Availability and utilization of library information services by researchers in the social sciences in federal universities in south-south Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the availability and utilization of library information services by researchers in the social sciences in the federal university libraries in the South-south zone of Nigeria. Three research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The study employed descriptive research design. The population consisted of five hundred and forty six (546) researchers who were lecturers and doctoral degree students. Census method was used to include the entire population. Three experts validated the instrument which was found reliable with an overall average reliability co-efficient of 0.88. Four federal universities in south-south zone were studied, namely the universities of Benin, Calabar, Port-Harcourt and Uyo. Five library information services were studied: Lending, Reference, Current awareness service, inter-library lending and information communication technology. Data collection was by means of questionnaire. The mean was used to answer the research questions where as the hypothesis was tested using regression analysis at the probability level of 0.05. Some findings were made which include: that the most available and most utilized services were ICT, lending and reference services. Arising from the findings the researcher recommended among other things that the government should make funds available to universities to procure facilities for their libraries.

Keywords: Availability, utilization, library, information, services, social, science.