AWARENESS AND ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC INFORMATION RESOURCES BY STUDENTS OF FEDERAL COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN SOUTH EAST, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The study is on awareness and access to electronic information resources by students of federal colleges of education in south east Nigeria. The study was guided by five research question. The descriptive survey technique was used. Sample of the study consist of 526 students while the sampling technique adopted for the study is multi stage sampling technique. An awareness and Access to Electronic Information Resources Questionnaire (AAEIRQ) was developed and validated by three experts in library and information science department. An observation checklist guide was also formulated to help the researcher dig deeper into the research. Two research assistant were employed to help in distribution and collection of questionnaire while the researcher used the observation checklist to go round the libraries to find out the available electronic information resources. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze data. A mean score of 2.50 and above was taken as cut off point for significance result. The finding shows that eight specific electronic information resources were found to be available to students, the students are aware of the available electronic information resources; the students have access to the electronic information resources; prominent among challenges militating against students access to the electronic information resources are poor internet connectivity, erratic power supply, lack of skills to access the resources while strategies to improve access to the electronic information resources are improved internet connectivity, provision of steady power supply, training of the students on the necessary skill to access electronic information resources. The major recommendation are; colleges of Education should improve its budgetary allocation to enable the library subscribe to more electronic information resources, ICT centre should be created in faculties and departments to ease congestions, alternative sources of power should be provided etc.