Determinants of e-library services’ use among university students: A study of John Harris Library, University of Benin, Nigeria

Abstract

Provision of e-services in Nigerian academic libraries has been around for some time. However, while studies of user satisfaction with traditional modes of library services in these libraries are countless, those focusing specifically on user satisfaction with their e-services are rare. This study therefore investigated the factors that determine students’ use of and satisfaction with the e-services sponsored by a multinational telecommunication firm in a Nigerian university library. The design for the study was both quantitative and qualitative, involving a multistage sampling technique. A questionnaire was used to sample 400 registered students of the library, while 40 students who are non-users of the library’s e-services were interviewed. The 382 valid responses were analysed statistically while the interview responses were analysed thematically. The study found that among those who use the e-services, their level of use was significantly predicted by all the examined e-library service factors (system quality, service quality and information quality), e-library environment, students’ gender, computer/IT self-efficacy and satisfaction with e-services. However, students who were not using the e-services mentioned the following factors, amongst several others, as responsible: lack of awareness of the services, inadequately skilled ICT manpower to support users, absence of user training, inadequate ICT infrastructures including inadequate Internet access and unreliable campus network. Needed to boost the use of and user satisfaction with the e-services are attention to the services, these resource availability factors and the investigated service delivery factors.