Use of serial publications for academic activities by library and information science educators in federal universities in North-central, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper investigated the accessibility and use of serial publications for academic activities by Library and Information Science Educators (LISE) in federal universities in North-central, Nigeria. The study was guided by two objectives and two research questions. The objectives of the study were to: the extent of use of serial publications by LISE for their academic activities in federal universities in North-central, Nigeria. Survey research design method was adopted for the study. The population for the study was 136 LISE. Total enumeration or census was carried out because the population size was manageable. Questionnaire was the only research instrument used for data collection. Out of the 136 copies of questionnaire administered, 121 copies were filled, returned and used for the analysis. Descriptive statistical tool involving frequency counts and percentages, mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the data. The findings of the study revealed among others that the extent of use of serial publications by the educators for their academic activities with weighted mean score of 2.93. The study revealed further that the factors hindering accessibility and use of serial publications among the educators were agreed with the weighted mean score of 2.69. The study recommended among others that the management of federal universities in North-central, Nigeria where the university libraries are established should provide adequate serial publications especially on directories, transactions and memoires of society and government documents that will be available and appropriate for the academic activities of LISE