UTILIZATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARY RESOURCES BY SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
ABSTRACT
The research is concerned with the study of the utilization of school library resources by secondary school students of Christ the King College and Denis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha.
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, subject areas the library has more collection, if allowed to borrow books from the library, the types of materials allowed to borrow by the students, if the students know how to use the library, how they use the library, solutions and suggestion by students 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 sample frequency percentage tables were used in presenting and analyzing the data.
The findings of the study, among others are that the students use the library for reading pleasure and to prepare for examination. The students use the library during break hours 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, performance and resource utilization.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTIONÂ
A library, according to Jonathan Crowther (2000), is a storehouse of knowledge. It is the repository of information and information source. A library collects, organizes, stores and disseminates information. Thus, it is a resource centre for students, teachers, researchers and others. The library provides answers to specific and general information queries and problems.
The major, purpose of the library is to provide information, thus it is a repository of human experience not subject to the barriers of space and time. According to Lawal and Udofia (1994) the library meets the information needs of the users in four categories namely:
i. Education to develop society, adults, children and to fill gap in memory.
ii. Information to develop executive activities such as economics, social and commercial development.
iii. Aesthetic appreciation for culture, art, truth and judgement.
iv. Recreation to provide amusement, hobbies.
The function of the library therefore is to implement, to enrich, to vitalize and humanize the educational programmes, as it strives to attain excellence in content, process and product. Being a carrier of knowledge, the library is a vital partner in knowledge, management and shares with all other instructional agents their responsibility for systematically designing, carrying out and evaluating the total process of learning and teaching (Davies, 1994).
