Abstract

The study investigated the use ofICTfacilities in service dissemination in special libraries in Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia and National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike. Six research questions were designedfor the study. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The population ofthis study consisted of777 users ofthe libraries understudy. 102 usersfrom FMC and 75 usersfrom NRCRI. The entire population was used as the sample size justifying the use of census as the sampling technique. A questionnaire titled Use of ICT Facilities in the Dissemination of Services in Special Libraries (QUICTFDSSLj was usedfor data collection. It was revealed that the major ICTfacilitiesfor service delivery that are available in the institutions understudy; include: Desktop computer, compact Disk ROM, scanner, printer, laptop computer and projector. Also it was revealed that the following are library services that use ICT in the institutions under study: Online public access catalogue (OPAC), reprographic services, reference services and inter-library loan services. It was equally revealed that the staff are competent in the use ofICT in the following areas: Use ofcomputerfor typing ofdocuments, skilled in the use of the Internet forservice provision, skilled in use ofsocial mediafor service provision, among others. The finding also revealed that the following ICTfacilities are used for information provision: Laptopsfor typing, printing ofdocuments and access to the Internet, printersfor printing out accessed information resources, photocopiersfor duplicating an information resourcesfor home use, mouse for using the computer systems in the library, while desktop computerfor OPAC sen-ices, scannersfor uploading information resources to institutional repository are not used. Furthermore, the study revealed that inadequate fundingfor the ICT department of the library, inadequate ICT equipment in the library, inadequate infrastructural facilities, among others are the challenges that hinder the use of ICT facilities in information dissemination in the libraries under study. Ways of improving the use ofICTfacilities in information dissemination as revealed by this research include: Provision of adequate funding for the ICT department ofthe library, provision of adequate ICT equipment in the library, among others. Based on the findings it was recommended that the library management should ensure that the IC Tfacilities available are relevant enough to satisfy the information needs of their clienteles, there should be effort towards ensuring that all the library’ services are provided using ICTrelatedfacilities among others.