Accessibility And Utilization of Library Information Resources Among the Students of Federal Polytechnic Ayede Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined how information resources are made available, accessible, accurate, relevant and are being utilized. The study sample population comprised of four departments in the school with 192 registered users of the library. The instrument used for data collection in this study was questionnaire. Research questions were answered using frequency count and percentages. The study adopts a purely quantitative method as means of data collection. Findings reveals that Textbooks are the most available (93 %), and internet resources have the highest percentage of rarely available material (22.6%) due to power supply issues or poor internet coverage. According to the research findings, all resources have comparable accessibility difficulties, with textbooks being the most easily accessible information source for students (61.3%). The majority of users visit the library during exams, while others (52%) only sometimes use its information resources. Students’ library use is limited by several problems such as difficulties in retrieving required information, distance from home, operating hours, poor reading space, inadequate materials. On the above factors, respondents were overwhelmingly in agreement.  The study recommended that usage of information resources be made compulsory to student by their lecturers, intensifying awareness campaigns concerning the availability of information resources and the problem of poor internet coverage be addressed.