Assessment of Social Media Technology Utilization and Reading Habits of Undergraduate Students in Federal Universities in South-South Nigeria (Published)
The study investigated the influence of social media technology utilization and reading habits of undergraduate students in Federal Universities in South-South Nigeria. To achieve the objectives two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Population of 6,575 from four universities in the south-south Nigeria, while sampled size of 1,315 students were selected using stratified random sampling technique. The instrument for data connection was questionnaire and was validated by two experts from measurement and evaluation from the Department of Educational Foundation, University of Calabar. The reliability of the instrument was determined by using Cronbach Coefficient Alpha Reliability Method which yielded .86 and above. One-way analysis of variance was used to analyse the data collected. The result showed that facebook and blogs has significantly influenced reading habits of students in Federal Universities in south-south Nigeria. Thus conclude that facebook and blogs usage has significance influence on student’s reading habits. The study recommended among others that authorities in universities should establish rules and regulation that will guide student’s excessive use of social media during the academic period.
Keywords: Nigerian Universities, Reading Habits, Undergraduate Students, social media utilization
Reading Habits of Users as Determinants of the Utilisation of Library Information Resources of Selected Public Libraries in the South West Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria (Published)
This paper examines reading habits of users as determinants of the utilisation of library information resources in two selected public libraries in the South-west geo-political zone of Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research method and utilized questionnaire to generate data for the study. Out of the three hundred and nineteen (319) copies of questionnaire distributed in the two selected public libraries, two hundred and sixty nine (84.1%) were returned with valid responses. Data were analyzed using the frequency count and percentages as well as mean and standard deviation. Five research questions were presented for the study. Pearson product moment correlation and regression analysis was used to test hypotheses one at 0.01 level of significance. The result shows that there is a significant relationship between reading habits of users and utilisation of information resources of the selected public libraries in South West, Nigeria. The study concluded that many of the users of the libraries under study possess some form of reading habit, even though some actually read to pass examinations but the majority read to upgrade knowledge. The study recommended that the government should make it a priority to fund the public libraries adequately and that public library management should endeavour to invest more human and financial resources to conduct a needs assessment of users to know and understand the needs of the users. Concerted efforts should be made by the public library management to ensure that there is adequate, sufficient and up to date information resources in line with the result of the needs assessment conducted. This could be through well-organized partnership both at local and international levels.
Keywords: Library Information Resources, Public libraries, Reading Habits, Users