CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Successful education system depends exhaustively on the availability, accessibility and utilization of information resources. In this regard, school libraries are providing knowledge and information resources for teachings, learning and research. The school library is an important aspect of the secondary school education system which support education in general. It plays an important role in the teaching and learning process. It can be regarded as the academic nerve center of the school. School libraries are necessary in every secondary school setting, this is because its collections when applied in teaching makes learning easier and understandable to students.
According to Ochogwu (2010), library is defined as professionally organized collection of graphic and non-graphic materials for exploitation. Many users of the library see it as a place where books and other materials are kept and made available for use. Generally, a library can be defined as an institution responsible for the acquisition, organization and storage of recorded knowledge in various media for study, research and consultation. Contemporary libraries maintain collections that include not only printed materials such as manuscripts, books, newspapers, magazines, journals government documents, abstracts indexes and grey literature such as projects, but also art reproductions, films, sound and video recordings, maps. Photographs, microfiches, CD-ROMs computer software, online resources such as databases e-journals, e-books and other media. Libraries provide people with access to the information they need to work, play, learn and govern. Because no single library can contain the information sought by every potential user, different types of libraries exist to serve different users.
The library as described by Islam (2004) is a learning institution equipped with treasures of knowledge, maintained, organized and managed by trained personnel to educate the children, men and women continuously and assist in their self-improvement through an effective and prompt dissemination of information embodied in the resources. According to the author, this is an instrument of self-education, a means of knowledge and factual information, a center of intellectual recreation and a beacon of enlightenment that provides accumulated preserved knowledge of civilization which consequently enriches one’s mental vision and dignifies his habit, behavior, character, taste, attitude, conduct and outlook on life.
Libraries fall in several categories which includes National, public, academic, school, special and private libraries. Each type of library develops its mission statement, collections, services and facilities to satisfy the needs of its particular clientele.
However, this research will focus mainly on school libraries as it most concerns the present study. School libraries are libraries that are set up in nursery, primary and secondary school to cater for the teaching and learning needs of the pupils, student and their teachers. They provide printed and non-printed materials to facilitate learning. (Shidi, Aju and Ashaver in Aju and Karim, 2014). School libraries in the educational institution s such as pre-primary, primary and secondary schools are important to the life wire and foundational up-bringing of children. This is because they primary stock materials that are of interest and developmental growth for young teenagers and youths of the era (Rasaq, 2000; Edeghere, 2001). School libraries are known as learning laboratory for the school. They provide the total learning package required by the students and their teachers. They exist to provide a range of learning opportunities for both large and small groups as well as individuals with a focus on intellectual content, information literacy and the learner (Morris, 2004).
Dike (2000) sees school library as a learning laboratory per excellence where learners find the world of knowledge, interact directly with resources, acquire information and develop research skill for lifelong learning. The objectives of the school library are to serve the schools need and to make possible the purpose and methods of education which the school undertakes. The school library enables the students to look into new ways of learning and with its resources can play a role that aims at new ambitions education result which would be impossible if learning were restricted to the use of direct teaching and textbooks alone without the use of other school library resources.
School library resources refer to the equipment and other instructional and study materials in the school library meant for teaching and learning. School library facilities also serve as instructional materials for teaching/learning. Arua and Chinaka (2011) state that school library information facilities are seen as all inputs which are utilized in the library in order to provide good learning environment for students and teachers so as to achieve educational goals. The school library in addition to doing the vital work of individual reading, guidance and development of school curriculum, it serves the school as a center for instructional materials. Instructional materials include books, the literature for children, young people and adults, other printed materials, films, recordings and other latest media developed to aid learning. The function of an instructional material center is to locate, gather, provide and co-ordinate schools materials for learning and the equipment required for use of these materials.
Also, Robin (2005) confirmed that any high school without an efficient and effective library is comparable to a car without engine. Motivation in view of the above, issues that have to do with educational standards cannot be properly addressed in isolation of the school library.
Availability of library resources in the context of this study means the presence of information or reading materials that can be easily obtained or used by the readers. Availability of library resources according to Aguolu & Aguolu (2002) refers to the physical presence of information resources within the library. Such resources according to the author include books, journals, dictionaries, encyclopedia, internet facilities, dissertations, audio visual materials and government documents.
Availability of library facilities is ensuring their presence in the Nigerian school libraries for immediate use (Abubakar & Terna, 2007). Availability of library resources means something that can be easily obtained or seen and used. For any school library to flourish in any society, the economy must be sufficiently vibrant and the government must commit funds to its development (Aguolu & Aguolu, 2002). The author further explained that school libraries can help in the development of the secondary education system. Since the task of the library is that of collecting, sorting and organizing books and making them available to students, it implies that availability of books is clearly central to information provision in secondary school libraries and it can be used as a measure of library performance (Popoola, 2001). According to Fabayo cited by Ugwuanyi, 2007, availability of library resources gives secondary school students confidence in carrying out their assignments. This means that its adequacy in quantity and quality promotes learning activities.
Utilization is the act of making use of certain things for a purpose. It is also seen as making use of library facilities for the purpose of attaining educational goals. Utilization of library facilities such as books, journals, research works by students. These library facilities are the materials needed in the library to facilitate learning. In line with this view, Prout (2009) states that the use of library facilities, stimulates interest, excitement and instills confidence in the user to develop his potentials and capabilities both academically and socially. The more accessible the resources are, the more likely they are to be used.
This is because readers like to use library facilities that require the least efforts to be accessed (Ugali, 2007). The author further explains that the use of school library is dependent on the availability of the school library facilities.
According to Ugah (2008), utilization of library resources stimulates excitement and instills confidence in the users to develop their talents, potentials and capabilities both academically and socially. Oyediran (2004) stated that the use of school libraries depends on the availability, accessibility and the utilization of the users desired information source. The initiatives as well as competence to conduct viable school research for the purpose of solving any kind of problem may be inhibited as a result of failure to use the school library facilities (Braimol, 2000).
Secondary school is the stage of education following primary school. It is generally the final stage of compulsory education. Webster (2003) sees secondary school as a school intermediate between elementary school and college usually offering general technical, vocational or college-preparatory course, while Collins and Martins (2003) refers to it as a school for young people, usually between the ages of eleven and eighteen. As a result of the deregulation in Nigerian education, the system of secondary education has two main interest groups; public secondary school education and private secondary school education. Public schools are those schools controlled neither by individuals nor by private interest or agencies but those who represent the society as a whole. In other words, public schools are those schools which are supported and controlled by the government of the state or nation. Private schools on the other hand are those schools that are not administered by local, state or national government which retain the right to select their student body and are funded in whole or part by charging their students tuition fee rather than with public funds. Schools established by the missionaries, individuals and voluntary organizations belong to this group.
Bernard & Frankwell (2014) report that the most frequently used library information sources by secondary school students are only books and novels. Moreover, other library information resources such as atlas and maps, dictionaries, novels, audio visuals and poetry were not accessible by students hence those sources were not satisfactory to meet their information needs. They further revealed that secondary school students face many constraints in using school library including lack of current and up to date reading materials, restricted reading hours, lack of sitting facilities and lack of informational professional/librarian for processing materials. They concluded that for effective use of school library by the secondary school students, there is need for current and adequate school library information resources, provision of accommodation facilities, and provision of professional school librarians to manage libraries and conducive reading environment as well as adequate provision of fund is necessary for the provision of current and up to date information resources and also for the employment of qualified and trained teacher librarian.
Chidaka (2017) in his investigation on utilization of school library resources in teaching in secondary schools assert that most of the relevant materials were not available in all the schools. Some problems such as lack of convenient accommodation, lack of funds, lack of reading tables and chairs, non-involvement of library staff in collection development, lack of qualified librarians were among the challenges facing school libraries. He further recommended the need to increase full allocation of the school libraries, the state branch of Nigerian Library Association (NLA) should organize development and training courses for school librarians and media specialists to enhance their efficiency in the running of the school libraries; the Post Primary School Board (PPSB) should see to it that every secondary school established should have a library, new books and other educational resource materials should be provided including audio-visual equipment, principals of various schools should encourage both teachers and students to maximize the use of few resources at their disposal, among others.
The National Policy on Education however, stipulated certain goals for secondary education be it public or private schools. Some of these goals are: (1) to offer diversified curriculum to cater for the differences in talents. Opportunities and future roles (2) to provide all primary school leavers with the opportunities for education of a higher level, irrespective of sex, social status, religious or ethnic background. Based on the relevance of the library as pointed out by the National Policy on education, it is difficult to believe that secondary schools are established without functional libraries. This means that to have a non-functional library is as good as not having a library. These burning issues has been addressed in this work with view to contributing to the improvement of educational standards by making available library resources and evaluating the extent of their utilization in the various school libraries in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The library is a repository of knowledge which helps secondary school teachers to achieve the objectives of producing students that are well informed and are prepared for lifelong education. The whole range of information resources are necessary to enable the school library fulfill its function which include, help children develop the habit of reading, increase the reading skills and learning habits of pupils. Library facilities contains information in both print and non-print formats such as textbooks, journals, indexes, newspapers and magazines, reports, internet, video tapes, diskettes. Connoway and Laurence (2003) emphasized that the unavailability of school resources such as library resources negatively affect staff and student’s motivation and learning. Maram and Ogun (2002) confirms that the high unavailability of library resources in most school libraries have negative effect on the use of library resources in the schools. In other instances, the facilities may be available in the library but users may not be able to use them because of non-accessibility of these resources (Aguolu & Aguolu, 2002). It must be stated that in many developing countries like Nigeria, there are very few school libraries and the information resources in those that exist are usually scanty. The researcher discovered that the problem of poor performance, bad research habits, poor reading skills and learning habits are more pronounced in schools with illequipped library, restricted reading hours and the satisfaction of information needs of library materials, hence it becomes necessary to find out the availability and utilization of school library resources in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis.
Also one of the major problems in the area of study is the lack of provision of school libraries in our elementary schools especially government owned schools, where they are present, they are ill-equipped and are not well managed. They are mostly bookstores which are seldom opened to students for use. It is against the background that this study investigates the availability and utilization of school library resources in the selected secondary schools.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this study are to determine the availability and utilization of school library resources in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis. The specific objectives include:
1. Identify the school library resources available in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis.
2. Find out how often students utilize available school library resources in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis.
3. To ascertain the purpose of students’ utilization of school library resources in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis.
4. To investigate the problems that hinder the effective utilization of school library resources in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis.
5. To determine strategies that could be adopted to improve the utilization of school library resources in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis.
1.4Research Questions
The following questions provided a guide for this study.
1. What are the school library resources available in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis?
2. How often do students utilize the available library resources in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis?
3. What are the purpose for students’ utilization of school library resources in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta Metropolis?
4. What are the problems that hinders the effective utilization of school library resources in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis?
5. What strategies could be adopted to improve the use of library resources by students in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis?
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study focuses on the availability and utilization of school library resources in selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis. The study investigates the availability or resources in selected secondary schools, the utilization of the school library resources by students in the selected secondary schools, the purpose for students utilization of school library resources in selected secondary schools, the problem faced by students in the utilization of library resources by students in the selected secondary schools and the strategies that could be adopted to improve and enhance the use of library resources by students in the selected secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis. The study is restricted to a sampled population of students in selected public and private secondary schools in Abeokuta metropolis.