Challenges Associated with Utilization of Legal Information Resources by Postgraduate Law Students in Federal Universities of Northern Nigeria

Abstract

The paper investigates the challenges associated with utilization of legal information resources in the faculty of law libraries in federal universities of northern Nigeria. The study employed quantitative research method using cross-sectional survey research design. The population of the study comprised of 1,348 postgraduate law students in the libraries studied. Simple random sampling equation (SRS-Equation) was used to select the sample size for the study. A total of 308 postgraduate law students was therefore the sample size chosen for the study. A self-developed questionnaire was used to collect data. A total number of 308 copies of questionnaire were administered personally by the author and 4 research assistants, out of which 271 were returned and found useful for further analysis. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the aid of SPSS (v21). Findings revealed that, the printed legal information resources were highly utilized by postgraduate law students except e-resources and on-line legal databases that had low utilization. Some challenges associated with the utilization of legal resources were insufficient copies of books, inadequate reading facilities and defaced information resources; inadequate infrastructure for accessing resources electronically, insufficient computers and interrupted power supply, among others. The study concludes that, despite the technological advancement and globalization the world is experiencing, postgraduate law students in federal universities of northern Nigeria are yet to fully enjoy the vast electronic legal information resources, and this could significantly affect the quality of legal researches and academic excellence in legal profession. The study recommends among other things the need for the provision of adequate electronic legal information resources and regular subscription to online legal databases in the faculty of law libraries in federal universities in northern Nigeria.

Keywords: Utilization, Legal Information Resources, Postgraduates, Law students, Libraries