International Journal of Academic Library and Information Science
 

International Journal of Academic Library and Information Science

Vol. 4(9), pp. 249–263, November, 2016. 

ISSN: 2360-7858

DOI: 10.14662/IJALIS2016.057

Full Length Research

User education is one of the important services of the library organised each year for fresh students into higher institutions of learning. It is an academic programme designed by academic libraries to educate its user’s especially fresh men on how to effectively utilise library resources and its services. The main objective of this study was to determine how to improve the effectiveness of user education programme for fresh students in selected colleges in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey design with a study population of 5,023 N.C.E II and N.D II registered library users of the three colleges studied out of which a sample of 252 respondents were selected using the stratified random sampling technique with the proportional allocation method using a sample fraction of 5%. The questionnaire was the main research instrument used for the collection of data which was administered in the three college libraries. Data was analysed using frequency distribution and percentages run on SPSS. The findings of the study revealed that central to the three colleges, the students were provided with library orientation and compulsory use of library course. Findings also revealed that the influence of time allocation for the programme was in the students’ inability to attend the programme because it was conducted while they were yet to settle. Since the time allocated is not enough, it does not permit practicals. Inadequate provision of funds, inadequate number of staff to handle the programme, lack of follow up instructions, inadequate ICT facilities for the programme were identified as challenges. The study recommends a number of measures to enhance the effectiveness of user education programme such as allotting more time to user education programme, provision of funds, improved awareness creation, recruitment of more qualified professionals and teaching of the course when students have settled down to school activities.

Key words: User Education Programme, Information Literacy, College Libraries, Fresh Students, Nigeria

 

Cite This Article As: Abah AT, Chorun MT, Mbatsoron VM (2016). Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of User Education Programme for Fresh Students in Selected Colleges in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Inter. J. Acad. Lib. Info. Sci. 4(9): 249-263.

 FULL TEXT(PDF)