LIBRARIANS’ PROFFESSIONAL ETHICS AND REFERENCE SERVICE DELIVERY IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN SOUTH-SOUTH, NIGERIA

This study examines librarian’s professional ethics and reference service delivery in Colleges of Education in Delta and Edo States in south-south, Nigeria. To guide the study, three research questions and one hypothesis have been formulated. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The purposive sampling technique has been employed in the selection of data while the instrument for data collection was the questionnaire. The reliability of the instrument was estimated using test-retest method and the coefficient of 0.88 was obtained. Simple frequency and percentage were used to analyse section A of the research instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency and mean distribution were used to analyse the research questions. The hypothesis was tested using Cronbach Alpha correlation coefficient method at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the research showed that there is significant relationship between librarian’s professional ethics and reference service delivery in Colleges of Education in Delta and Edo States

Public Library and Information Services: Dilemma for Riverine Communities in Delta State, Nigeria

The riverine communities in Delta state have been object of neglect and will continue if nothing is done by the governments and other stake holders to address their information needs through public library and information services. The need for a new structure that is directed towards the reduction of illiteracy by providing library and information services cannot be overemphasized. Information deprivation is biting hard on our riverine dwellers; this will continue to promote illiteracy, poverty, ignorance and poor living conditions. These categories of people need to be equipped to enable them make decisions that would impinge upon their day to day living and existence. The efficacy of information as a powerful tool of development has and will continue to lead many countries to commit much of their wealth to the establishment of public libraries and information services in both riverine/rural and urban cities. It is therefore suggested that Delta State and Nigeria in general should as a matter of policy come out with an equitable means of sharing infrastructural facilities between the riverine/rural and urban settlements

Developing Rural Libraries and the Need for Virtual Libraries in Nigeria: Threats and Opportunities

Purpose: Sensitize the government and rural populace on the need to embrace virtual library in public libraries for the purpose of bridging the information gap between the urban and rural communities. Design/Methodology/Approach: This is an opinion paper which highlights the relevance of technology in public libraries and the need for stakeholders to build and to indigenise our information infrastructure in order to exploit the immense benefits of the constantly changing hardware and software environment. Findings: Daniel (1986) observed that about 70% of people in Nigeria live in the rural areas and are illiterates. Therefore, a dynamic technologically driven public library services cannot be considered paramount to the development of majority population unless it is firmly rooted to meet their information requirement and also sustain the professional development of librarians and public libraries in general. Practical Implications: If the rural communities’ information requirements are met, the axiom that knowledge is power will come to play. The rural populace cannot be knowledgeable and powerful if they do not have relevant information to empower their thinking and enhance their understanding. This paper therefore recommends the establishment of virtual libraries to serve public libraries in rural communities. Originality and Value: Rural communities need to be part of the global digital revolution through which images, text, and graphics are stored, retrieved, and reconfigured limitlessly, making knowledge, information and entertainment available on a scale that would befuddle past generations. Keywords: Public libraries, rural communities, virtual libraries, Digital revolution, information

Developing Public Library Services for the Virtually Impaired in Delta State: Adaptive Technology to the Rescue

The paper examined the need to develop public libraries services for virtually impaired persons in Delta state. The relevance of adaptive technology in public libraries for these categories of persons cannot be underestimated.  Library and information services available to the visually impaired people through adaptive technology were discussed. Adaptive technology as a tool for enhancing public library services and the rationale for its use were also discussed. The researchers also highlighted the constraints facing public libraries in the use of these technologies in Delta state and Nigeria in general. Recognizing the potentials of adaptive technology, the paper concluded by pointing to the fact that what is needed is to ensure an all inclusive services to all irrespective of visibility. ICT and its related technologies in public library services should be embraced in all the branches of public libraries in Delta state. Library policy statement should be translated to reality, hence the library board should be well funded and given power to monitor the development of branch libraries. Key words: Developing, Public Library, Library Services, Virtually Impaired, Adaptive Technology and Rescu

Public Library and Information Literacy Programme: Mainstreaming Rural Populace for Information Literacy in Delta State

Historically there are great differences in the access to public library services, or the ability to read and write between urban and rural dwellers in Nigeria. It therefore brings into question the ethical foundations upon which every society is built. A cursory look at Delta State and Nigeria in general, one of the persisting issues remain, the difference in educational opportunities and access to library and information centers, hence rural dwellers have a lot to overcome when it comes to dealing with literacy. These have widened the literacy gap between the neglected rural dwellers and the urban dwellers. The access to good public libraries and educational facilities in rural areas remains a major ethical dilemma. Hence, the authors argues for the restructuring of public libraries and literacy programs in rural areas to overcome the barrier of distance to opportunities and also to bridge the escalating knowledge gap between the urban and rural communities in Delta State. Keywords: Public library, Information literacy, Program, Urban and rural

The Need for Computerization in Basic Education in Nigeria

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have become commonplace in all aspects of life. Across the past twenty years, the use of computers has fundamentally changed the practices and procedures of nearly all forms of endeavor within business and governance. Education is socially-oriented activity and quality education has traditionally been associated with strong teachers having high degrees of personal contact with learners (pupils and students). The use of ICT in education lends itself to more student-centered learning settings. But with the world moving rapidly into digital media and information, the need for computers and its peripherals in universal basic education is becoming more and more important and this importance will continue to grow and develop in the 21st century. In this paper, a literature review regarding the importance of ICTs in basic education was provided, effective use of ICT for Education, along with ICT use in the teaching-learning process; quality and accessibility of education; learning motivation and learning environment. Besides, an overview of the ICT and scholastic performance

Lack of ICT Infrastructure as a Barrier to Resource Sharing in Nigerian Libraries

The emergence of information communication technology (ICT) has revolutionized the academic library and academic world. ICT is paving way for progress in resource sharing and research. Nigerian libraries are having trouble meeting the needs of users, because of a poor economy and lack of ICT infrastructure. This article reports on a survey of ICT infrastructure in academic libraries in Nigeria and makes recommendations for improvement

LIBRARIANS’ PROFFESSIONAL ETHICS AND REFERENCE SERVICE DELIVERY IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN SOUTH-SOUTH, NIGERIA

This study examines librarian’s professional ethics and reference service delivery in Colleges of Education in Delta and Edo States in south-south, Nigeria. To guide the study, three research questions and one hypothesis have been formulated. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The purposive sampling technique has been employed in the selection of data while the instrument for data collection was the questionnaire. The reliability of the instrument was estimated using test-retest method and the coefficient of 0.88 was obtained. Simple frequency and percentage were used to analyse section A of the research instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency and mean distribution were used to analyse the research questions. The hypothesis was tested using Cronbach Alpha correlation coefficient method at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the research showed that there is significant relationship between librarian’s professional ethics and reference service delivery in Colleges of Education in Delta and Edo States

Resource sharing activities in academic libraries services: result of a survey

Although libraries have along tradition of resource sharing, in the past the results have not been meaningful as regards to having enough to share with others. The pervasive state of academic libraries generates a syndrome of insufficiency, and will continue for as long as the so-deemed libraries prefer to conveniently ignore resource sharing. The paper addresses problem and importance of resource sharing. Survey method using questionnaires for collection of data from the three selected academic libraries was adopted. Findings revealed that resource sharing is practice at a very low level coupled with failure of the selected libraries to embrace information communication technology.Keywords: Resources sharing inter library cooperation, Library Consortium, academic librarie

Attitude of Professional Librarians towards the Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) In Delta State University Library

ABSTRACT The rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT