Management and Utilization of Indigenous Knowledge Materials for Research by Postgraduate Students in Federal University Libraries in South-East, Nigeria.

Abstract

The general purpose of the study was to determine the management and utilization of indigenous knowledge materials for research by postgraduate students in federal university libraries in South-East, Nigeria. The study was guided by nine specific objectives and research questions covering the methods employed in acquisition, organization, and preservation of IK materials. It also covered staff competencies, extent of use, problems affecting the management and use, and strategies for enhancing the management and use of IK materials. Five null hypotheses were also formulated. The design of the study was descriptive survey. The population of the study was 7,171 made up of 271 library staff and 6900 registered postgraduate students from where a sample of 611 respondents was selected. This was made up of all the 266 professional and para-professional staff members and 345 registered postgraduate students. The instrument used for data collection were two sets of questionaire developed by the researcher titled, “Management and Utilization of Indigenous Knowledge Materials by Postgraduate Students Questionnaire for Staff” (MUIKMPSQS), and “Management and Utilisation of Indigenous Knowledge Materials by Postgraduate Students Questionnaire for Students” (MUIKMPSQPS). Two lecturers in the Department of Library and information Science and one expert in the Department of Measurement and Evaluation in the Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka validated the instruments. The Questionnaires were subjected to trial testing and the overall reliability index of the instrument was found to be .89 for staff and .87 for students. The questionnaires were administered directly to the respondents with the help of four research assistants in each university. Mean scores and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using the t-test statistic at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study among others, showed that the methods employed in acquisition of indigenous knowledge (IK) for research by postgraduate students in the federal university libraries included purchases of library materials, exchange of IK materials with other libraries, gift from individuals, NGOs & other bodies, and legal deposits. It was also found that the ways IK materials were managed in the federal university libraries in South-East Nigeria included preparing registers, preparing subject indexes and abstracts of Indigenous knowledge (IK) materials in the library, and manual cataloguing cards. The result of the study also showed that the methods of preserving IK materials for postgraduate students’ research in federal university libraries in South-East Nigeria included digitalization of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) materials, reformatting of “about to decay” IK materials, use of CD ROM, binding services, use of fumigation, and digital archiving. From the findings of the study, it was recommended among others, that there should be provisions of quality IK materials for postgraduate students’ research. This will help to provide quality services for postgraduate students in the library. The weak aspect of the management and use of IK materials in federal university libraries in South East, Nigeria should be improved upon in order to enhance the quality of services rendered for postgraduate students’ research.. The limitations of the study included: the fact that there was no standardised instrument for measuring methods used in acquisition, organization, and preservation of IK materials for use for postgraduate students’ research etc. The instrument used for this study was developed by the researcher. This may have affected the reliability of the result of this study. And for further research, it was suggested that the research be replicated with a larger population and in different geographical areas and in state owned universities.