ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to investigate the availability and utilisation of library’s e-resources by undergraduates of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and Abia State University, Uturu. The research design used was a descriptive survey.  The study population consisted of 35,153 undergraduate students drawn from the two institutions under study. A sample size of 395 undergraduates was drawn using Yaro Yamanne’s statistical method. An observation checklist and a Likert-four point rating scale were used as data collection instruments. The rating scale was distributed using a stratified random sampling techniques to 395 undergraduate students, 225 MOUAU and 170 ABSU undergraduate students out of which a total of 355 copies of the rating scale was returned and used for analysis. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean scores and standard deviation with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The study found that the two libraries examined makes available varieties of e-resources and showed a strongly agreement response on the users’ level of awareness by the respondents. Furthermore, the study found out that the undergraduate students of the two institutions being examined makes use of the resources sometimes and in rare cases for the purposes of research, leisure, studying, project writing, doing assignments and in preparation for examinations. Consequently, the study also found out that the problems militating against the use of available electronic resources include; unawareness of the availability of related e-resources to their discipline/course of study, inadequate guide on how to use the resources, poor internet connection, inadequate ICT facilities, epileptic power supply, unconducive atmosphere, frequent breakdown of ICT facilities, virus attack, as well as inadequate trained personnel. The recommendations made to improve availability and use of electronic resources by undergraduates include: sustained public relations programme, purchase and building of power stations, increase in internet connectivity and bandwidth, provision of well ventilated reading rooms, user education, training and provision of well trained manpower were suggested for action.

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