USE OF ONLINE PUBLIC ACCESS CATALOGUE AMONG LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATES IN SOURTHERN, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the use of online public access catalogue among library and information science undergraduates in Southern Nigeria. The objectives of this study were to find out the purpose of OPAC use among LIS undergraduates, to know the extent undergraduates use OPAC, level of satisfaction of OPAC use and to identify the constraints associated with the use of OPAC among the undergraduates. The descriptive survey design was used adopted for this study. One thousand, four hundred and forty (1,440) questionnaires were distributed and nine hundred and twenty (920) were retrieved. The total enumerative sampling techniques was used to select the entire population. Data generated was analysed using simple percentage and frequencies. Finding revealed that LIS undergraduate in Southern Nigeria use OPAC for the purpose of identifying books using author, title and subject. However, they use it to a little extent and they were satisfied to a large extent with its use. power failure, inadequate OPAC terminals or workstations, lack of proper guidance from the library staff and lack of skills to use OPAC independently were some of the constraints associated with use of OPAC. The recommended among others, that alternative sources of power supply should be provided in libraries considering the erratic nature of power supply in Nigeria. Also, librarians and libraries should ensure that LIS undergraduates are sufficiently trained to make effective use of the OPAC.