TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE i
APPROVAL PAGE ii
CERTIFICATION PAGE iii
DEDICATION iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v
TABLE OF CONTENTS vi
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES xi
ABSTRACT xii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 14
Purpose of the Study 15
Research Questions 16
Hypotheses 17
Significance of the Study 18
Scope of the Study 19
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 20
Conceptual Framework 21
Concept of University Libraries 21
Concept of Agricultural Researchers 23
Concept of Availability 24
Concept of Accessibility 26
Concept of Utilization 28
The Concept of Agricultural Research Literature 31
The need for Agricultural Research Literature in Universities of Agriculture Libraries 33
Problems of Accessing and Utilizing Agricultural Research Literature 37
Agricultural Research and Scholarship in the Digital Environment 41
Conceptual Schema for ARL in Libraries of Nigerian Universities of Agriculture 47
Theoretical Framework 48
The Constructivist Theory by Jerome Bruner (1915) 48
Theory of Critical Thinking by John Dewey (1910) 50
Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DIO) by Everest Rogers (1962) 52
Review of Empirical Studies 54
Summary of the Literature Review 71
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD 73
Design of the Study 73
Area of the Study 73
Population of the Study 74
Sample and Sampling Technique 74
Instrument for Data Collection 74
Validation of the Instrument 76
Reliability of the Instrument 76
Method for data Collection 76
Method for Data Analysis 77
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS 78
Results of Research Questions and Hypotheses 78
Summary of Major Findings 92
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION 96
Discussion of the Findings 96
Educational Implications of the Study 99
Recommendations 102
Limitations of the Study 104
Suggestions for Further Studies 104
Conclusion 104
References 106
Appendix I: Distribution Population by Library Users119
Appendix II: Availability, Accessibility and Utilization of Agricultural
Research Literature Questionnaire (AAUARLQ) 110
Appendix III: Observation Checklist of Availability, Accessibility And
Utilization of Agricultural Research Literature by Researchers in Libraries of Nigerian Universities of Agriculture 125
Appendix IV: Oral Interview with the University Librarian on Availability,
Accessibility and Utilization of Agricultural Research Literature by
Researchers in Libraries of Nigerian Universities of Agriculture 126
Appendix V: Output of SPSS Analysis 128
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Frequencies of Responses on Types of Agricultural Research Literature
Available to Researchers 79
Table 2: t-test of Opinion on Types of Agricultural Research Literature
Subscribed to in the Libraries of Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria 80
Table 3: Descriptive Statistics of Responses on Extent Agricultural Research
Literature are Available to Researchers in Nigerian Universities
of Agriculture Libraries 81
Table 4: t-test of Opinion on Availability of Agricultural Research
Literature Subscribed to in the Libraries of Universities of
Agriculture in Nigeria 82
Table 5: Descriptive statistics of Extent of Accessibility to Agricultural
Research Literature 83
Table 6: t-test of Opinion on Accessibility of Agricultural research
literature Subscribed to in University of Agriculture Libraries in Nigeria 84
Table 7: Descriptive statistics of Responses on Agricultural Research Literature
Utilized by Researchers in Libraries of Universities of Agriculture in
Nigeria 85
Table 8: t-test of Opinion on Utilization of Agricultural Research
Literature Subscribed to in the Universities of Agriculture libraries 86
Table 9: Descriptive statistics of responses on Problems Faced by Researchers in
Availability, Accessing and Utilizing Agricultural Research Literature in
Libraries of Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria 87
Table 10: Chi-Square Test of Opinion on Problems Faced in Using Agricultural
Research Literature in libraries of Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria 88
Table 11: Descriptive statistics of responses on Strategies to Facilitate
Researchers Access and Use of Agricultural Research Literature in
Libraries of Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria 90
Table 12: Chi-Square Test of Opinion on Effective Strategies to Facilitate Researchers’ Access and Use of Agricultural Research Literature in Libraries of Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria 91
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2: Diffusion of Innovation Graph 53
This study was
carried out to examine availability, accessibility and utilization of agricultural
research literature to researchers in university of agriculture libraries in
Nigerian. The universities were located at Umudike, Abia State, Abeokuta, Ogun
State and Makurdi, Benue State. The study was guided by six research questions
and six null hypotheses. The researcher employed a survey research design. The
population of the study comprised of 1,380 researchers, 98 were on their
Doctoral, 270 were on their Masters Degree Programmes and 1032 were academic
staffs that are registered users in all the three Universities of Agriculture
Libraries. A sample of 301 registered users including academic staffs was used
for the study using simple random sampling technique in selecting the
respondents. Questionnaire titled “Availability, Accessibility and Utilization
of Agricultural research literature Questionnaire (AAUARLQ)” was used as
instrument for data collection. Frequency tables, percentages, mean and standard
deviation were used to analyze the data collected to answer to research
questions, while t-test and Chi-Square statistics were used in testing the
hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study showed that,
Agriculture Research Reports (ARL) such as journals, theses/dissertations, Food and
Agriculture Organization reports, textbooks, newspapers, magazines, CD-ROMs,
were available and accessible to a very large extent while Audio-visuals,
seminar papers and workshop reports were available and accessible
to researchers to a large extent as subscribed to, in Nigerian Universities of
Agriculture Libraries. The research also showed that these ARL were available,
accessible and utilized to a large extent. However, after applying observation
checklist, there were certain problems faced by researchers in utilization of
some agricultural research literature in Universities of Agriculture libraries
such as CD-ROMs, A/V materials seminar papers and workshop reports: besides
being inadequate in supply, some were outdated, and could not be used. It was
recommended that, in order to effectively facilitate researchers’ access and
use of these agricultural research literature in Nigerian Universities of
Agriculture Libraries, CD-ROMs should be kept at the disposal of researchers
and Nigerian Universities of Agriculture Libraries should be diligent in
acquiring up-dated issues. Also, government should fund subscription of
adequate Agriculture Research Reports for researchers, acquired Agriculture Research
Reports should be processed and shelved on time, acquisition policy towards ARL
should be of top priority, and again, Nigerian Universities of Agriculture
Libraries should open college of agriculture branch libraries that will have
adequate security measures for ARL.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Library is a collection of information resources in print or in other forms that is organized and made accessible for reading or study. Today, the definition of the library has expanded to include not only print resources, but access to all kinds of resources in digital formats as well. A library therefore, is an accumulation of various intellectual materials many of which are in print format, on-line, database and in digital forms, and readers can gain access to them for reading, study and entertainment. Libraries are now de-emphasizing the principle of ownership in favor of the principle of access but ownership of print materials remains a principal label and a distinguishing mark between a library and an information centre. Agber and Mngutyo (2013), Agber, Ugbagir, Mgutyo and Amaakaven (2014) therefore, asserted that as reservoirs of society’s intellectual history and custodians of people’s knowledge and information, a core purpose of libraries wherever they may be found or are established, is to bring educational development and promote the peoples reading culture that is fast going down by making available information materials for study or reference. Moreover, libraries, irrespective of the type are meant to meet the information needs of their users, which agricultural students, scientists, researchers and practitioners in agriculture and related areas are not left out. It is in view of this that agricultural libraries are established.
Agricultural libraries have a lot of vital roles to play in the transformation of agricultural education to enable sustainable development in Nigeria. One of the roles is the provision of current information and documentation of research results as well as disseminating same to students, researchers and the public in general. Agricultural institutions were established to cater for agricultural education, research and extension of rural agriculture. For this reason, agricultural libraries provide information services to farmers, students, livestock producers, agricultural business organizations, research workers, subject specialist teachers; this is in anticipation to meet the challenge of man, food and hunger and to make for a sustainable development (Adeniyi&Ojo, 2015).
Abioye, Zaid and Egberongbe (2011) noted that developing the agricultural sector remains a critical factor towards the achievement of sustainable food production and, indeed, global food security. While indigenous agricultural knowledge is of immense value in improving food production, its documentation and dissemination remain a big challenge confronting librarians and other information professionals, particularly in Africa where cultural practices are prevalent. Nevertheless, the importance of the development of agricultural sector spurred the establishment of the three universities of agriculture by the federal government of Nigeria. They are: Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM); Universities of Agriculture Abeokuta in Ogun State (UNAAB) and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia State
The Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi (FUAM) is a higher education institution in located in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. The university was established in 1988, following the recommendations of a 1987 federal government White Paper on Higher Education Curriculum and Development in Nigeria. The Universities of Agriculture Abeokuta in Ogun State was also established in 1988 and the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia State was established in 1992 (Commonwealth Secretariat, Nexus Strategic Partnerships, 2007 &Anyanwu, 2011). Essentially, the establishment of these universities of agriculture brought the emergence of agricultural libraries.
Agricultural research libraries as established under the auspices of agricultural research institute are set aside for the use of students, agricultural scientists, researchers and practitioners in agriculture. The emphasis for the agricultural research libraries is the dissemination of specialized information primarily devoted to a special discipline, offering specialized services to specialized clientele. For any effective and successful research and development to take place, it is necessary for the agriculturalist to acquire the knowledge from the library. Importantly, libraries support agricultural research by enhancing access to information through effective management of its resources and provision
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