ABSTRACT

 The study examined availability and utilization of audiovisual resources by lecturers in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU) Library. It adopted the descriptive survey design with five (5) specific objectives. The population of the study was one thousand one hundred and thirty-five (1,135) lecturers, comprising all the lecturers in the university. The sample of the study was one hundred and thirteen (113) respondents, representing I 0% of the population selected through the snowball sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was the structured questionnaire which yielded 85% response rate from 94 respondents who completed and returned the questionnaire with useful information. The data were analysed and presented in tables using the statistical tools of frequency counts and mean scores. It revealed that audiovisual materials available in MOUAU Library are: graphics, CDROMs, Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs), projectors, filmstrips, slides, pictures, posters, maps, and charts. It also showed that although audiovisual materials are used to facilitate teaching, learning, presentation, research and social interactions, the extent of utilization of audiovisual materials by the lecturers was very low. The study revealed that the challenges that lecturers encounter in • utilizing audiovisual materials in the library are: inadequate funding of the library to acquire adequate relevant audiovisual materials, inadequate knowledge or skills to use audiovisual materials by some lecturers, erratic power supply, problems of compatible equipment to support audiovisual resources. etc. Finnlly, the study while concluding that audiovisual materials facilitate easy and better understanding because of the attributes of combining both auditory and visual effects, recommended among others that to enhance availability and utilization of audiovisual material by lecturers in MOUAU Library, management of the university should provide adequate funds to the university library in order to acquire adequate relevant audiovisual materials, while lecturers should be trained and retrained on the use of audiovisual materials in the library.