The education sector was among those that first embraced the use of Internet, and it has continued to broaden the breadth and depth of opportunities within institutions of higher learning worldwide. The Internet serves as a useful tool in support of the various educational activities that ranged from research to teaching. Anderson and Reed (1998) noted that the Internet technology and computers has made it possible for students to be active learners and allowed instructors to be facilitators. Jackson, et al. (2011) remarked that the Internet will level the educational playing field due to its availability to everyone, everywhere, and any time, irrespective of gender, race/ethnicity, income or other socio-demographic characteristics. Thus, the Internet is a vital tool that will propel University education to greater heights as the world move further into the knowledge-based economy.

Universities worldwide now invest a lot on intenet access because it reduces the time between the production and utilization of knowledge; improves co-operation and exchange of ideas with fellow researchers in other institutions, regions or countries, furthers the sharing of information; and promotes multidisciplinary research. Bon (2007) states that the Internet can substitute for expensive hardcopy libraries, by availing students’ access to scholarly information resources. Today, survival in academics without the Internet is hardly imaginable. The Internet has found useful applications in online data repositories, library catalogues, journals, news services, student and financial administration systems, online supported or solely online conducted teaching, as well as in digital communication with fellow students and lecturers. Other contemporary uses of Internet by students include purchasing, entertainment, and even dating. The investigation of how the Internet fits into the daily life of staff and students at educational institutions is worthwhile when one considers the ubiquitous and all pervasive communications tool features of the Internet. Consequently, studies have been carried out in many places to understand how University students use the Internet, the purposes for which the students use the Internet, the search engines used, their Internet skills as well as problems that hinder efficient Internet use.

The Internet is very useful to university students and staff in Nigeria because it enables them to have access to timely, accurate and relevant information that cannot be obtained from library shelves. Chan and Fu (2009) noted that Internet searching helps university students to boost their intellectual development and job preparation. Due to the endless nature of information resources on the Internet, libraries are increasingly investing in provision of Internet services and resources to enable their clients have better access to the information.

Lyon (1998) states that Internet connections now constitute a highly visible service in every library and that the librarians and their clients have embraced it in their daily work. Academic libraries now run information literacy courses to educate faculty members and students on skills to access, retrieve and evaluate information resources from the Internet. Qunqing (2004) referred to the Internet as ‘a large encyclopedia’ or ‘a library without walls’ for its abundant information.

The research intends to assess the utilization of internet services among students of federal institution in kaduna state.

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM