Perspectives of Library and Information Science Undergraduate Students on Library User Education and Use of the Library at the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

In the study, we examined perspectives of Library and Information Science undergraduate students on library user education and the use of the Donald E.U. Ekong Library at the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Nigeria. Five specific objectives with corresponding research questions guided the study and one hypothesis was formulated. In the study, we adopted the descriptive survey research design. The population of the study consisted of 194 students in the Department of Library and Information Science. A sample size of 131 respondents was selected using a simple random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a self-developed structured questionnaire titled “Library Information Science Undergraduate Students’ Library User Education and Use of Library” and was distributed among the students. The 131 (100%) questionnaires were returned in good shape and analysed using frequency, percentages and mean. The hypothesis was tested using Pearson’s product moment correlation at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that library orientation, the lecture method and the library tour were the methods used in teaching user education at the Donald E.U. Ekong library, while the online course was poor. We concluded that user education has a positive influence on these undergraduate students’ library use. Our recommendations included that a conducive environment for, creating awareness on and advocacy of user education and the use of the library be adopted as ways to improve the library user education at the Donald E.U. Ekong Library.