AWARENESS, ACCESSIBILITY AND USE OF ELECTRONIC DATABASES AMONG ACADEMIC STAFF OF BABCOCK UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

Abstract

Previous researches on the availability and utilization of Internet Resources for teaching and research by Academic Staff of Babcock University (BU) have found out that there was low pattern of usage of library electronic databases. This paper investigates the further factors of the awareness, accessibility and use of electronic resources among academic Staff of Babcock
University Business School. This study was carried out among one hundred and eighteen academic staff in the Babcock Business School (BBS). The BBS happens to be BU largest single school among a total of ten. They are also naturally the largest users of electronic resources. Questionnaire was the method used for data collection among academic staff while data was analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). One of the findings of the study was that information awareness on electronic resources among lecturers in BBS was inadequate and this affects the accessibility and use of electronic resources. This paper discusses the need to increase awareness on electronic resources subscribed to by Babcock University Library. There is
need to increase the internet facilities on campus in other to facilitate the accessibility of electronic resources to lecturers and the entire library users. It is believed that awareness; accessibility will increase the use of electronic resources subscribed to by the library. The paper recommends regular training of academic staff on updating their knowledge of the many sources, and access to electronic resources from the University library. The University also needs to improve on the provision of internet facilities on campus.