Survey of the use of internet facilities in Redeemer\'s University (RUN) library by students and academic staff

Abstract

Redeemer's University for Nations (RUN) is one of the approved private universities in Nigeria, and commenced academic activities in 2005 with three (3) colleges, namely: Colleges of Management Sciences, Natural Sciences and Humanities. Considering the importance of Information and Communication Technology in this 21st Century, the university took-off with an automated library services, giving both the students and staff of the institution the opportunity to access the Internet as an information source within the library and the campus premises.
This study seeks to evaluate the use of the Internet facilities as an information source both for teaching and learning in the university. In carrying out this research, a survey was conducted through the use of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered among 473 pioneer students and 47 academic staff of the university. The findings revealed that both academic staff and students of the university are heavy users of the Internet, and that they exercise critical skills in evaluating the sources they find.
The library web site is not popular among the respondents and many did not consider it as the starting place for Internet searching. Also, the survey indicates that the respondents especially students are unfamiliar with the library services.
The study recommends that public awareness strategies should be developed by the library management to publicize the library services and more access points to the Internet be provided in the virtual library.


The Information Technologist Vol. 5 (1) 2008: pp. 112-125