THE USE OF LIBRARY AND STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN UNIVERSITIES
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the library and students’ academic performance at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba. In sub-titles, relevant and extensive literatures were reviewed. The literature review surveyed and investigated the works of scholars and researchers who are relevant to the topic of this research.
The descriptive research survey was used to assess respondents’ opinions, with the use of the research questionnaire, which was used to collect necessary information from the samples, and the sampling technique, which was a tool used in selecting the appropriate samples for this study.
A total of 120 (one hundred and twenty) respondents were chosen from the University of Lagos and Lagos State University, with 60 males and 60 females.
In addition, four (four) null hypotheses were generated and tested, with the Chi-square statistical tool used to test hypothesis one, and the independent t-test statistical tool used to test hypotheses two, three, and four, respectively, at the alpha level of 0.05.
The results of the data analysis revealed that: there is a significant effect of school libraries on students’ academic achievement in school, there is a significant influence of counselling on students’ use of the school libraries, there is a significant difference in academic performance between students who used the libraries and those who did not use the school libraries, and there is no significant gender difference in academic performance.
It was also suggested that school counselors get involved in addressing the issue of many students in tertiary institutions not using school libraries. This is due to the fact that counseling has been discovered to be a tool for assisting students in achieving their academic goals.
Counsellors at the University of Lagos should make every effort to assist students who lack the desire and ability to use the libraries to supplement their personal reading/studying at home or in the hostels. These students would be able to understand the significance of using the libraries in order to achieve high academic performance in school through counseling.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 THE STUDY’S BACKGROUND
Libraries are collections of books, manuscripts, journals, and other recorded information sources. They commonly include reference works such as encyclopedias that provide factual information and indexes that help users find information in other sources; creative works such as poetry, novels, short stories, music scores, and photographs;
non-fiction such as biographies, histories, and other factual reports; and periodical publications such as magazines, scholarly journals, and books published in series. As the use of records, CD-ROMs, audiotapes, and videotapes at home has increased, library collections have begun to include them, as well as other forms of media (Mohammed and Makki, 1997).
According to Onuoah (2000), there is a positive relationship between school libraries and student learning outcomes. According to him, students who frequented the libraries scored higher on tests than those who did not frequent the libraries.
Most students do not use libraries these days due to a variety of factors, including a lack of knowledge of how to use the catalogue, which assists library users in locating or identifying the materials required; and a lack of orientations or seminars for students on library use.
In his study on the impact of school libraries on students’ academic achievement, Adeoye (1999) discovered that, in most cases, learning achievement is dependent on students’ use of the libraries and positive study habits.
The majority of Nigerian students do not make regular use of their school libraries. According to Ayo (1997), the introduction of Information Communication Technology (ICT) has caused many students to obtain whatever materials they require from the internet rather than visiting libraries on a regular basis.
Furthermore, most of the information materials in most Nigerian school libraries are considered out-of-date. As a result, students prefer to use internet materials, which they believe are more current in terms of information outflow than school libraries.
According to Adeleke (2001), many factors contribute to many Nigerian students’ low use of libraries. The factors are as follows: a scarcity of experienced library specialists; a lack of funds to provide adequate and up-to-date books, encyclopedias, and other materials in school libraries; and the absence of an orientation course for students (Adeleke, 1990). According to Adeleke, these factors have resulted in low educational standards and poor academic performance among Nigerian students.
Perkins (2001) and Atkins (2002) found that there is a strong relationship between library use and students’ academic success at all ages, from primary school to university. Students who read a lot, use libraries, and understand what they read usually do well in school.
According to Ninio (2000), the relationship between reading and learning begins even earlier in the pre-primary school years, with children who are exposed to story book reading before starting school having larger vocabularies, greater general knowledge, and better conceptual development than their non-reading peers. Furthermore, they learn to read and write more easily and quickly than their non-readers counterparts.
Reading habits are formed from childhood onwards (Mbise, 1995). As a result, students who do not develop the habit of reading will not read in school libraries even if they are forced to do so, resulting in poor performance of students who do not use the libraries on a regular basis. Smith (2001) conducted a study in which academic achievement of students who frequently use libraries was compared to that of students who did not use libraries.
According to the results, students who frequently read in libraries and conduct research outperformed those who do not or use libraries sparingly. According to Hunter (1999), adequate and frequent use of libraries has resulted in high academic success among students. For example, in school libraries, students discover more recent information and gain a great deal of knowledge from current and good materials.
Anyadike (2000) discovered in a related study on the relationship between the use of library facilities and students’ academic performance that students perform better when they use the school libraries frequently than when they do not. With these findings, Anyadike recommended that students use the library facilities on a regular basis in order to maximize high academic achievement or excellence in their academic endeavors.
The studies of the library system in the United States conducted by (Allport, 2000), Alban, and Lance (2005) revealed that professionally trained school library media specialists have a positive effect on students’ academic performance; that library media specialists require the support of teachers and principals in order to be most effective; and that support staff is essential if library media specialists are to fully affect students’ academic achievement in school.
Other findings revealed that library media specialists serve as both teachers and students, and that in-service providers for teachers and effective library specialists play an important role in expanding access to information technology outside of the library and the classroom (Lance, 2002).
If students’ use of libraries has any significant impact on their academic performance in school, the functions of school counselors are critical. School counselors, for example, are regarded as experts who are deeply rooted in changing the
negative characteristics or attitudes of individuals or groups of individuals and leading them to the correct ways of behavior for positive results through the application of guidance and counselling techniques. In this regard, school counselors advise and instruct students on the proper methods of effective library material initialization for high academic achievement in the school (Anyanwu, 2004).
Furthermore, counselors must organize orientation courses, seminars, and workshops in order to effectively apply their counseling strategies in changing students’ negative attitudes toward the use of libraries in our tertiary institutions.
1.2THE PROBLEM’S STATEMENT
The use or non-use of school libraries by students has an impact on their educational attainment. For example, the library is intended to assist students in improving their academic performance so that they can be successful members of society.
Unfortunately, most students do not see the value in going to the library to read or conduct research that will benefit their academic career. This is because most students do not know how to use library materials or how to locate or identify the type of books they want to read, and many others dislike sitting for hours reading or studying in the library; still others prefer ‘jisting’ away their time outside the libraries rather than keeping quiet and studying in the library.
These perceived factors are to blame for Nigerian schools’ negative or poor academic performance, general low educational standards, and the attendant massive and persistent examination malpractices (Anyanwu, 2003). The poor or insufficient use of libraries and their facilities by most students is also a contributing factor to the country’s mass failure of students in both internal and external organized examinations.
Another important factor in many students’ lack of or inadequate use of libraries is the negative treatment they receive from most library staff, who appear untrained and thus lack knowledge and experience in library attendance and use. These shortcomings on the part of library attendants or staff frequently translate into students’ apprehension about even entering the library, let alone sitting and reading in it.
As a result, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of school libraries on students’ academic performance and the implications for counseling.
Most tertiary institutions, particularly the University of Lagos, lack library counselors who understand how to help students and library staff develop positive attitudes toward library use and its attendant benefits. Due to the non-employment of
school library counselors, students who have a negative attitude toward the use of libraries are not helped out of their academic binds, and this has had a long-term impact on the academic achievement of many students at the University of Lagos and other Nigerian universities.
1.3OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The study’s specific objectives were as follows:
a. Determine whether counseling affects students’ use of libraries.
b. Determine whether or not the use of the library(ies) affects the academic performance of students who use the libraries and those who do not.
c. Determine whether there is a difference in academic performance between students who use libraries and those who do not.
d. To determine whether there is a gender difference in student academic performance as a result of library use.
1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH
In this study, the following research questions were raised:
a. Will students’ academic performance suffer as a result of their use of libraries?
b. To what extent will counseling influence students’ use of libraries?
c. Is there a difference in academic performance between students who use and those who do not use the library?
d. Will there be a gender difference in students’ academic performance as a result of their use of the library(ies)?
1.5 THE STUDY’S HYPOTHESES
In the study, the following research hypotheses were tested:
a. School libraries will have no discernible impact on students’ academic achievement.
b. Counseling will have no significant influence on students’ use of libraries.
c. There will be no statistically significant difference in academic performance between students who used libraries and those who did not.
d. There will be no significant gender differences in student academic performance as a result of library use.
1.6THE STUDY’S SIGNIFICANCE
The following people would benefit from this research:
Students: One of the study’s major implications is that it highlights the importance of school libraries in improving students’ academic performance and achieving high academic success in their educational careers. This is because if students instill the culture of reading and use the school library,
their academic achievement will improve and the school system’s seemingly low academic standards will be remedied. The study’s findings and recommendations will help students become more informed about the importance of using library resources to maximize their academic success in school.
Teachers: Not only will the recommendations and findings of this study benefit students, but teachers will also find it very informative, as they will be better informed and exposed to the issue of students’ use and or non-use of libraries as determinants of their academic performance in school.
This study will greatly benefit teachers because if students learn how to use libraries properly and maximize their educational standards as a result of this study, teachers’ work will be easier and they will receive more credit.
Parents would benefit from the study because they would be able to understand the benefits of using libraries and the consequences of their children not using them or using them insufficiently in school. This study will be educational and informative to parents because the knowledge they will gain from it will help them measure their children’s performance in relation to library use.
The General Public: This study will also benefit the general public, who will be better informed about students’ attitudes toward using school libraries. This study will also serve as a resource for both new and experienced library researchers and scholars.
The findings and recommendations of this study will benefit library staff and school library attendants because they will help them carry out their duties effectively in a way that encourages and draws students to the libraries more frequently.
The Library Attendants: With the study and its recommendations, library attendants will be able to obtain necessary information that will assist them in changing some of their negative attitudes and unfriendly dispositions that do not inspire students to come to the library to read or study.
The study’s recommendations will urge library authorities to implement a training and development program to assist library attendants in sitting up and doing their work diligently for the benefit of library users, particularly students.
The School Administration: This study’s content, findings, and recommendations would be very informative and important to school administration, particularly at the University of Lagos. This is because, if the recommendations of this study are heeded and implemented by the institution’s managers,
particularly the school authorities at the Faculty of Education, they will go a long way toward assisting the authorities in looking into the issue of low use of library facilities by students and its attendant negative effects on the general standards of the
University of Education and, more importantly, on students’ academic achievement. Will be able to devise methods for organizing orientation courses, seminars, and workshops on the importance of using libraries and improving students’ academic performance at school.
1.7 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study seeks to investigate the effects of school libraries on students’ academic performance, as well as the implications for counseling. Undergraduate students from the University of Lagos’ Faulty of Education, Akoka, Yaba Lagos, will participate in the study. It will apply to students in the faculty at the 300 and 400 level.
1.9TERM DEFINITION
In this study, operational terms and ambiguous words were defined in the following dimensions:
1. School Library:A school library is a room or building that houses a collection of books that are kept there for reading purposes. It is also a writing and reading room in a school or institution.
2. Academic Performance: This is the overall outcome of students’ learning activities over a period of learning in a formal school environment.
3. Counsellor: A professional adviser who specializes in resolving people’s problems through counselling techniques.
4. Manuscripts: these are books and other works that were originally written out or typed.
5. Journals: This includes daily newspapers as well as other periodicals. It also refers to a daily record of news, events, business accounts, and so on.
6. Biography: This is a person’s life history written by another person; it is also a branch of literature that deals with people’s lives.
7. Librarian: A worker or member of staff who stays in the library room to lend books and other library materials to people for reading and writing. A librarian is a member of the school administration who is in charge of the library’s activities.
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THE USE OF LIBRARY AND STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN UNIVERSITIES
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