Levels of Awareness and Use of Electronic Information Resources by Pharmacy Undergraduate Students at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

The emergence of electronic resources has cut the barrier to valuable e-resources which until now were difficult to access especially by scholars in the developing nations of the world. The study, therefore, examines awareness level and electronic information resources usage: a case study of pharmacy undergraduate students of University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey method and the population consisted of 421 students. The simple random sampling technique was adopted for the study and sample fraction of 50% was used to select the sample size from each of the levels. This therefore, gave a total of 212. The data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Findings indicated that e-mail 87 (48.6%) and e-dictionary/e-encyclopaedias 82 (45.8%) were very readily available to the undergraduate students. Assignments 134 (74.9%) and laboratory experiment 103 (57.5%) were the main purposes respondents use EIRs. EIRs used daily were e-dictionaries/encyclopedias 75 (41.9%), e-mails 64 (35.8%) and e-books 64 35.8%). Undergraduates were highly aware of e-mails 113 (63.1%), e-dictionaries/encyclopedias 109 (60.9%) and e-books 95 (53.1%). 79 (44.1%) of respondents strongly agreed that Power failure and inadequate technological infrastructure 74 (41.3%) are constraints faced in the use of electronic information resources by undergraduates. The study concluded that EIRs are very expensive and thus it is important for university administration to be informed about their extent of use and problems associated with use, so that the necessary actions are taken to ensure efficient and effective use. The utilisation of electronic information resources is a sine qua non to information acquisition by undergraduates in university libraries. The Electronic Information Resources particularly the Internet and e-journals are important sources of information for university undergraduate students.