ABSTRACT
This study examined the accessibility and utilization of serials by lecturers in selected University libraries in Imo state. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample of 317 lecturers comprising of 160 and 157 lecturers from Federal University of Technology and Imo State University, Owerri in Imo State respectively were used for the study. The sample was determined using Taro Yamane sampling formula with multi-stage sampling procedure. The instrument for data collection for this study was questionnaire titled: Accessibility and Utilization of Serials Questionnaire (AUSQ) which is a developed 101 item questionnaire divided into seven clusters (clusters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7). The face validation of the instrument was carried out by three experts: two in Library and Information Science and one in Measurement and Evaluation, all from the College of Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. The test of the reliability of the instrument was determined by using Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficient statistic which yielded an overall index of 0.83. The questionnaire instrument has seven clusters with 4-point response scales of Very High Extent, High Extent, Low Extent, and Very Low Extent for clusters 1-3, while clusters 4-7 had response scales of Strongly Agreed, Agreed, Disagreed and Strongly Disagreed. The questionnaire was administered to the respondents by the researcher and was collected back the next day by the researcher with the help of three research assistants in order to ensure that the completed questionnaire was returned. Out of the 317 copies of the questionnaire administered, 304 representing 96% were returned and used for data analysis. Data collected were analyzed with mean and standard deviations to answer the seven research questions raised for the study while t- test statistic was used to analyze the seven null hypotheses that guided the study at 0.05 level of significance. The mean responses from 2.50 and above were considered as agreed while those below were regarded as disagreed. Mean and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions while t-test statistic was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that serials are available to a high extent, accessible to a low extent and are utilized to a low extent by lecturers in selected University Libraries. It was concluded that serials are available to a high extent to lecturers in selected University Libraries, serials are accessible to lecturers in selected University Libraries to a low extent, and serials are utilized to a low extent by lecturers in selected University Libraries. It was recommended among others that non-governmental organization and other stakeholders should collaborate with government in funding university libraries so as to ensure adequate provision and availability of serials in university libraries.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
Declaration i
Certification
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgements iv
Table
of Contents v
List
of Tables vii
Abstract viii
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
of the Study 1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem
3
1.3 Purpose
of the Study
4
1.4 Research
Questions 5
1.5 Null
Hypotheses 5
1.6
Significance of the Study 6
1.7 Scope
of the Study 7
CHAPTER
2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Conceptual
Framework 8
2.1.1 University libraries 8
2.1.2
History of university libraries in Nigeria 10
2.1.3 Philosophy of university libraries 10
2.1.4
Functions of university libraries 11
2.1.5
Serials 12
2.1.6
Accessibility of information materials 13
2.1.7
Utilization of information materials 15
2.1.8 Purpose of accessibility and utilization of
serials by lecturers in selected
universities 16
2.1.9
Extent of accessibility and utilization
of serials by lecturers in selected
universities 18
2.1.10 Constraints to accessibility and utilization
of serials by lecturers in
selected universities 20
2.1.11 Strategies for enhancing accessibility and
utilization of serials by
lecturers in selected universities 21
2.2 Theoretical
Framework 24
2.2.1 Information
utilization capacity theory by Emilia Curras
24
2.2.2 Five
laws of librarianship 25
2.3
Review of Empirical
Studies
28
2.4 Summary
of Literature Review 44
CHAPTER
3: RESEARCH METHOD
3.1 Design
of the Study 45
3.2 Area
of the Study 45
3.3 Population
of the Study 48
3.4 Sample
and Sampling Technique 48
3.5 Instrument
for Data Collection 48
3.6 Validation
of the Instrument 49
3.7 Reliability
of the Instrument
49
3.8
Method for Data Collection 50
3.9 Method
for Data Analysis 50
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1 Results and Discussions 51
4.2 Summary of the Findings
67
4.3 Discussion of the Findings 68
CHAPTER
5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 74
5.2 conclusion 75
5.3 Implication
of the Study to Librarianship 76
5.4 Recommendations
78
5.5 Limitations of the Study 79
5.6 Suggestions
for Further Studies 79
References
80
Appendices
87
LIST OF TABLES
4.1: Mean and Standard Deviation scores on the
extent of availability of
serials to lecturers in selected University Libraries in Imo State 51
4.2: t-test
Analysis of the mean ratings of lecturers on the extent of availability
of
serials in selected University Libraries in Imo State 52
4.3: Mean and Standard Deviation scores on the
extent of accessibility of serials
to lecturers in selected University Libraries in Imo
State. 53
4.4:
t-test Analysis of the mean ratings of lecturers on
the extent of accessibility
of serials
in selected University Libraries in Imo State 55
4.5: Mean and Standard Deviation scores on the
extent of utilization of
serials by lecturers in selected University Libraries in Imo State. 56
4.6: t-test
Analysis of the mean ratings of lecturers on the extent of utilization
of
serials
in selected University Libraries in Imo State 58
4.7: Mean score and standard deviation on the problems that militate against the
accessibility
of serials by lecturers in selected university libraries in Imo State 59
4.8: t-test
Analysis of the mean ratings of lecturers on the problems that militate
against the accessibility of serials in selected University Libraries in Imo
State 60
4.9: Mean and Standard Deviation scores on the problems that militate against the
utilization of serials by lecturers in selected
University in Imo State 61
4:10 t-test
Analysis of the mean ratings of lecturers on the problems that militate
against the utilization of serials
in selected
University Libraries in Imo State 62
4.11: Mean and standard deviation scores on the strategies to enhance the
accessibility of
serials by lecturers in selected University Libraries in Imo State 63
4.12: t-test Analysis
of the mean ratings of lecturers on the strategies
to enhance
the accessibility of serials by lecturers in selected
University Libraries
in
Imo State 64
4.13: Mean and Standard Deviation scores on the strategies to enhance the utilization
of serials by
lecturers in selected University Libraries
in Imo State 65
4.14: t-test
Analysis of the mean ratings of lecturers on the strategies to enhance
the utilization of serials by lecturers in selected
University Libraries
in
Imo State 67
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Libraries are information centers that are primarily charged with the responsibilities
of location, collection, selection, organization, processing, preservation,
storage, accessibility, utilization, retrieval and dissemination of information
materials to their various clienteles. University libraries are those libraries
that are located in the universities. These libraries are referred to as the
engine rooms of knowledge. The effectiveness of institutions depends much on
the services of their libraries. University libraries play very crucial roles
towards the attainment of the overall objectives of their institutions.
However, qualitative education is always difficult to achieve in the absence of
good libraries. In other words, without
good libraries, educational institutions will be considered moribund in terms
of knowledge acquisition, retrieval and dissemination. Therefore, libraries are
prerequisites in the setting up of tertiary institutions.
University libraries in this regard help in the provision, organization
and preservation of information resources in order to enhance easy
accessibility and utilization. University libraries are valued for their
expertise in the provision of current information resources, such as serials to
complement teaching, learning and research (Blackwell, 2014). The
Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, second edition (AACR2), revised in
1978, defined serials as publications that are issued
in successive parts, bearing numeric or chronological designations and are intended
to be continued indefinitely. Serials must not be misplaced with series which are books that consist of volumes, published successively with a
common title and intended to be continued indefinitely. Serials are
publications that are numbered and have all expectations to continue either
regularly or irregularly (Brown, 2012).
University libraries acquire, organize, store, retrieve and disseminate
information contained in serials to enable researchers, educators, students and
other library clienteles to excel in their individual disciplines. Serial publications
are exemplified by newspapers, magazines, journals, memoirs, proceedings,
transactions of professional associations and others. They vary in formats and
in frequencies of publications, such as daily, weekly, monthly, bimonthly,
quarterly, biannually, annually or biennially. Serials can also assume the
format of papers, microfiches, or CD-ROMs.
Importantly,
serials are sources of current information and have several contributions
towards enhancing education because; they contain the most up-to-date information
on research and knowledge. Serials have distinctive advantages over books (Adefidiya,
2015). According to Edoka (2010), majority of textbooks produced for knowledge
have their contents derived from serial articles. Apart from enhancing
scientific discoveries and serving as avenues for the publication of scientific
researches, they are information resources to researchers, where currency of
information is of prime consideration.
The time frame for publication of serials is usually shorter. It takes only a few weeks or months to publish
these serials, whereas, it takes a much longer duration and in some cases,
years to publish a book. The events discussed in magazines seldom occur more
than a week before the date of publications. Articles that appear in scholarly
journals are often written a few weeks before publication.
It is also acknowledged that serials play
important roles in research. They are valuable information materials for academic
work. According to Akinbode (2011) nearly all the disciplines of study make use
of serials particularly, the scholarly journals, as primary means of conducting
research. Serials will continue to have special impact on the scholarly
community as they contain the most current and vital information on various
disciplines (Wiser, 2014). Serial publications also play a fundamental role in
scholarly communication. They are principal avenues for reporting research
findings because of the wide publicity they give to the author. Information in
journals is a product of research and may never appear again in any other form
(Nwalo, 2013). It is for this reason
that academic libraries commit a substantial percentage of their annual budgets
to serials subscription and acquisitions, despite the fact that this process is
usually expensive, both in terms of subscription and maintenance. University libraries
enable lecturers and other library users to have adequate access for
utilization of serials in all their academic activities.
It
is a common knowledge that the career advancement of lecturers is determined by
the qualities and quantities of their publications. The publication output of
every lecturer, to a large extent determines his or her promotion, based on the
policy of “publish or perish syndrome” in universities. To achieve this,
lecturers in most institutions of higher learning require current information
from serials in order to successfully conduct their research. Serial
publications carry most recent research works that aid academic activities. This
therefore places high demand on librarians to ensure availability, accessibility
and utilization of serials by lecturers in order to achieve their research needs.
Additionally, when serials are properly accessed and utilized, it will enhance
administrative evaluation of serials services in university libraries.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
University libraries are valued for their
expertise in providing current information resources like serials to their
various clientele, especially lecturers in order to compliment teaching,
learning and research. Serials by their nature are very useful information
resources for lecturers. This is because they contain current information on
different fields of knowledge. Serials are known to provide accurate
information for teaching, learning and research. If the needed serials are not
readily available in a library, their absence will affect the level of
accessibility and utilization by lecturers, because they will not get the
information necessary to enrich their work. But the extent to which these
serials are accessed and utilized by lecturers remains unknown. It is against
this backdrop that the researcher decided to study "accessibility and
utilization of serials by lecturers in selected university libraries in Imo
State”.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study was to determine accessibility and utilization of serials
by lecturers in selected university libraries in Imo State. The specific
objectives of this study are to:
i.
determine the extent of availability of serials to lecturers in FUTO and
IMSU Libraries.
ii.
find out the extent of accessibility of serials by lecturers in FUTO and
IMSU Libraries.
iii.
ascertain the extent of utilization of serials by lecturers in FUTO and
IMSU Libraries
iv.
find
out the problems that militate against accessibility of serials by lecturers in
FUTO and IMSU Libraries.
v.
identify the problems that
militate against utilization of serials by lecturers in FUTO and IMSU Libraries.
vi.
determine strategies to enhance accessibility of serials by lecturers in
FUTO and IMSU Libraries.
vii.
identify strategies to enhance utilization of serials by lecturers in FUTO
and IMSU Libraries.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
The
study sought to answer the following research questions:
i.
To what extent are serials available to lecturers in FUTO and IMSU
Libraries?
ii.
To what extent are serials accessible by lecturers in FUTO and IMSU
Libraries?
iii.
To what extent are serials utilized by lecturers in FUTO and IMSU
Libraries?
iv.
What are the problems that militate against accessibility of serials by
lecturers FUTO and IMSU Libraries?
v.
What are the problems that militate against utilization of serials by lecturers
FUTO and IMSU Libraries?
vi.
What are the strategies to enhance accessibility of serials by lecturers
in FUTO and IMSU Libraries?
vii.
What are the strategies to enhance utilization of serials by lecturers
in FUTO and IMSU Libraries?
1.5 RESEARCH
HYPOTHESES
Ho1: There
is no significant difference between the mean ratings of lecturers in federal
and state universities on the extent of availability of serials in selected universities
under studies.
Ho2: There
is no significant difference between the mean ratings of lecturers in federal
and state universities on the extent of accessibility of serials in selected universities
under studies.
Ho3: There
is no significant difference between the mean ratings of lecturers in federal
and state universities on the extent of utilization of serials in selected universities
under studies.
Ho4: There
is no significant difference between the mean ratings of lecturers in federal
and state universities on the problems that militate against accessibility of serials
in selected universities under studies.
Ho5: There
is no significant difference between the mean ratings of lecturers in federal
and state universities on the problems that militate against utilization of serials
in selected universities under studies.
Ho6: There
is no significant difference between the mean ratings of lecturers in federal
and state universities on the strategies to enhance accessibility of serials in
selected universities under studies.
Ho7: There
is no significant difference between the mean ratings of lecturers in federal
and state universities on the strategies to enhance utilization of serials in selected
universities under studies.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
It is envisaged that the findings of
this study will be useful to librarians,
library management, lecturers, university administration and other researchers.
The findings of this study will enable librarians to ascertain
the extent to which serials are accessed and utilized by lecturers. It will help
librarians to identify the areas of dissatisfaction of lecturers in the accessibility
and utilization of serials and enable them to adjust their services. It will
help the library management and university administration to understand the
areas where they are not meeting up the demands of lecturers and find out
possible ways of bridging this gap. It will help librarians to intensify efforts in providing information
service delivery to lecturers in university libraries. The findings of this
study will help lecturers to effectively access and utilize serials contained
in academic libraries for their daily teachings and research. It will help the
lecturers and librarians to also intensify efforts in supplying more current serials
to the library. Finally, it will serve as background knowledge for further
research. To achieve this, the researcher will publish the
findings of the study in reputable professional journals and deposit copies of
the publications in MOUAU library. This will contribute to the serials
collections of the library.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is generally focused on the accessibility
and utilization of serials by lecturers in Federal University of Technology
(FUTO) and Imo State University (IMSU) libraries, Owerri in Imo State. The
study was limited to Federal University of Technology and Imo State University libraries,
Owerri in Imo state. These libraries are considered to have substantial
collection of serials and lecturers as the study covers the extent of availability,
accessibility, utilization, problems that militate against accessibility,
problems that militate against utilization, strategies to enhance accessibility
and strategies to enhance utilization of serials by lecturers.
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