Application of Information and Communication Technologies in Select Private University Libraries of North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to find out the availability, areas, and extent of application of ICTs in Private university libraries of north-central Nigeria, Four research objectives were formulated to guide the studt. The population of the study consist of the total census of library professionals and paraprofessionals from two private university libraries in north-central Nigeria. A mailed questionnaire was the instrument of data collection and descriptive method of analysis was used to analyze the data. It was discovered from the study that ICT application is improving in the two private university libraries understudy. The study found that ICTs are applied to a Great Extent (GE) on Acquisition operation, on Technical processing, Under circulation operation ICT was applied to a great extent on registration of library users, charging and discharging of library materials, and ICT adoption for circulation operation was higher in Nile university in comparison to Baze University. Application of ICT to library promotions was very low, but both the universities adopt library websites as a way of library promotion. Major areas where ICT was applied for reference service include E-mail, electronic document delivery, and current awareness service. The study also found out that both the libraries possessed some of the ICT facilities and major factors hindering ICT application include: inadequate financial support, erratic power supply, lack of ICT awareness among staff, lack of infrastructure and poor maintenance.