Title: Influence of Information Retrieval Skills of Undergraduate Students on their Effective Use of Electronic Resources in University Libraries in Benue State Nigeria
Author(s): Tyopev, Comfort Member; Dr. Tor-Akwer Helen Famaren; Tofi, Simon Ternenge (CLN)
Publication Year: 2021; Volume 16, Issue 3, pages 56-70

The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of information retrieval skills ofrnundergraduate students on their effective use of electronic resources in university libraries inrnBenue State. Five research questions were raised and answered. The population for the studyrnwas 6194 registered 200 level library users during 20172018 academic session. The samplernsize for the study comprises of 376 registered 200 level undergraduates who were composedrnusing a multi-stage sampling procedure of purposive sampling proportionate stratifiedrnrandom sampling and simple random sample. Data were collected through questionnaire. Datarncollected were analyzed using frequency counts percentages means and standard deviationrnto answer the research questions while Chi-square statistic was used to test the null hypothesisrnat 0.05 level of significance. Findings of the study revealed that e-resources used byrnundergraduates in university libraries in Benue State were e-journals and internet resources.rnThe study also revealed that undergraduate students lacked information retrieval skills suchrnas the ability to select scholarly information evaluation of search results navigation fromrnlinks formulation of searches and using OPAC which significantly affect their use of eresources in university libraries. It further revealed that undergraduates acquired informationrnretrieval skills through general studies manuals and handbooks by friends trial and error byrnother students and prior experience before their enrolment into the university. The e-resourcesrnused to a high extent by the undergraduates were e-journals and internet resources while onlinerndatabases CD-ROM databases and OPAC were to a low extent used by the students. Finallyrnthe study identified challenges hindering undergraduate students use of e-resources torninclude: lack of information retrieval skills slow internet connectivity erratic power supplyrnlack of awareness of e-resources and lack of trainingorientation for students. The studyrnrecommended that university management should integrate information retrieval skills intorncourse of study for students to acquire the needed skills university libraries should double theirrnefforts on user education programmes proper trainingorientation of students enhancement of internet connectivity provision of alternative power supply to supplement the public powerrnsupply among others.