ABSTRACT

The study investigated the access and use of information resources by school leavers in Abia State Library Board. The objectives of the study were: the study has six research questions which were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study was 2,550 respondents who are the registered school leavers in Abia State Library Board but 10% (255) were sampled. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire. 255 copies of the questionnaire were distributed, out of which 135 representing 53% were correctly filled and returned. Descriptive statistics such as frequency tables, percentages and mean scores were employed to answer the research questions. The result obtained from the findings revealed that newspapers/magazines, journals, government publication, internet facilities, computers, statistical records, yearbooks, bulletins, dictionaries, conference proceedings. Inaugural lectures, Biographies, Encyclopaedia, Maps and Atlases, Almanacs, World records, Handbooks, CD-ROM facilities and directories are the information resources available to school leavers in Abia State Library Board. The study also revealed that unawareness of information resources in the library, inadequate information resources in the library, presence of out-dated information resources in the library, absence of guide on how to use the library, inadequate knowledge ofthe library use policy, the attitude ofthe librarian towards school leavers when trying to use the resources, noisy nature ofthe library, inadequate power supply and the library is often closed and not accessible are the factors that militate against the use of information resources by school leavers in Abia State Library Board, the study suggested provision of adequate information resources in the library, acquisition of current and relevant information resources in the library, provision of guide on how to use the library, inculcating in users knowledge of the library and its use policy, the librarian should be friendly to users and approachable, efforts should be made to keep the library away from noisy area, provision of adequate power supply in the library and school leavers should be given time in the curriculum for library visit as the solutions to the problems affecting the access and use of library information resources by school leavers in Abia State Library Board. The study also made recommendations based on the findings such as additional experienced and qualified professionals should be employed to provide library and information services. In that regard, specialized information services that are that are based on the profiles of library scientists should be embarked upon to increase their awareness and effective utilization of information resources.