LIBRARIANS'NETWORK LITERACY SKILLS AND USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY OPERATIONS IN NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined librarians' network literacy skills and use ofICTs in University Library operations in the Niger Delta region. The descriptive survey design was employed for the study. The population of the study was 346 librarians in the universities in Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The total enumeration sampling techniques was employed. The sample size was the same as the population. The instrument use for the data collection was the questionnaire. A total of 346 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to the respondents and 246 copies were successfully retrieved indicating a response rate of 71.10%. Data were analysed using percentages, means, standard deviations and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The study revealed that ICT tools that librarians used were the mobile phone, Internet, computers and printers, and that librarians in university libraries in Niger Delta did not frequently use ICT tools for library operations such as collection development readers' service etc. Librarians'ICT use skills were rated low. The study also found out that librarians in university libraries in the region possessed network literacy skills to a limited extent and that there is a significant relationship between network literacy skills of librarians and their ICT.Based on the findings from the study it was recommended that training on the use of ICT and emerging technologies which would boost librarians'network literacy skills should be encouraged and that librarians should endeavour to put more effort to training themselves in the use of ICT tool by making use of the available tools often and that positive attitude towards network literacy skills should be encouraged and ICT be incorporated into various library operations and services.