The Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Academic Libraries in Nigeria: A Case Study of Covenant University Library Ota, Nigeria

Overview
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Information and Communication Technology (ICT), has added value to the services provided by Nigerian libraries. This study employed a survey research method on the use of ICT in Nigerian libraries: a case study of Covenant University library. The respondents were students and faculty of the university. The findings show that Covenant University library, has an abundance of computers connected to the internet with web based Millennium software. The students and faculty make use of online public access (OPAC) to locate materials on the shelves. The study reveals several reasons for using the internet by both faculty and student respondents. But the lowest ICT usage was electronic databases. The faculty respondents with the highest frequency of 40 (80%) use the internet to up-date knowledge while the highest student respondents 177 (76.7%) use the internet to complete projects. However, adequate training of library staff would boost the use of electronic databases.

Keywords: Communication, Covenant University, Faculty, Students, Libraries, Nigeria, Information, Technology.

Introduction

The effectiveness of a library as an instrument of education is determined by the success with which the library is able to provide and satisfy user’s information needs. The 21st century is regarded as an era of information revolution. Advances in information technology have led to far-reaching developments in higher education sector; an example of which is the application of digital information in learning. Libraries and information centres in Nigeria are not only equipped with materials that are in traditional format but also in electronic formats: they offer users a vast selection of information resources.

Before the emergence of ICT, the functioning of libraries in Nigeria has been cumbersome, time-wasting, without giving any room for flexibility. But with the introduction of ICT in Nigeria, particularly at the higher educational institutions there is simultaneous access for many users at the same time and it helps to close the global information gap and create brighter future for students (Omagbemi, Akintola and Olayiwola, 2004).

Information and communication technology, usually abbreviated as (ICT) is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT). Wirsiy and Shafack (2002) in Bappah (2010) defined ‘’ICT as a broad-based term that encompasses the gathering (acquisition) organization (packaging), storage and retrieval (dissemination) of information that can be in textual or numerical (books, documents), pictorial and vocal forms (audio-visual) or a combination of all the above (multi-media), using a combination of computers and telecommunications telephony distance learning”.

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The Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Academic Libraries in Nigeria: A Case Study of Covenant University Library Ota, Nigeria

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