AN ASSESSMENT OF AVAILABILITY, AWARENESS AND USE OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES AND SERVICES IN THE LIBRARIES

 The purpose of this study was to investigate the availability of electronic resources and services and the extent to which these resources were being used in the selected tertiary institutions in Kaduna state. A survey research method was used to conduct this study and the instruments used for gathering data were questionnaires, interviews and observations. The population of the study was the users of the libraries of the state owned tertiary institutions. 

A stratified purposive random sampling was used to draw a sample size of 1323 from the selected institutions. Responses from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics. To do these, two statistical tools – the t-test was used to test for differences in the provision of electronic resources and services among the institutions, and the PPMC was used to test relationship in awareness and use of the electronic resources and services in the selected institutions. The findings showed that all the selected institutions had the following e-resources – computers, VCD/DVDs, Internet access, full text articles, online data bases, e-journals, ebooks, multimedia, CD-ROMs, and flash drives. 

They also used the following electronic services – E-mails, online references, electronic alerts. All the institutions studied depended on the Education Trust Fund (ETF) intervention to provide them with the necessary electronic resources instead of the normal government funds which may or may not come. There was a significant difference in the quantity, awareness created and use of electronic resources and services among the selected institutions. It is therefore recommended that government should provide adequate funds for the provision of electronic resources and services to enhance teaching, learning, research and training.