CONTENTS
Title Page – – – – – – – – – – i
Approval Page – – – – – – – – – ii
Certification – – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – – v
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – – vi
List of Tables – – – – – – – – – vii
Abstract – – – – – – – – – – viii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION – – – – – 1
Background of the Study – – – – – – – 1
Statement of the Problem – – – – – – 9
Purpose of the Study – – – – – – – 11
Research Questions – – – – – – – 11
Significance of the Study – – – – – – – 12
Scope of the Study – – – – – – – 13
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE – – – 14
Conceptual Framework – – – – – – – 14
Nature of Reference Services – – – – – 15
Reference Services Rendered to Library Users – – 23
Assessment of Reference Services – – – – – – 25
Users Satisfaction – – – – – – – – 28
Problems Associated with Reference Services in …- – – 30
Strategies for Enhancing Reference Services in …- – – – 33
Review of Empirical Studies- – – – – – – 40
Summary of Literature Review – – – – – – 43
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD – – – – 46
Research Design – – – – – – – – 46
Area of the Study – – – – – – – – 46
Population of the Study – – – – – – – 47
Sample and Sampling Technique – – – – – 47
Instrument for Data Collection – – – – – – 47
Validation of the Instrument – – – – – – 48
Method of Data Collection – – – – – – 48
Method of Data Analysis – – – – – – 48
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA – 50
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS- – – – – 57
Discussion of Findings – – – – – – – 57
Implication of the Study – – – – – – – 61
Recommendation of the Study – – – – – 62
Suggestions for Further Studies – – – – – 62
Limitation of the Study – – – – – – – 63
Conclusion – – – – – – – – – 63
REFERENCES – – – – – – – – – 65
APPENDICES – – – – – – – – – 78
Appendix A: Assessment of Federal University Libraries Reference
Services to Undergraduate Students Questionnaire
(AFULRISQ) – – – – – – – 78
Appendix B: Distribution of Respondents and Sample – 85
Appendix C: Interview Schedule for University Liberians in Federal
University Libraries – – – – – – 86
LIST OF TABLES
Tables Page
Students in the Federal University Libraries in South Eastern
Nigeria – – – – – – – – – 50
Libraries – – – – – – – – – 51
in these Libraries – – – – – – – – 52
Reference and Information Services – – – – – 53
While Using Reference Materials – – – – – 54
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to assess reference and information services rendered to the undergraduate students in federal university libraries in Enugu and Anambra stateS of Nigeria. This is with aim of ascertaining the reference and information services offered to undergraduate students in these university libraries, to identify the available resources in the reference sections in these libraries, to find out the extent to which the undergraduate students make use of reference and information sources in these libraries, to find out the extent to which the undergraduate students are satisfied with services offered in these libraries, to determine the problem encountered by using the reference collections in these libraries and to suggest possible ways of solving the identified problems. Based on the objective, six research questions guided the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted in carrying out the work. Sampling technique was used. A total number of one thousand, four hundred and sixty one (1461) respondents were used for the study. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire and oral interview. One thousand four hundred and sixty one (1461) copies of the questionnaire were distributed to the undergraduate students of the two university libraries with 95% return rate. Frequency table and mean were used for the data analysis. The results obtained from the findings revealed that reference services are rendered to undergraduate students in the two university libraries, that reference resources are available in the reference sections of the university libraries, that the undergraduate students make use of the reference services offered to them in the libraries under study. The finding also revealed that greater number of the undergraduate students are satisfied with the reference services offered in these libraries. However, the findings revealed that erratic power supply and lack of money constitute major problems to reference services in these libraries. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the administration of the libraries under study should make available stand-by generator to avoid disruption of power supply and that management should release more funds to enable libraries acquire more materials.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
The library is regarded as the nucleus of any academic institution including universities. University libraries are established as a knowledge/information nerve centre otherwise called the “heart” of the university. The university is a service organization with the primary objective of providing the bibliographic resources required in fulfillment of the university’s mission. The university’s mission according to the National Policy on Education (2004) is to make optimum contributions to national development of high level manpower within the context of the needs of the nation. For any university to cope with the task of teaching, learning and research effectively, the university requires the total support of functional libraries.
University libraries also referred to as academic libraries help their parent institutions achieve their aim by performing the following functions:
The university reference and information services department according to Sturges (2002) is agency or department responsible for providing processed or published information on specific topics to an organization’s internal users, its customers or the public. However, Matthew (2001) asserts that to be successful in today’s fast changing and highly competitive world, it is vital to use information technology effectively, having understood the role it plays, tremendous benefits it offers and how to make the best use of its system.
The entire human and material resources in a library are put in place at considerable expense for the overall purpose of providing effective services to the library users. On its part the library has a responsibility to ensure that its resources and services are used. This matter is so fundamental that one can define a library in terms of use. Indeed the modern library anticipates the expectation of its users and positively provides resources and services to fulfill them (Edoka 2000). According to Boulanger (1990) the traditional user groups of the academic library are the faculty, staff and students of the college or university.
The undergraduate or the university students pursuing their first degree have diverse needs such as information for writing their term papers, doing their assignments and even how to use the catalogue to get what they need from the libraries. Some of these are reference service needs which could best be provided by the reference librarian using reference sources. The undergraduate students gain entrance to the university without the skills for making effective use of the library and its resources. Aguolu and Aguolu (2002) posit that although in the university setting development of library literacy applies to both undergraduates and the postgraduates, it is primarily directed at the former. The library contains a vast array of information and often times the resources is not accessible to the undergraduate, students, especially the new intakes due to their lack of information skills. Hence Popoola (2001) posits that information availability does not mean accessibility and utilization. For the undergraduate students to undergo meaningful university education, they need to learn how to exploit the resources of the library especially reference sources.
Reference and information services are among the most important of these services, as they bring together the user and the resources in the library. Reference service is the personal assistance given by the librarian to individuals in search of information. In effect, reference service involves providing answers to questions asked by the library users. A reader has an information need. He comes to the library and poses the question. The librarian strives to provide an answer to the question from the information resources in his library and sometimes in another library. The essence of library service is the maximization of information resources in the library.
Encyclopedia Britanica (2003) states that the origin of formalized reference services can be found in American academic and public libraries and dated from the last quarter of the 19th century. It further noted that organized reference services appear to have been a uniquely American contribution to world librarianship. Reference services are aimed at teaching users the use of the standard reference sources and providing general answers to users’ queries. In the words of Osinulu and Balogun (2003) reference services are established primarily to facilitate the use of the library and its resources. Supporting this view Kumar (1998) highlights that in order to convert potential users into habitual users it is essential to establish a desired kind of contact between the user and the document. According to Kumar this (establishment of right contact between a user and document) assumes the existence of documents as well as users. In the same vein Ranganathan (1961) argues that the right contact between the right reader and the right book at the right time in the right personal way. Ranganathan further states that reference service is the establishment of contact between reader and book by personal services. Here personal service to each user to help him to find his requirement is emphasized. Galvin (1987) and Ugwuanyi (1997) in their different studies succinctly defined reference services as the personal assistance given to the users finding special information whether direct or indirect. Ifidon (1997) gave a broader definition of reference service as the springboard to the library and librarianship, wherein one is involved with all aspects of information, both theoretical and practical.
Reference and information services extend beyond the provision of answers to questions. The users are to develop skills which will enable them get all types of reference and informa
Terms of Use: This is an academic paper. Students should NOT copy our materials word to word, as we DO NOT encourage Plagiarism. Only use as a guide in developing your original research work. Thanks.
Disclaimer: All undertaking works, records, and reports posted on this website, eprojectguide.com are the property/copyright of their individual proprietors. They are for research reference/direction purposes and the works are publicly supported. Do not present another person’s work as your own to maintain a strategic distance from counterfeiting its results. Use it as a guide and not duplicate the work in exactly the same words (verbatim). eprojectguide.com is a vault of exploration works simply like academia.edu, researchgate.net, scribd.com, docsity.com, course hero, and numerous different stages where clients transfer works. The paid membership on eprojectguide.com is a method by which the site is kept up to help Open Education. In the event that you see your work posted here, and you need it to be eliminated/credited, it would be ideal if you call us on +2348064699975 or send us a mail along with the web address linked to the work, to eprojectguide@gmail.com. We will answer to and honor each solicitation. Kindly note notification it might take up to 24 – 48 hours to handle your solicitation.