Availability, Management and Use of Serial Resources by Lecturers in Owerri Metropolis (Published)
This study examines the availability, management, and utilization of serial resources by lecturers in Owerri metropolis, Nigeria. Serials comprising journals, conference proceedings, abstracts, magazines, and newspapers constitute the lifeblood of academic research and teaching, providing current and specialized information essential for scholarly productivity. Drawing on empirical studies conducted in Imo State universities, including Imo State University, Owerri, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, the paper reveals a paradoxical situation: while serials are available to a considerable extent, their accessibility and actual utilization by lecturers remain significantly low. Key challenges include inadequate funding, poor storage facilities, insufficient personnel, erratic power supply, and limited awareness of available resources. The study recommends increased budgetary allocations, enhanced staff training, automation of serials management systems, and proactive awareness campaigns to bridge the gap between serial availability and utilization, thereby strengthening the research and teaching capacity of Nigerian university lecturers.
Keywords: Availability, Lecturers, Nigeria, Owerri metropolis, Utilization, serials management, university libraries
Utilisation of Computer Technology for Academic Work by Lecturers of University Of Jos – Nigeria (Published)
This study which is on the utilization of computer technology for academic work has assessed the computer literacy skills possessed by academic staff members of University of Jos (UNIJOS). It sought to find out the areas they use the computer for academic work as well as the problems affecting them in their quest to utilise the computer. An evaluative design was used for the study with a population of 974 academic staff. A sample size of 97 (10%) of the population was used for the study. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire. In analyzing the data, percentages, mean and frequency tables were used. The findings revealed that lecturers have average level of computer literacy skills and use it only for typing/printing of lecture notes, computing of students’ results, surfing the Internet for information and sending e-mails. However, inadequate funds, inadequate power supply, lack of government sponsorship, time constraints, irregular organization of IT programmes, inadequate Internet cafes, too much work load for academic staff and inadequate computer training centres were discovered to be militating factors. Finally, possible suggestions to overcome the above problems are recommended.
Keywords: Academic Work, Computer Skills, Computer Utilization, Lecturers