ABSTRACT

 This study examined the awareness, accessibility and utilization of electronic information resources in university libraries in Abia State by postgraduate students of Library and Information Science (US). The study was guided by six specific objectives and six research questions. The study employed descriptive survey research design, while the population of the study is one hundred and thirty eight (138), comprising of postgraduate diploma (POD) (35), Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) (64), and Ph.D. (35). The complete census method was used as the sampling technique. Only one instrument (questionnaire) was used. The questionnaire was validated by three professionals from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Reliability test of the instrument was done using 20 postgraduate students from Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri. Mean was used in analyzing data for the study. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used in testing the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The study identified e-journals, e-magazines, e-books, and e-dissertations as electronic information resources that the postgraduate students of library and information science are very highly aware of. Postgraduate students are not highly aware of CD-ROM and HINARI in university libraries in Abia State. The study identified e-serials, e-magazines, e-journals, AGORA, e-dissertations and e-books as electronic information resources that are accessed at a very high extent by postgraduate students of library and information science. The two electronic information resources that are not highly accessible to postgraduate students of US include: CD-ROM and HINARI. The extent of utilization of electronic information resources were very high on AGORA, e-journals, TEAL, e-serials e-dissertations and e-mails, but very low on CD-ROM and HINARI. The study identified Internet search skill, document processing skill and Internet application skill as the skills that were possessed by postgraduate students of LIS for use of electronic information resources in university libraries in Abia State. Data formatting and software installation skills were not possessed by postgraduate students of US. The study also identified epileptic power supply, insufficient fund and slow Internet connectivity as the challenges of using electronic information resources in university libraries in Abia State by postgraduate students of US. There was no significant difference between the mean ratings of the responses of MLIS, PGD and Ph.D. students of US on awareness of electronic information resources, accessibility of electronic information resources and utilization of electronic information resources in university libraries in Abia State. The study therefore recommended that: The University should set aside 10% of her budget for electronic resource development. The university should make sure that there is uninterrupted power supply to facilitate the use of electronic information resources. The university should provide fund for the university libraries to subscribe to electronic 0information resources.