AVAILABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF LIBRARY RESOURCES AS FACTORS INFLUENCING LIBRARY USE BY ACADEMIC STAFF AT AUCHI POLYTECHNIC

Abstract

This study investigated availability and accessibility of library resources as factors influencing library use by academic staff at Auchi Polytechnic. Four (4) specific objectives and four (4) research questions were raised in the study. The study employed a descriptive survey design. The population of this study  consisted of the entire academic staff of Auchi Polytechnic. The total population is eight hundred and thirty-six (836) respondents. However, 30% which two hundred and fifty (250) of the total population was used as sample in this study.  Purposive sampling technique was adopted for this study. This study  used a questionnaire as a data collection tool. The questionnaire titled “Availability and Accessibility of Library Resources as Factors in Library Use by Academic Staff of the Auchi Polytechnic Questionnaire” (AALRFLUASAPQ). The data obtained from the respondents' copies of the questionnaire are analyzed using simple descriptive statistics of percentage, frequency count and mean.The study revealed among others   great extent of availability of  information resources in the library for academic staff of Auchi polytechnic. The study also revealed that Lack of awareness/publicity,  Lack of information search skills and Lack of knowledge about the resources are the major challenges militating against the Use of Information Resources by Academic Staff at the Auchi Polytechnic.  It was concluded in the study that availability and accessibility of library resources are not factors influencing library use by academic staff at Auchi Polytechnic. It was recommended in the study recommended that the polytechnic management in collaboration with the library administration should organise a seminar or workshop on library information search skills for academic  staff to enable them make judicious use of the library resources.