Assessment of Library Instruction and Library Literacy Skills of First Year Undergraduate Students of University of Benin, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness and impact of library instruction (GST 111 – the use of library) course on library literacy skills of first year undergraduate students. The study adopted the descriptive survey research method and questionnaire was used as the research instrument. First year undergraduate students of the 2013/2014 academic session constituted the population of study. Simple random and total enumeration sampling methods were used to collect data from students in five out of twelve faculties in the university. Data were collected at the end of the first semester library instruction course. Data collected was subjected to frequency, percentage, mean and correlation analysis using SPSS 17.0. Results revealed that the library instruction was well perceived by the students as adequate and effective. The students’ library literacy skills were high irrespective of the students’ sex and faculty. Library instruction received positively influenced the students’ library literacy skills but students’ gender and secondary school attended did not despite the fact that majority of the students attended private secondary schools and they were exposed to the library before entering the university. It is therefore concluded that adequate and effective library instruction positively impact on library literacy skills of first year undergraduate students. Therefore, library instruction programme should be well structured and adequately delivered to achieve the desired
result.

Keywords: Library literacy skills, Library instruction, Undergraduate students, Library use