ASSESSMENT OF LIBRARIANS' INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AWARENESS, ATTITUDE AND COMPETENCY AS CORRELATES OF INFORMATION SERVICE DELIVERY IN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN PLATEAU STATE

Abstract

This study assessed librarians' Information and Communication Technology awareness, attitude, and competency as correlates of information service delivery in university libraries in Plateau State. Correlational survey research design was adopted. The population of the study was 14,845 participants made up of Librarians and Registered Library Users; out of which 384 were sampled. Simple random sampling technique was adopted in selecting the subjects. Instruments for data collection were two structured questionnaires designed by the researchers to elicit information from respondents. The data collected were analyzed using correlational statistics, specifically, bivariate to establish the direction and degree of relationships between the variables with the decision point of 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed among other things that the relationship between ICT use and Information Service Delivery in university libraries in Plateau State is positive; and the implication is that librarians using ICTs are positioned to provide more effective Information Service Delivery to registered library user than those who do not use ICT. It was recommended that to improve information service delivery, university libraries in Plateau State should invest in modern ICT infrastructure. This includes high-speed internet, digital repositories, updated library management systems, and access to e-resources. Additionally, continuous power supply and backup systems should be provided to prevent service interruptions; increase ICT Awareness among Librarians; and librarians should be equipped with advanced ICT skills through structured training and certification programs. Additionally, peer mentoring programs should be encouraged, where experienced librarians train their colleagues on effective ICT usage.