The information behaviour of law students in Nigerian universities
Loading...
Date
2014
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
Information seeking skills are important for students who are preparing to embark on information intensive professions such as the legal profession. Despite law libraries being available in all the Nigerian universities offering law as an undergraduate programme, law students generally do not seem interested in making optimal use of the available facilities and sources to find relevant information for their studies and to prepare them for their chosen career. Though many information behaviour studies relating to students do exist it is important to establish how and why students, especially those who have to rely on information to perform their duties as legal practitioners, seek for information and how they use the available information facilities and services to satisfy their information needs. The specific objectives of this study were to: investigate the information behaviour of law students in Nigerian university law libraries, determine the purposes for which law students retrieve information in Nigerian university law libraries, investigate the library information resources available to law students in Nigerian university law libraries, examine how law students utilise information resources in university law libraries, specifically ICT resources, determine the challenges faced by law students in the use of law library electronic resources and other law sources in the process of information retrieval in Nigerian university law libraries, provide recommendations for improving law library systems in Nigerian universities and to develop a theoretical model that suits the information seeking behaviour of law students in Nigerian university law libraries. The research paradigm followed a positivism and interpretive perspective using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study adopted a survey research design. The study targeted all the law students in Nigerian universities. Out of the 30 universities offering law as a course of study in Nigeria, a total of 12 universities were chosen for the study namely: Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti; Imo State University, Owerri; Kogi State University, Anyigba; Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; University of Benin, Benin; University of Calabar, Calabar; University of Ibadan, Ibadan; University of Ilorin, Ilorin: and University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. From the 12 chosen universities, 1,534 law students were randomly selected; this represents the sample for the study. Data was collected using a questionnaire, an interview and observation methods. The findings revealed that the surveyed law students generally exhibited a positive attitude towards patronage of law libraries, and that printed information sources are the main information sources utilised by respondents in law libraries. Digital libraries found in the law libraries were found not to be optimally used. Reasons given were the unavailability and inaccessibility of computers and the lack of Internet connectivity. The majority of the respondents indicated that they possessed the ICT skills required to search for information using electronic information resources in the law libraries. The Internet facilities provided in the law library where only used by 33% of the respondents when it was necessary to find academic related information. An ability test showed that only 47% of the respondents tested had the Internet skills to effectively retrieve applicable information sources/databases on the Internet. It was revealed that access to ICT facilities in the law libraries was poor, and the existing electronic libraries and other sources like the Internet and law databases were underutilised by the surveyed law students for a variety of reasons, such as a lack of access to the electronic law libraries, lack of ICT resources, or the fact that the existing ICT sources were not intended for law students’ use. Observations showed that only three law libraries provided access to law databases out of the twelve law libraries. Other challenges identified concerning the use of the law libraries included: erratic power supply; Internet connectivity problems; slow downloading speed; non-subscription to law databases; lack of qualified staff to manage and maintain the electronic law libraries; inadequate amount of computers for student utilisation; unhelpful library staff; and inadequate funding to provide quality ICT resources in the universities’ law libraries. The study recommended that law students should be allowed access to all law library resources and be provided with current and relevant library sources, electronic sources and ICT equipment that will encourage them to frequent the law libraries and use its information resources. Additionally, the libraries need adequate support and enough funds to facilitate the purchase of current legal material; upgrade ICT equipment; subscribe to legal databases; upgrade Internet connectivity; and improve their power supply. The study also recommended that library sources (print and electronic) should be aggressively advertised to attract students’ attention and more library orientation and ICT training courses should be provided..
Description
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Library and Information Science) in the Department of Information Studies at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2014
Keywords
Nigeria --law students --law libraries --ICT information seeking skills --information behaviour