Application of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) for effective user education programme in federal university libraries in south east, Nigeria

This work is designed to examine the application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for effective user education programmes in Federal University Libraries in South East Nigeria. The study was guided by seven research questions in line with the objectives of the study. The design adopted for this study is descriptive survey research design and all the librarians with at least first degree in librarianship who are staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Federal University of Technology Owerri libraries made up the population of the study. The population of the study in the three libraries is 12, 52 and 32 respondents respectively. Purposive sampling technique was adopted. The sample size of the study consisted of 96 librarians. Data were collected using observation checklist and the questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using percentages, mean, tables and frequency counts. The results show that ICT resources are available and in use for user education programmes in these federal university libraries under study. The result also shows that the methods adopted for the application of ICTs in user education programmes in the university libraries included seminar, lectures, demonstration, virtual tour, orientation, guides, etc. ICTs are applied in user education programmes of the libraries understudy to a great extent; circulation staff possessed high skills in the application of ICTs in user education programmes; ICTs contribute to a very great extent in effective user education programme in the university libraries under study. There are numerous constraints and strategies that could be employed to enhance the application of ICTs in user education programmes in the libraries under study.   Key words: Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), user education.