ETHICAL ISSUES INFLUENCING THE USE OF ICTS FOR LIBRARY SERVICE DELIVERY IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES:A CASE STUDY OF DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY,ABRAKA

Abstract

This study explored ethical issues influencing the use of ICTs for library service delivery in Nigerian University libraries: A case study of Delta State University Library, Abraka.. The study discussed ethical issues in the use of ICTs for library service delivery, the extent ethical issues influence the use of ICTs for library service delivery and the relationship between ethical issutes and the use of ICTs for library service delivery. The study employed ex post facto research design to establish the causal-effect relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The study was made possible by the responses obtained from 48respondents who are library staff (professionals and para-professionals) usingthe total enumeration technique. The researcher elicited responses from the respondents with the aid of a self-constructed open ended questionnaire and also a thorough review of both empirical and theoretical literature was carried out. The findings revealed that there existed a significant relationship between ethical issues and the use of ICTs for library service delivery. It was also found that plagiarism.cyberbullving, censorship, among others are the ethical issues influencing the use of computers in rendering library services. Thus, it was recommended that library management should organize workshops/seminars for librarians in order to sensitize them on the ethical issues associated with the use of ICTs generally. Also,library management should established rules and regulations accompanied by strict implementation in order to guide librarians and clienteles in the use of ICTs.It was also recommended that library week should be organized regularly to sensitize library users on ethical issues that are associated with the use of ICTs