ABSTRACT
The study was designed to investigate the availability and
use of reference information sources by undergraduate students. Also, attempt
was made to ascertain the extent of use and benefit of reference information
source to the students. Data was collected through the use of questionnaire
administered on 102 samples randomly drawn from the Ambrose Alli University and
University of Benin. The data were analysed using simple percentage. Findings
revealed that prominent reference information sources like encyclopaedia,
abstracts, dictionaries, bibliographies, index and almanac are more in these
institutions’ libraries. Result showed that a relationship exist between the
users of reference information and reference librarians in the library. It was
found that the extent of use of reference materials is still relatively low
especially among student users. Materials such as government documents, year
book, abstract, atlas, maps, and almanac are rarely utilised. Meanwhile, the
reference information sources available in the institutions served useful
purpose. The respondents highly acknowledge their benefits especially reference
materials like bibliographies, index, encyclopaedia, dictionaries, yearbooks
and handbooks. Lastly, result showed that there are many problems associated
with the use of reference information sources by undergraduate students amongst
which are: ignorance or lack of knowledge about library reference service, ill
attitude of reference librarians, lack of indigenous materials, lack of funds,
and poor power supply. In the light of the above, conclusion was drawn and it
was recommended that efforts should be made to acquire specific information
sources that the users need but not available in the library.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
of the study
The mission
of a library is to acquire information, organize the information in a way that it
can be accessed, use with ease and referred to at anytime. Reference services
fulfil this last function. Miles (2013), posits that reference services did not
become commonplace in libraries until the late 1800s. These services initially
began in public libraries. At first, librarians were hesitant to offer
reference services because many libraries did not have a large enough staff to
provide the services without other duties of the library being neglected.
In 1883 the Boston Public Library began to hire
librarians whose primary duty was to provide reference services. One of the
earliest proponents of references services was Samuel Swett Green. He wrote an
article titled "Personal Relations between Librarians and Readers"
which had a large impact on the future of reference services (Miles, 2013).
Then, it operated to incorporate ... making the following variables relevant in
offering reference services: the user's query; the reference librarian; and,
the reference sources. Until hitherto the communication between the reference
librarian and the user are through direct contact.
Hence, Utor(2008), defined reference services as a
direct personal assistance to readers seeking information. That is, during the
traditional era. Towards the later decades of 19th century however, reference
and information services witnessed paradigm-shift following the incorporation
of information communication technology in reference services (and in library
operations, by extension). Thus leading to an entirely new era, otherwise known
as digital era with different information technologies coming in to aid the
work of a reference librarian; changing information sources, reference
processes and communication medium (Udor, 2008).
Reference services may vary from library to library,
but most libraries have an information or Reference Desk where assistance from
a librarian is available (Bolner and Gayle, 2001). Almost all libraries also
provide reference services via the telephone and in many libraries students can
email their reference question, or Ask a Librarian to a reference librarian who
will e-mail them back with the answers (Bolner and Gayle, 2001).
Collins,
Diane and Bobbie (1994) identified three main types of reference assistance:
* Assistance or instruction in the use of the
library, including location of
materials, use of the catalog, use of computers to access information, and the
use of basic reference sources.
* Assistance in identifying library materials
needed to answer a question.
* Providing brief, factual answers to
questions, such as addresses,
statistics, phone numbers, etc. that can be quickly located.
Reference sources such as dictionaries,
encyclopedias, almanacs, atlases, handbooks, yearbooks, maps, index and
abstracts are research tools that can help an undergraduates with their paper
or project. Reference sources provide answers to specific questions, such as
brief facts, statistics, and technical instructions; provide background
information; or direct you to additional information sources. (Collins et
al,1994)
In most libraries, reference sources do not
circulate and are located in a separate reference collection. This practice
makes reference sources readily available and easily accessible.
According to Collins et al (1994) reference sources
are designed to be consulted rather than read through. Their design is
generally dependent on the type of information and treatment provided.
Reference materials can be arranged alphabetically, topically, or
chronologically. Many will contain cross listed information and more than one
index. Boner and Gayle (2001) maintained that in order to know how a reference
source is organized, one should take a moment to look through the explanatory
or how-to-use information, which is usually presented at the beginning of the
book, or in HELP screens for online products. These processes have been largely
ignored by many students which makes reference information difficult to use.
The goal of this study is to better understand what
library users (undergraduates) need by taking a hard look at the Libraries'
reference services and how these services are provided. As technology continues
to change the ways in which things are done, it is necessary to examine
regularly the tools available to increase users' awareness of the services
offered and to help them obtain the information they need.
Available literature shows that the libraries' staff
members have always taken pride in the quality of reference and information
services they provide. Survey responses and comments over the past few years
supported the assumption that these services were exemplary. When only
librarians staffed the reference desks in the buildings, they could be held
accountable for the quality of service provided. They felt better able to
provide the extra touches that made library service unique and valued in the
university context. When resources were not stretched so thinly, coping with
the rate of external change was manageable, and demands on staff time are not
as great as they are now. Times have changed, however. Librarians now
participate actively in library management, additional emphasis has been given
to instruction and outreach, and resources, both print and electronic have
multiplied. The observations above point to the need for a thorough review and
redesign of reference information sources in Nigerian universities.
1.2 Statement the Problem
In many university libraries
(including those of Ambrose Alli University and University of Benin), there are
thousands of volumes of reference materials, and reports of student research,
including theses and dissertations. The libraries are connected to the internet,
and subscribe to hundreds of print journal titles, local and foreign, as well
as national newspapers and magazines. But students who are the main users
overtime face challenges in accessing the reference information materials. The
undergraduates in their majority have not properly channelled the use of
reference information for purposeful learning because of poor cataloguing,
misshaping amongst other problems; these reference information sources need to
be properly utilized as they enable the library play its role as repository of
knowledge where wealth of academic resources could be explored to the benefit
of the students.
Moreso, reference information
sources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, atlases, etc. are
research tools that can help students
with their paper or project. Reference sources provide answers to
specific questions, such as brief facts, statistics, and technical
instructions; provide background information; or direct you to additional
information sources. In most libraries, reference sources do not circulate and
are located in a separate reference collection. This practice is expected to
make reference sources readily available and easily accessible.
The problems that flow from the
above assertion is to ascertain whether the available references information
sources were put to adequate use by students. This is because merely seeing
these reference information source might not actually translate to effective
utilisation by students. While use of reference information source means that
users can identify and utilise the resources to their own benefits, both
variables needs to be critically examined.
1.3 Objective of the Study
The purpose of this study is to
examine the availability and use of reference information sources by
undergraduate students. The study also aims at:
1
Identifying the
available reference information source in the university library
2
Investigating the
extent of use of reference information source by undergraduate students.
3
Examining the level of relationship
between the users and reference librarians in the library.
4
Examining the benefits
of use of reference information sources by undergraduate students
5
Identifying the
problems associated with the use of use of reference information sources by undergraduate
students in the libraries.
1.4
Research
Questions
The questions that this study
raised therefore are:
1. What
types of reference information source are available in the university
libraries?
2. What
is the extent of use of the reference information sources by undergraduate
students?
3. What
is the relationship between the users and reference librarians in the library?
4. What
is the benefit of use of reference information sources by undergraduate
students?
5. What
are the problems associated with the use of use of reference information
sources by undergraduate students?
1.5 Scope of the Study
This study on availability and use
of reference information source would be carried out in selected universities
in Edo State. The universities are: Ambrose Alli University library and John
Harris Library in University, Benin. The study focuses on the use of reference
information sources by the undergraduate students.
1.6 Significance of the Study
It is hoped that this study will
acquaints the librarians and the university authorities with effective ways of
providing reference information source that will meet the information needs of
users.
The
Ministry of Education and other relevant agencies could also benefit in this
study in that it could serve them a recipe for designing a framework for
adopting and initiating quality referencing services in universities. To
develop in this direction, there is a need for library professionals to gain a
comprehensive perception of developing quality reference information services
with latest technology such as online services.
The
study stresses the urgent need for administrators and library educators to
evaluate the effectiveness of present day library education in moulding the
users to understand benefits of reference information source to their learning.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
This study does not
have a wider national coverage, in other words, it is limited by its coverage
to undergraduates of Ambrose Alli University and University of Benin. This is
because it is virtually impossible to cover all undergraduate students in
Nigeria.
Shortage
of funds also hampers the quality of this work because the researcher could not
afford to exhaust all funds to get materials of relevant literature. Also,
enough money is required to conduct interview especially where the researcher
need to travel and visit the university libraries under investigation.
1.8 Operational Definition Of Terms
Internet:
this refers to a worldwide system of computer networks - a
network of networks in which users at any one computer can communicate with
another or a group in different locations.
ICT:
simply mean information and
communication technology. They include facilities that help in the transmission
and dissemination of information.
Librarians: are trained employees who work in the library to
ensure smooth realization of its objectives.
References:
this is the can be defined as the
act of designating or connecting to something as a source.
Reference
information: are sources from which information
are been enquired or sought.
Reference
services: is a direct personal assistance to
readers seeking information.
Undergraduate:
are students in the university who are presently undergoing one course of study
at the first tertiary level.
Use: refers
to making the best out of a thing or putting something into use thereby serving
its utmost importance it was originally designed for.
User:
is someone who utilise the services of a library such as students, researcher
etc.
================================================================
Item Type: Project Material | Attribute: 61 pages | Chapters: 1-5
Format: MS Word | Price: N3,000 | Delivery: Within 30Mins.
================================================================
No comments:
Post a Comment