AVAILABILITY AND UTILIZATION OF INFORMATION RESOURCES AND SERVICES IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTRE LIBRARIES

ABSTRACT

There are persons with physical challenges at all levels in every society. The physically challenged are those who are hindered or prevented from acting or living the way ordinary people do. Lawal-Solarin (2012), defines physical challenge as an inability to perform some or all the task of daily life, or a medically diagnosed condition that makes it difficult to engage in activities of daily life. In the view of Gobalakrishnan (2013) physically challenged could be described as those restricted, hindered or prevented to have equal opportunities with their contemporaries due to physical deformity, he said they include the visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive, language and speech impaired. Physically challenged persons can as well be described as those hindered either by physical or mental defect from receiving a normal education or even from pursuing normal vocation. The total number of people with disabilities in Nigeria according to the 2006 census were 3 253,169 and the percentage is approximately 2.32 percent of the total population of 140,431,790 in that year (Umeh&Adeola, 2013). The 2006 estimated figure notwithstanding, extent of disabilities in Nigeria has not been ascertained. Evidence of what is claimed to be the figure as given by World Report on Disability in 2011, said about 25 million Nigerians had at least one disability, while 3.6 million of them had very significant difficulties in functioning (http://www.cbm.org/Nigeria-266847.php). Physical challenge has a substantial long-term adverse effect on one’s ability to carry out usual day to day activities. Majority of the physically challenged lives below poverty line due to years of neglect by the society, especially their lack of access to paid employment. The physically challenged is often misconceived as unwell, unable to work, read and in need of help persons and people that deserve pity. Okoli (2010) lamented that disabled people are living in an environment that is hostile to their yearnings and aspirations. Indeed, concerns about the challenges encountered by physically challenged individuals have been expressed by various authors such as Ejedafiru (2011), Ilayaraja and Manoharan (2012), Momodu (2013) and many others. Of particular interest, is the fact that individuals with disabilities encounter discrimination, isolation and rejection, which can lead to frustration in some cases, and can adversely degenerate to a level that an individual may not be able to actualize his aspirations.

CHAPETR ONE

INTRODUCTION 

1.1        Background of the study

1.2        Statement of problem

1.3        Objective of the study

1.4        Research Hypotheses

1.5        Significance of the study

1.6        Scope and limitation of the study

1.7       Definition of terms

1.8       Organization of the study

CHAPETR TWO

2.0   LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPETR THREE

3.0        Research methodology

3.1    sources of data collection

3.3        Population of the study

3.4        Sampling and sampling distribution

3.5        Validation of research instrument

3.6        Method of data analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1 Introductions

4.2 Data analysis

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Summary

5.3 Conclusion

5.4 Recommendation

Appendix

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

The academic library is established to support academic activities and enhance teaching-learning undertakings consistent with university objectives. Frumkin and Reese (2011) summarized the role of the library in acquiring and disseminating information resources as a vital responsibility. These primary functions of university library include collection, organization, preservation, and delivery of information resources bring to the users (Ramaiah, 1998). The task requires the capacity to discern the diverse needs of library users to give both faculty (teaching and non-teaching) and students the information resources for learning, teaching, research, and career development purposes. Basically, utilization is dependent on available information resources accessible to students. This study approaches the availability, accessibility, and utilization of information resources by students of the Federal University of Technology Owerri. Utilization of information depends on the information resources available in the library and also accessible to the student. The condition implies that availability and accessibility must be satisfied for utilization to be achieved. The mere acquisition of information resources by a library does not translate into accessibility. Granting access to library information resources requires a series of protocols (cataloging, indexing, etc.) to ensure that users can identify and locate the resources (Nwachukwu, Abdulsalami and Salami, 2014). It is also important for libraries to consider user-needs during the acquisition stage of information resources to maintain relevance (Aguolu and Aguolu, 2002). A library has been defined as a repository of knowledge. However, different definitions emerged from the biases people and institutions have on what makes up a library or what a library is. Presently, the emergence of information communication technology (ICT) is transforming the world of information, and adds a new perspective to how a library should be defined. While some agree on the definition of a library as an institution of books collected, processed, stored, retrieved, and used to disseminate knowledge, others prefer the definition that summarizes a library to represent a place (physical) where books and non-book materials are preserved for the purpose of spreading knowledge public (Nwachukwu, Abdulsalami and Salami, 2014). Moreover, most of what constitute components of a library’s definition depends on the type of library in question. We have different types of libraries with different operational definitions based on the categories of users served. Despite different services of public, academic, special or reference libraries, ‘acquisition and dissemination of information’ remains a definitional composition of library. The library is a major component of the university responsible for providing multiple services to support students for the duration of their course of study. Unlike the public library, which functions universally without restriction to any particular users, the academic library is positioned to provide academic support to students. Moreover, most academic libraries maintain public libraries in developed countries. Aina (2004) reports similar situations with National Libraries in Africa operating public libraries. Nonetheless, a library is defined as an institution responsible for the overall management and processing of the public knowledge (the intellectual products of society) for public access and use (Roberson, 2005). 

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In a typical Nigerian university library, availability and accessibility of information resources influence utilization by students. However, the first call of library functionality demands that the user has access to adequate information resources in order to meet their needs. Before users can utilize information in the library, the functions of making information readily available and accessible must first be activated. The university library serves the diverse academic community and in that respect must live up to the expectations of helping users achieve their respective information needs. As a school library, most of the services tend towards academic performance and success of students, as well as the goal of the university in fulfilling higher education objectives. Unfortunately, libraries in Nigerian universities are poorly funded causing students to experience dearth information resources to supplement classroom instructions. Additionally, when information resources are available they are neither accessible nor utilized due to one problem or another associated with the technical processing of library resources. Moreover, the provision of information resources in sufficient balance and the proper organization encourages students to utilize library information resources. Therefore, the problem of this study investigates the availability, accessibility and utilization of information resources by students of the university studied. The study will reveal what information resources are available and accessible in the library, and the extent the students utilize the information resources. 

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the study are;

1. To determine information resources available in the library 

2. To ascertain the frequency of use of information resources and to identify factors militating against students use of information resources in the library 

3. To establish the extent of information utilization by students 

4. To identify the quality and quantity of library resources available in the school

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;  

H0:  there are no information resources available in the library 

H1: there are information resources available in the library 

H02: there are no factors militating against students use of information resources in the library

 H2: there are factors militating against students use of information resources in the library 

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will give a clear insight on the availability and utilization of information resources and services in the special education centre libraries. It will be beneficial to educational sector, students and the librarians. The study will serve as a reference to other researcher that will embark on this topic

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers availability and utilization of information resources and services in the special education centre libraries. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;

 a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study

b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.

c) Organizational privacy: Limited Access to the selected auditing firm makes it difficult to get all the necessary and required information concerning the activities   

 1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

AVAILABILITY: The quality of being able to be used or obtained.

UTILIZATION: utilization is the primary method by which asset performance is measured and business success determined. In basic terms it is a measure of the actual revenue earned by assets against the potential revenue they could have earned

INFORMATION RESOURCES: An information resource may refer to: Resource (computer science), any component of limited availability in a computer system. Web resource, a data source accessible at the World Wide Web

EDUCATION: Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, and directed research.

LIBRARY: A library is a collection of sources of information and similar resources, made accessible to a defined community for reference or borrowing

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows 

Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study