Assessment of ICT Competencies among Librarians in University Libraries in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study reports on the assessment of ICT competencies among librarians in university libraries in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The reason that necessitated this study was based on the enormous range of tasks which librarians are saddled with in rendering services to users of libraries, thus requiring adequate knowledge and skills to use ICT. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. A population of 72 librarians in four university libraries in Bayelsa State was used for the study. A questionnaire was the instrument for data collection, based on a five-point Likert scale used to measure the ICT competencies of respondents. Data collected were analysed using frequency distribution. Findings from the study revealed that a majority of the librarians had a basic knowledge of ICT competencies such as word processing, storing and copying data from primary and secondary storage devices, retrieving documents from storage devices, electronic presentation, internet surfing, search engines, electronic document delivery, to managing library operations, except in areas of operating systems and software. The study provided insight on how to meet the changing and evolving information needs of users through the incorporation of learning ICT skills/competencies in the digital era. The study recommends the improved implementation of in-house training regarding skills and knowledge in ICT competencies, promoting awareness of ICT competencies in organisational culture, and the acquisition of recent ICT tools, being fundamental for better serving users’ information needs.