Use of Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) By Undergraduates in Selected Nigerian Universities

Abstract

This article examines the use of the online public access catalogue (OPAC) among undergraduates in selected universities in Nigeria. A sample was drawn from among undergraduate students in five selected Universities. Survey design was adopted in the conduct of the study while data was collected through a self-designed/administered questionnaire. A total of 2,240 undergraduates were initially sampled and administered the questionnaire, but only two thousand copies were properly filled in and good for data analysis representing an 89.3% return rate. This 2000 represent the sample for the study. The results revealed that the majority of undergraduate students used the OPAC on a weekly basis while the majority of respondents (57.5%) spent fewer hours (between 0-3) using the OPAC. Places of accessing the OPAC identified include the school library, respondents' homes, cyber cafés and lecture rooms. The major uses of the OPAC by the undergraduate students include: to locate books and other materials; and to find non-print materials.