curiousity does not significantly influence the utilisation of library facilities in the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo
3. Students’ information literacy skill does not significantly influence the utilisation of library facilities in the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study will cover the Faculty of Science Resource Centre, University of Uyo. It will also cover all undergraduate students who are registered library users. Furthermore, the study is on students’ attributes and use of library facilities in the Faculty of Science, University of Uyo. The focus of the study will be to determine the influence of students attributes (study habits, intellectual curiousity and information literacy skill) on students’ use of library facilities.
