ABSTRACT

 The study examined the problem ofeducating Library and Information Science (LIS) students in Nigeria using Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. It adopted the descriptive survey design with five (5) specific objectives. The population ofstudy was 26 lecturers comprising 7 lecturers and 17 academic librariansfrom the MOUAU Library who handle courses in the Department ofLibrary and Information Science in the university. The complete census sampling technicpie was adoptedforthe study since the entire population was manageable enough to be usedfor the study. The instrument usedfor data collection was the structured questionnaire, which yielded 77% response rate representing 20 respondents who completed and returned the questionnaire with valid information. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics offrequency counts and mean scores. The study revealed that thefacilities availablefor educating Library and Information Science (LIS) students are: computers, printers, department library, internet services, classrooms, offices, desks, chairs, toilets, and cataloguing and classification tools. It showed that the overall level ofadequacy of available facilities is low. The study also revealed that LIS curriculum influences the education of Library and Information Science (LIS) students by regulating LIS educational programmes, enhancing students’ evaluation and assessment, specifying series of courses/lectures to be taught, helping to check teaching methods in library schools as well as setting the timeframe/durationfor courses to be taught, among others. The study identified the problems militating against the education ofLibrary and Information Science (LIS) students in MOUAU to include among others, lack ofconducive classroom conditions, inadequate LIS educators, problem in the enrolment ofstudents by using LIS as a dumping groundforstudents who could not be admitted in their preferred courses, lack ofadequate ICT integration in LIS education, and poor LIS curriculum which is theoretical in approach. Therefore, it was concluded since facilities including information and communication technology tools, practices laboratories, conducive classroom environment, adequate LIS educators, etc., are indispensable in educating LIS students, the study recommended that management ofacademic institutions should provide adequate funding to library schools in order to facilitate the acquisition ofnecessaryfacilitiesfor effective education ofLibrary and Information Science students in line with contemporary societal demands.