Information and Communication Technology Training Needs of Librarians in University Libraries in South - East Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training needs of librarians in university libraries in the south east zone Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of the study, six (6) specific objectives and six (6) research questions were posed to guide the study. Literature review was carried out under the following sub-headings: concept of ICT; concept of training; ICT skills training needs; training needs assessment; types of ICT training; ICT facilities in librarian in the universities libraries; problems associated with ICT skills training programme of the librarian; strategies for the enhancement of ICT training needs and related empirical studies. The study adopted survey research design method. The population of the study comprised all the librarians in the nine (9) universities libraries in the study area which is made up of 4 Federal Universities and 5 State Universities. The entire population( 145) librarians were used because of their small size. A set of questionnaire (which contained 6 sections) named Information and Communication Technology Training needs of librarians in the universities in south East Zone of Nigeria (ICTTNULQ), was developed. The instrument was validated by the researcher’s supervisor and three experts from the department of Library and Information Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Data was collected by administing the questionnaire to the respondents in the nine universities in the study areas by the researcher and two assistants. Only112 out of 145 copies of the questionnaire were returned and analyzed , using frequency distribution table, percentage and means score . The findings of the study revealed that only seven (7) out of eighteen (18) identified ICT facilities such as Computers; Printers; Internet Connection; Laptop; CD- Rom; etc were readily available to the librarians in the universities libraries in south east zone of Nigeria. The librarians possessed less ICT skills such as computer basic, electronic document delivery, networking, file format digitalization, operating system window to use the available ICT facilities. All the librarians required training in all the twenty-eight (28) identified ICT skill areas like Indexing - Servers; Networking;; Computer; etc and nine only (9) out of twelve (12) ICT training programmes were available to the Librarians, such as Formal education, Training at work place., attending conferences,serminar, workshops etc’ On the other hand, eighteen (18) out 0f twenty-one(21) problems were found to be associated with the ICT programmes available to the librarians. These included Lack of technical support, frequent change in ICT, computer breakdown, Lack of trained man power, etc and all the identified strategies were perceived by the respondents as being appropriate for the enhancement of the ICT skills of the librarians in the study area. These included Provision of funds, Regular ICT seminar, Adeqsuate ICT , Training of Library personnel etc. On the basis of the findings, the following recommendations were made: (1) funding for library budget should be increased by the government; and (2) the university librarians should be empowered through training; etc. For future research, the following topics were suggested: (1) the perceived role-expectation of the national association of librarians in sustainable ICT development in Nigeria universities; (2) attitude of the librarians in the university libraries towards digital libraries in Nigeria.