1.1 Background of the Study
The library and information services of the 21st century are fast changing. With the rapid development of electronic publishing, libraries are not only acquiring reading materials such as printed books and journals but also arranging for and providing access to various learning resources in electronic form.
Electronic Resources are occupying a significant portion of the global literature. They refer to information sources in electronic form. The different types of e-resources are, E-books, E-journals, Databases, CDs/DVDs, E-conference proceedings, E-Reports, E-Maps, E-Pictures/Photographs, E-Manuscripts, E-Theses, E-Newspaper, Internet/Websites – Listservs, Newsgroups, Subject Gateways, etc. These may be delivered on CD-ROM / DVD, over the Internet and so on. Providing access to e-resources is a service to help library users to find e-Databases, e-Journals, e-Magazines, e- Books, e-Audio/ e-Images, Digital Library Projects, Electronic Exhibitions, e-Subject Guide, e-newsletters, E-conferences proceedings and Web search tools on a range of topic. The electronic books are helpful because of their easy portability and its feature of incorporating more than one book in a single hand held device. The published materials are also available on open access platform. This helps the poorer also to get the information required free and bridge the digital divide. They need not worry about licensing and usage of the information (Omosekejim, Eghwero and Ogo ,2015).
On the importance of library, Oni, Ekuoye and Oshionebo (2016), noted that Education and library are two inseparable and indivisible concepts, working for the promotion and evolution of teaching, learning and research in academic environment. The primary purpose of polytechnic libraries is to support teaching, learning, and research in ways consistent with, and supportive of, the institution’s mission and goals. As a result, library resources and services should be sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curriculum.
Joseph, Fasa, Samuel and Samuel (2015) retrospectively observed that the idea of establishing tertiary institutions in Nigeria besides the university education in 1970s, to engage in research suitable for the development of resources required in industrial and economic development came into limelight. This propelled the Nigerian Government, according to Eziubochi (2011) to enact Decree No. 33 of 1979 as amended by Decree No. 5 of 1993 to established polytechnic education. Its broad objective was to turnout the middle-level manpower needed for industrial and technological advancement of the country. To accomplish this task, in producing sound, discipline and well grounded graduates, polytechnic libraries become very essential.
Polytechnic libraries just like university libraries or other academic libraries are established with the primary goal of providing information resources to students, members of staff of the polytechnic community and other intending users (Onuoha and Subair, 2013). Monotechnic, college of education, university, and polytechnic libraries make up what is collectively called academic library. Academic library therefore is a library that is attached to an academic institution above the secondary level, serving the teaching and research needs of students and staff.
Obinyan, Obinyan and Aidenojie (2011), noting the significance of libraries submitted that Libraries are still responsible for acquiring and providing access to books, periodicals, and other media that meet the educational, recreational and informational needs of their users. Oni, Ekuoye and Oshionebo (2006) citing Okorie and Agboola (2012) noted that the educational society can only exist when information is stored, shared, and used properly. Therefore, Education depends on information resources and these resources are the driving forces for making an educated society. Interestingly, one of the factors of measuring academic success is research productivity which requires information resources deposited in libraries that assist users in their research quest (Okiki, 2013). Topping and Bremmer (1998) noted that it remains a known fact that the academic success of undergraduates is attributable to several variables, some of which are availability and use of library resources viz print and electronic resources.
Attama, R.O. (2005), citing Meadow and Yuan as cited in Popoola (2008) noted that library resources are the message that changes the recipient’s knowledge base. Through the utilization of these resources, users acquire new knowledge as well as expand the existing ones. And this can be effectively achieved with the provision of electronic resources to complement print based resources in academic libraries.
Sharma, (2009) noted that print medium is increasingly giving way to the electronic form of materials. Ani (2008) quoting Tsakonas and Papatheodorou (2006) states that “the transition from print to electronic medium apart from resulting in a growth of electronic information, has provided users with new tools and applications for information seeking and retrieval. Electronic resources are invaluable research tools that complement the print-based resources in a traditional library setting. Commenting on the advantages of electronic resources, Dadzie (2007) writes that electronic resources are invaluable research tools that complement the print – based resources in a traditional library setting. Their advantages, according to her include: access to information that might be restricted to the user due to geographical location or finances, access to more current information, provision of extensive links to additional resources related contents, rapid publishing, efficient dissemination, and innovative presentation of research results, public peer review, and low publishing cost.
As part of efforts by polytechnic libraries to meet to their statutory obligations, there is need for the libraries to embrace and make electronic information resources available for their users in view of their numerous advantages over print-base information resources. In view of this, this research work seeks to find out the availability and use of electronic information resources in polytechnic libraries in Edo state.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
It is a known fact that the advent of information and communication technology and its applications in libraries the world over, is moving the library away from print-based resources to electronic or digital base information resources. Students and other information users now prefer e-library resources to the printed information materials because of their ease of use, currency of information and quick access to the information resources wherever it may be located. Despite these advantages, it is observed that many of our higher institutions of learning especially the polytechnics do not have e-library resources. Available literature show that many libraries in Nigerian polytechnics still operate on print-based information resource only. This study therefore, investigates the availability and use of electronic library resources by students of polytechnics in Nigeria with specific interest in Auchi Polytechnic Auchi, Edo State and Edo State Polytechnic Usen, Benin City.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The study generally is an Assessment of the Availability and Use of Electronic Library Resources by Students of Auchi Polytechnic Auchi, Edo State and Edo State Polytechnic Usen, Benin City. The study will
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Scope of the Study
The study focused on the availability and use of electronic library resources by students in Auchi Polytechnic Auchi, Edo State and Edo State Polytechnic Usen, Benin City.
The study did not cover or take in to account the brands of information and commutation technology hardwares and gadgets that are used to provide electronic library resources. Electronic maps, and audio/video electronic resources were also not considered due to the specialised technologies required to deliver them. The level of ICTs application in general library processes was also not considered.
1.6 Significance of the Study
A study of the availability and use electronic library resources by Polytechnic students in Edo State will be of significance to the library managements, academic libraries, Polytechnic managements and researchers both in Edo State and beyond in view of the enormous impact electronic library resources can make on the academic pursuit of students in particular and researchers in general. The study will help to reveal the availability or non availability of e-resources in the polytechnics in Edo State, if available, the level of student awareness, the level of utilization of these important library resources, level of access by students and factors limiting their access and effective use. All these put together will help library managements, academic libraries and polytechnic authorities to strategise and plan for availability and effective use of electronic library resources.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
Lack of time, distance travelled to get data as well as limited finances were some of the major limitations to this study.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Electronic Resources: Any information source that the library provides access to in an electronic format.
Digital library: A focused collection of digital objects that can include text, visual material, audio material, video material, stored as electronic media formats, along with means for organizing, storing, and retrieving the files and media contained in the library collection.
Database: It is a collection of information that is organized so that it can easily be accessed, managed and updated.
www: It is an acronym meaning world wide web, an information system of interlinked hypertext documents that are accessed via the internet.
CD-ROM: A compact disc used as a read-only optical memory device for a computer system.
OPAC: An online database of materials held by a library or group of libraries.
Interment: A Global computer network providing a variety of information and communication networks using standardized communication protocols
E-library: An electronic or online library were one can have access to books, journal, novels, articles or any other information over the net
E-book: A book publication made available in digital form consisting of text or image or both
E-journal: A periodical publication which is published in electronic format, usually on the internet.
Network: A group of two or more computers systems linked together.
Gateway: A network node that provides access to another network that uses a protocol.