Use of Smartphones to Access Digital Information Resources and Services by Postgraduate Students in Kashim Ibrahim Library Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Abstract

This study was carried out on the use of smartphones to access digital information resources and services in Kashim Ibrahim Library, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Three research questions were raised to guide the study. The research questions sought to find out the type of smartphones used by postgraduate students to access digital information resources and services in Kashim Ibrahim Library of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the type of digital information resources and services accessed and reasons of using smartphones to access digital information resources and services in Kashim Ibrahim Library by postgraduate students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The study adopted a quantitative research method and survey design. A total number of (8,615) PG students who registered for the 2018/2019 academic session were used as the population of the study, out of which (370) PG students were used as the sample size of the study. Also, cluster sampling technique was used for the study. Questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection from the respondents of the study. Frequency table and percentage as well as mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data collected. Findings of the study revealed that; Android phone was the major type of smartphones used by the Postgraduate students of ABU Zaria to access digital information resources and services in Kashim Ibrahim Library; Online reference resources, theses/dissertations as well as online reference services were the major digital information resources and services highly accessed in Kashim Ibrahim Library by Postgraduate students of ABU Zaria. While ease of use, being more appealing, more reliable and more convenient were the major reasons for using smartphones to access digital information resources and services. The study concluded that, there is a serious growth in ownership and use of smartphone devices among University students in general and Postgraduate Students in particular. These cannot be disconnected from the fact that, smartphones have come to stay in the life of people, this is because many people today find it difficult to live without their smartphones. Interestingly many University libraries today have their resources and services in digital format which make it possible for their users to access them from anywhere and at any time using smartphones.