Information Searching Skills and Use of Digital Library Resources for Learning Among Undergraduate Students of Universities in Yobe State, Nigeria

Abstract

The paper investigated information searching skills and use of digital library resources for learning among undergraduate students of universities in Yobe State, Nigeria. The 14,141 undergraduate students enrolled in the universities made up the study's targeted group. Using a proportionate stratified random sampling procedure, 384 respondents were included in the sample. A questionnaire was employed as the primary data collection tool, and both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the results. The findings of the study revealed that despite having some informal Internet skills, the research subjects' information searching skills were found to be inadequate. The results of the study showed that the respondents lacked formal information searching skills and strategic Internet skills. Furthermore, the results showed that the only digital library resources being used were e-journals, ebooks,
e-newspapers, and online dictionaries. Other crucial resources, such as edatabases, e-projects, e-theses, and e-dissertations, were not being used to their best advantage. Consequently, the study suggested that the management of libraries should implement digital literacy initiatives and teach students about the value of utilising a variety of digital resources found in libraries to support their learning objectives. In a similar vein, the managements ought to create workshops and training courses for students in digital literacy. Basically, the priorities should be raising awareness and providing tutorials and primers.