Reconnoitering the Correlation between ICT Facilities’ Application and Capacity Building of Library Staff in University Libraries in South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

Technology integration in library operations is fundamental to meeting information, literature and research needs of students, researchers and administrative staff of tertiary institutions. This study explored the correlation between ICT facilities application such as social media handles, internet, as well as online public access catalogue (OPAC) and capacity building of library staff in public university libraries in South-South, Nigeria. Correlational research design was used to examine the extent to which ICT facilities’ application correlate with capacity building of library staff. Three (3) each of research objectives, questions, and hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The population was 416 library staff from six public university libraries. The total enumeration sampling technique was used. Two sets of self-structured questionnaire instruments totaling 416 copies were used for data collection, out of which, 306 were retrieved and analyzed which represented 74% response rate. Face and content validity of the instruments were done. A reliability test was conducted which yielded the coefficients of 0.89 and 0.85 respectively. The research questions were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using linear regression statistics. Findings revealed a significant positive correlation between internet, social media handles application and capacity building of library staff, while applications of OPAC showed a feeble correlation with capacity building. Hence, the level to which ICT facilities’ application correlate with capacity building of library staff in the university libraries was insignificant, which by implication had negative effects on library staff services delivery. It was therefore recommended, among other measures, the implementation of a comprehensive ICT training programme to address gaps in ICT facilities’ application by library staff for effective utilization of all relevant technologies.