CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

University libraries support the university community by delivering services to meet the teaching, research and learning needs of staff and students. They play a key role in the educational system of their parent institutions by providing a variety of services to a wide range of users in the academic environment. University libraries acquire, process, manage and disseminate information resources through which their parent institutions conduct research and produce high-level manpower (Nnadozie & Onah, 2016). They provide access to information resources in diverse formats to users. They provide timely and relevant information in support of teaching and research needs of their parent institutions. The university library is a repository of information resources. These resources are the traditional information resources which include books, journals, maps, encyclopedia, dictionaries, newspapers and periodicals. Some of the services provided are reference services, technical services, current awareness services, selective dissemination of information, lending services, bibliographic services, reprographic services, inter-library loan services, indexing and abstracting services. These services are provided to keep their patrons abreast of the latest developments in their disciplines. Edewor, Okite-Amughoro, Osuchukwu, and Egrejena (2016) opined that libraries are veritable information providers rendering strategic services. According to them, libraries are finding new ways of serving users effectively. Library services, before the advent of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), were essentially delivered manually and the library materials were primarily in print format. These services were only available during the open hours only. The staff, students and other users had no option but to use the library in the open hours. These libraries depend highly on print resources and manual interlibrary loan system. Most times, the information resources available in the library are inadequate to meet the information that is needed by the patrons. Many of the services that were delivered by the librarians fall short of the roles librarians play as information providers. The scenario is different in many libraries around the world today as ICTs have affected delivery of information service.

1. 1. This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research work
2. 2. As a source for additional understanding of the subject.
3. 3. As a source for ideas for your own research work (if properly referenced).
4. 4. For PROPER paraphrasing (see your university definition of plagiarism and acceptable paraphrase)
5. 5. Direct citing (if referenced properly)
Thank you so much for your respect to the authors copyright.