UTILIZATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARY RESOURCES BY SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OWERRI URBAN (A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GIRLS COLLEGE, OWERRI)
ABSTRACT
The research is concerned with the study of the utilization of school library resources by secondary school students of federal government’s college, Owerri. The study was carried out based on some objectives. These include period students visit the library, purpose for students use of the library, available resources for students use, satisfaction derived from the use of library resources, extent of information provisioning, problems militating against utilization of library resources and recommendations for effective utilization. The survey research method was used in carrying out research. The instrument for data collection is the questionnaire and interview schedule. The simple frequency percentage tables were used in presenting and analyzing the data. The findings of the study, among others are that the students use of the library to prepare for examination and execute their class assignment use of library during break and consult available resources for their use. Others include the extent of information needs. Provisioning, users receive little satisfaction for services provided and a lot of problems militating against the management and utilization of school libraries. Premised on the findings, some recommendations are made. The study concluded stating that of the proffered recommendations to be handled holistically rather than in isolation, if done school libraries would be repositioned for effective management and resource utilization.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Federal Government Girls College Owerri was founded on the 11th of November 1973 by the federal Government of Nigeria. It is situated along Owerri/Okigwe road. The school enjoys a staff disposition of 166- which is made up of 47 males and 119 female staff both academic and nonacademic. The school library started off immediately with the school. It is situated north west of the school compound. The library has just one librarian, one library officer and four library assistants. They organize library orientation to new students once every year. This is done to show the students the types of materials in the library and how to effectively use them. the books are arranged according to subjects in the shelves. there is also a reference section where reference materials like encyclopedia are kept. There is no audio-visual studio set apart for keeping audio-visual resources, rather they are scattered in different rooms and laboratories. The schools audio resources include audio tape recorder, piano, flute and other sound producing instruments. Their visual aids are charts, maps, specimens and models which are centered mainly on Biology and Chemistry, Computer and some other equipment used in carrying out experiments in the physics and chemistry laboratories. The school librarian is Mrs. Rose Mary Enwerem. The source of information was through personal interview of the librarian and school documentation. A library according to Jonathan Crowther (2000) “Is a storehouse of knowledge”. It is the repository of information and information sources. A library collects, organizes, stores and disseminates information.
Thus, it is a resource center for students, teachers, researchers and others. The library provides answers to specific and general information queries and problems. There are different types of libraries which represents different categories of people professions shades of opinion. We have the public libraries special libraries, academic school libraries. A school library is an indispensable unit in any school regardless of its educational philosophy, thus an organized collection of books (reference books and for home reading) placed in a school under the care of a teacher librarian for teachers and students. In the words of Iroha (2001) he defines “a school library as a collection of a wide variety of library materials and resources housed in each school, centrally organized by staff, professionally prepared to offer services to students and teachers that will enrich and support the educational enterprises”. This is to say, a school library assists and supports the educational programme of the school by storing instructional materials for use in teaching and learning. Harold (2000) “Is of the view that a school library is an organized collection of books placed in school for use by both the teachers and students”. School libraries can also be said to be a miniaturized intellectual power house or information center found in primary school secondary schools and teachers training colleges. That is a stepping stone toward a child intellectual development. In a nutshell, Onwubiko and Uzoigwe (2004) defined school as the learning laboratory of the school equipped with books, magazines, newspaper, audio visual materials, aimed at enhancing effective teaching and learning on the part of teachers and students. In order to create an environment full of literature and cultivate the habit of using information materials for necessary teaching tools lead to the establishment of school libraries. The then eastern Nigeria ministry of education recognized school library “as an education institution.”. the provision of school libraries to improve standard in education delivery has been well articulated in the national policy of education (1999). Emphasizing the need for school libraries, the policy states among others. Libraries are one of the most important education services. Every state ministry of education needs ought to provide funds for the establishment of libraries in all our educational institutions. A good library is a sine qua non for qualitative education and are instruments for the enhancement, the utilization of the library resources by students serves the purpose for research work, inspiration, communication among students and the fulfillment of programme in the curriculum. The proper utilization has enabled students to seek knowledge in books in order that in the process, they may become efficient and enthusiastic readers and also the integration on the use of the use of audio encourage them to become adapted to the use of audio visual. It also creates room for relaxation and enjoyment. As the school has a need for students, so far as their minds are concerned to develop the abilities to think, contemporary library media programmes have approached this task through concerted and articulated efforts design not only to provide students with an appreciation of literature, but also to teach and how to locate, retrieve and evaluate the work of information contained in the graphic, recorded and printed records in the belief that such skills are essential for survival in a rapidly changing world. One cannot talk of the effective utilization of library resources without considering the role of the teacher libraries. The teacher-librarian in other words known as the library media specialist promotes access to a broad range of information and ideas, in order to assist students in acquiring the knowledge and skills that will help equip them not only to locate but also evaluate and use information effectively and thereby, becoming information literature. Their services and tasks contribute directly to the development of these skills. These include collection development, organizations for retrieval of materials and information, information guidance services, materials production, student instruction and instructional development services. School libraries are more concentrated on the physical object collected rather than their intellectual contents i.e. (stressing, cover over content). All too often they regrettably also provide instruction in every conceivable skill and in every form of information sources available. In individual students fundamental mental processes, including their developmental aspects are often neglected and the implication for both teachers and students helping the young develop the ability to think about how they are using information to solve problems are frequently ignored. These and others are among the militators to effective utilization of library resources by secondary school students.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The nature of the existence of our school libraries sows that there is non-utilization of the library resources. This is to say that storing of information materials in libraries, no matter how relevant without utilizing the materials by users amounts to library defeat. This is attributed to some factors such as time usage of the library, reasons for going to the library, resources used by students, resources that are of high demand by students. The study will therefore, identify and ascertain the effect of all these variables and proffer solutions to them based on what the findings would be.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this study are as follows: To determine the particular period students visit the library To determine the purpose for students utilization of school library. To identify the resources available for students use and know the satisfaction they derived. To determine the extent to which the students use of library resources satisfy their information need. To investigate the problem that hinders effective utilization of information resources in the library by students.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions have been formulated to guide this work. At what period do students visit the library ? What are the reasons for students use of the library? What are the resources available in the school library for use by students and what satisfaction do they derive? To what extent are students of the library satisfy their information needs? What are the impediments to the utilization of library resources by the secondary school students?
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is on the problems of the utilization of school libraries resources by the students of secondary school in Imo State specifically by students of Federal Government Girls’ College Owerri. This research focuses on student’s attitude and view concerning visiting the library the resources. The target of the study is to identify basic problems and proffer solutions to them.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is aimed at examining the utilization of library resources by secondary students in their school libraries. The study will go a long way in providing basic information to school principles and education board on the need for the development of school library resources that will appeal to both the educational and recreational needs of students. The result of the study will reveal the general state of school libraries and their resources and the students’ views and attitude towards the use of the library. One significance of this study is that the teacher librarian would be able to put forward proposals to their principals for the betterment of library and information services to the students of their schools. It is hoped that the findings and recommendations of the study will contribute immensely to the improvement of the management and utilization of school libraries resources in Imo State.
1.7 DEFINITION OF OPERATIONAL BASIC CONCEPTS
Audio-Visual: Those information materials that are not dependent on reaching tools rather that through the sense of sights as visual resources. (Jonathan Crowder 2000).
Library Resources: Books and printed materials meant to convey information to the clientele (Madu 2003).
Resource Center: Room that houses the information material be it printed or non-printed materials for clientele use (Edward;1993).
Collection Development: The provision of well-equipped information laboratory that can serve as a basic resource for students who require ongoing exposure to a wide range of different ideas. (Mancall, Aaron and Walker 1999).
Library Policy: Guide line and standard on how the operations and services of the library should be carried out. (Onwubiko and Uzoigwe 2004)
Teacher-Librarian: Professional who is shouldered with the responsibility of supervising the services and operations in the library. he may be a teacher who acquired the training of a librarian. (Onwubiko and Uzoigwe 2004).
UTILIZATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARY RESOURCES BY SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OWERRI URBAN (A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GIRLS COLLEGE, OWERRI)