ABSTRACT

This study examined the accessibility and utilization of serials by lecturers in selected University libraries in Imo state. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample of 317 lecturers comprising of 160 and 157 lecturers from Federal University of Technology and Imo State University, Owerri in Imo State respectively were used for the study. The sample was determined using Taro Yamane sampling formula with multi-stage sampling procedure. The instrument for data collection for this study was questionnaire titled: Accessibility and Utilization of Serials Questionnaire (AUSQ) which is a developed 101 item questionnaire divided into seven clusters (clusters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7). The face validation of the instrument was carried out by three experts: two in Library and Information Science and one in Measurement and Evaluation, all from the College of Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. The test of the reliability of the instrument was determined by using Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficient statistic which yielded an overall index of 0.83. The questionnaire instrument has seven clusters with 4-point response scales of Very High Extent, High Extent, Low Extent, and Very Low     Extent for clusters 1-3, while clusters 4-7 had response scales of Strongly Agreed, Agreed, Disagreed and Strongly Disagreed. The questionnaire was administered to the respondents by the researcher and was collected back the next day by the researcher with the help of three research assistants in order to ensure that the completed questionnaire was returned. Out of the 317 copies of the questionnaire administered, 304 representing 96% were returned and used for data analysis. Data collected were analyzed with mean and standard deviations to answer the seven research questions raised for the study while t- test statistic was used to analyze the seven null hypotheses that guided the study at 0.05 level of significance. The mean responses from 2.50 and above were considered as agreed while those below were regarded as disagreed. Mean and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions while t-test statistic was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that serials are available to a high extent, accessible to a low extent and are utilized to a low extent by lecturers in selected University Libraries. It was concluded that serials are available to a high extent to lecturers in selected University Libraries, serials are accessible to lecturers in selected University Libraries to a low extent, and serials are utilized to a low extent by lecturers in selected University Libraries. It was recommended among others that non-governmental organization and other stakeholders should collaborate with government in funding university libraries so as to ensure adequate provision and availability of serials in university libraries.