Perception of Education Stakeholders on Learners Use of Library Facilities and Resources in Secondary Schools in Osun State, Nigeria

Perception of Education Stakeholders on Learners Use of Library Facilities and Resources in Secondary Schools in Osun State, Nigeria

Obadiora A. J.¹, Alarape A. A², Rasaq R A.³

¹Department of Arts and Social Science Education Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife

²Department of Educational Technology and Library Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife

³Department of Educational Foundations and Counselling, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8080293

Received: 14 June 2024; Revised: 25 June 2024; Accepted: 29 June 2024; Published: 20 September 2024

ABSTRACT

This research investigated the perception of education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) on the availability of and learners use of library facilities and resources and as well identified learner’s challenges in the use of library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State. The Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population for the study comprised secondary school stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) in Osun State. The sample comprised 400 stakeholders (20 principals, 80 teachers, 20 library staff and 280 students) using multistage sampling procedure. A Questionnaire was used to gather information on the perception of stakeholder availability of, learners’ use of and the challenges learners face in the use of library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State. The results showed that the stakeholders perceived that library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State are grossly inadequate and that the little available ones are not being effectively and efficiently utilized with grand criterion mean ˂2.5. Some of the challenges facing learners in secondary schools were also identified. The results also revealed that there was no significant difference in the perception of education stakeholders in both private and public schools on learners use of library facilities and resources with the mean of private schools = 48.33 and public schools = 52.24 respectively at p = 0.285 > 0.05. The study concluded that the library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State are underutilized both in private and public secondary schools in the State.

Key words/phrase: Perception, Education Stakeholders, Learners, Library Resources

INTRODUCTION

A library is defined as professionally organized collection of graphic and non-graphic materials for exploitation. Many users of the library see it as a place where books and other materials are kept and made available for use. Generally, a library can be defined as an institution responsible for the acquisition, organization and storage of recorded knowledge in various media for study, research and consultation. There are various types of libraries, such as special libraries, national libraries, public libraries, research libraries, school/academic libraries, and so on, but the focus of this study was on the school library. A school library is one of the libraries that have been established in a primary or secondary school (Edoka 2000). Aina (2004) defined school library as libraries attached to the primary and secondary school to supplement teaching and learning of school children. It is set up to cater for the teaching and learning needs of the pupils, students, and their teachers. It provides printed and non-printed materials such as books, magazines, periodicals diagrams, newspapers, photographs etc to facilitate learning (Aju and Karim, 2014).   School library exists to provide a range of learning opportunities for both large and small groups, caters for children who are eager to read and also for slow learners who read with difficulty and who require visual aids and all kinds of incentives to study (Morris, 2004). School library serves as the life wire for the foundational upbringing of children because it has primary stock materials that are of interest and developmental growth for young teenagers and youths of the era (Rasaq, 2000; Edeghere, 2001).

Every education stakeholder recognizes and depends upon school library as an essential component of the school system to provide adequate information needed to achieve good academic performance.  School library fosters a love for reading among students. Books can ignite reader imagination, transport readers to different worlds, and inspire a lifelong love for learning. The school library encourages students to develop a reading habit by providing various engaging and age-appropriate books. This improves their language and literacy skills and instills a sense of pleasure and enjoyment in reading. A love for reading can profoundly impact a student’s overall academic success and personal development. In addition to supporting academic achievement, the school library plays a crucial role in expanding students’ knowledge base. With a well-curated collection (manuscripts, books, newspapers, magazines, journals government documents, abstracts indexes and grey literature such as projects, but also art reproductions, films, sound and video recordings, maps. Photographs, microfiches, CD-ROMs computer software, online resources such as databases e-journals, e-books and other media), students can explore different subjects and gain a broader understanding of the world around them.

Another key benefit of the school library is its role in developing research skills. The ability to locate, evaluate, and synthesize information is essential in today’s information age. The library provides students with a structured environment to learn how to conduct research effectively. Librarians can guide students using various research tools, such as databases and online resources, to find reliable and accurate information. By honing their research skills, students become more adept at gathering information, critically analyzing it, and presenting their findings in a coherent and well-supported manner. School libraries provide a space for collaboration and creativity. Many modern libraries are designed to facilitate group work, with comfortable seating areas and collaborative spaces. Students can work on projects, share ideas, and brainstorm solutions. In addition, libraries often host events and workshops encouraging creativity, such as writing competitions, art exhibits, and book clubs. By fostering collaboration and creativity, school libraries help students develop valuable social and interpersonal skills essential for success in the modern world. School libraries are not only beneficial to students but also to teachers. The library is a valuable resource for educators, providing them access to a wide range of teaching materials, lesson plans, and professional development resources. Librarians can collaborate with teachers to curate resources that align with the curriculum and support the school’s learning objectives. Furthermore, the library can serve as a space for professional development workshops and meetings, enhancing the professional growth of teachers.

Utilization is the act of making use of certain things for a purpose. It is also seen as making use of library facilities for the purpose of attaining educational goals. Utilization of library facilities such as books, journals, and research work by students. These library facilities are the materials needed in the library to facilitate learning. In line with this view, Prout (2009) states that the use of library facilities stimulates interest, excitement and instills confidence in the user to develop his potential and capabilities both academically and socially. the utilization of library resources stimulates excitement and instills confidence in the users to develop their talents, potentials, and capabilities both academically and socially. Especially in secondary school which is an intermediate school between elementary school and tertiary education, the final stage of compulsory education in Nigeria (Ugah, 2008)). This sensitive position requires provision and utilization of a functional school library.

Initiatives as well as competence to conduct viable school research for the purpose of solving any kind of problem may be inhibited as a result of failure to use the school library facilities (Braimol, 2000). However, Mokhtar and Majid (2005) remarked that teachers generally do not use their school libraries and various information resources effectively, mainly due to the inadequacy of their school libraries in terms of educational materials.  Poor attitude of teachers toward the use of school library is a serious problem, many teachers in the secondary school system today still see their notes of lessons as best in their teaching-learning activities (Uoma, 2000) and if they do not, how would they encourage students to use it.

It must be noted that the significance of school library and the benefit students can derived from it depend on the attitude of the stakeholders toward the provision and use of school library. Popoola and Haliso (2009) noted that, the ultimate criteria for assessing the quality of a school library service is its capacity for meeting the user’s needs. No matter how numerous the merit of a school library is, if it is not equipped with adequate facilities and resources it could be seen as an empty archive.  Thus, students as well as teachers may not see the need or reasons to visit the library because they do not derive satisfaction in its supplies and services (Nwalo 1997). The more accessible the resources are in the school library, the more likely they are to be used. This is because readers like to use library facilities that require the least effort to be accessed. Therefore, the use of school libraries depends on the availability, accessibility, and utilization of the desired information source (Oyediran, 2004).

Also, school library may be well equipped with adequate facilities and resources, but if students are not aware of the available resources (Khan 2008, Shivalingaiah and Gowda 2009), not well informed and properly guided about the use of the resources, they may not be able to use it properly. Sahail and Upadhyay (2012) carried out investigation on the use of library resources by the students of University of Kalyani the finding of the research indicated that guidance in the use of library resources and services was necessary to help students to meet their information needs.  Not only that, negligence on the part of the students may render the school library useless. A situation where students are well informed about the existence of a functional school library but do not take time to use the library resources denied them of the available opportunities to achieve good academic success. This makes it look as if there is no functional library in the school. In view of this it is pertinent to investigate whether secondary school students in Osun State are using library facilities and resources to learn and develop themselves academically. It is against this backdrop this study was carried out to examine stakeholders’ perceptions on the use of library facilities and resources among secondary school students in Osun State.

Research Objective

1. determine education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) perceptions on the availability and adequacy of school library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State;
2. examine education stakeholders’ (principals, teachers, library staff and students) perceptions on learners use of library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State; and
3. identify challenges faced by learners in the use of library facilities and resources as perceived by the education stakeholders in secondary schools in the State.

Research Questions

1. How do education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) perceived availability of school library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State?
2. How do education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) perceived learners use of library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State?
3. What are the challenges the learners are facing in the use of library facilities and resources as perceived by the education stakeholders in secondary schools in the State?

Hypothesis

H_o1: There is no significant difference in the perceptions of education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) on availability of library facilities and resources in public and private secondary schools in Osun State

H_o1: There is no significant difference in the perceptions of education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) on learners use of library facilities and resources in public and private secondary schools in Osun State

METHODOLOGY

The study employed the descriptive survey research design. The population of the study consisted of all the secondary schools’ principals, teachers, students and library staff in the three existing senatorial districts in Osun State. The sample comprised 400 stakeholders (20 principals, 80 teachers, 280 students and 20 library staff) using multistage sampling procedure. From the three existing senatorial districts using simple random sampling technique. From the three existing senatorial districts one senatorial district was randomly selected. Two Local Government Areas (LGAs) were selected from the senatorial district using simple random sampling technique. From the selected LGAs 20 secondary school were selected using simple random sampling technique. The schools were also stratified into private and public ownership. From each of the schools, the school principal and library officer were selected given the total of 20 principals and 20 library officers using total enumeration sampling technique. Also, from each of the selected schools four teachers, 14 students were selected given the total of 80 teachers and 280 students respondents using convenient sampling technique.

One research instrument was used for the study titled “Questionnaire on the perceptions of education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) on availability and learners use of library facilities and resources in secondary schools. The instrument was divided into 4 sections A B C and D. Section A contained five items designed to collect demographic data of the secondary school stakeholders, section B contained 12 items designed to gather information on secondary schools stakeholders’ perception on the availability of library facilities and resources. Section C of the instrument contained 12 items used to elicit information on the secondary school stakeholders’ perception on learners use of library facilities and resources in Osun State while Section D  which also consist of 12 items was used to elicit information on challenges students faced in the use of library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State. This instrument was designed by the researchers; face and content validity of the instrument were done by expert in the field of Test and Measurements. The researchers administered 400 copies of the questionnaire on the respondents (principals, teachers, library staff and students) but were able to retrieved 370 copies of the questionnaire. Data collected were analysed with simple percentage, standard deviation and t-test statistical tools.

RESULTS

Research Question 1: How do education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) perceived availability of school library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State?

To answer this question data collected on the stakeholder’s perception of the availability of school library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State were analysed using simple percentage. The decision rule is that those facilities and resources that their percentage of availability is ≥ 40% is considered available while those that their percentage of availability is ˂ 40% is considered unavailable.

Table 1: Stakeholders Perception of The Availability of School Library Facilities and Resources in Secondary Schools in Osun State

As indicated in the Table 1, the results of this study revealed that the only school library resource perceived to be available is textbooks 250(67.6%) while all other library resources were concluded to be grossly unavailable as their percentage of availability drastically fall below 30%.

Research Question 2: How do education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) perceive learners use of library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State?

To answer this question data collected on the stakeholder’s perception of learners use of school library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State were analysed using mean and standard deviation. The decision rule is that those facilities and resources that their usage mean is ≥ 2.5 is perceived to be utilized while those with the usage mean is ˂ 2.5 is perceived not utilized.

Table 2: Education Stakeholders’ Perception of Learners use of Library Facilities and Resources in Secondary Schools in Osun State

Source: Field studies 2023

Table 2 shows the perceived frequency of school library facilities and resource usage. The results showed that the available library facilities and resources were grossly underutilized, with an aggregate mean of 2.34. In addition, item-by-item analysis also revealed that the available library resources experienced low perceived utilization by the learners in the secondary schools in Osun State.

Research Question 3: What are the perceptions of stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) on the challenges that learners are facing in the use of library facilities and resources as perceived by the education stakeholders in secondary schools in the State?

To answer this question, data collected on the perceived learner’s challenges in the use of library facilities and resources in secondary schools in the State were subjected to descriptive analysis of mean and standard deviation. The decision rule is that problem exist where criterion mean of the stakeholders’ perception of the learner’s problems is ≥ 2.5 and not exist where the criterion mean is ˂ 2.5 the results are presented in Table 3

Table 3: Learner’s challenges in the use of Library Facilities and Resources in secondary schools in Osun State

Source: Field studies 2023

Table 3 showed that out of 12 items of the questionnaire, learners have challenges that hinder them from effective and efficient use of library despites its importance to their career development with nine items showed that their mean are ≥ 2.5 (these are items 1, 2, , 4, 5, 6, 7,  9, 10,  and 11) . The respondents attested to the fact that secondary school students are facing some challenges in the following areas inadequate library facilities and other resources; lack of orientation to learners on how to use the school library due to nonexistent of library professional; No guide to learners on how to locate library resources; Learners are not allowed to borrow textbooks from the library; There is no computer nor internet in the school library; and that Library resources are grossly inadequate. However, the respondents confirmed that orientation to learners on how to use the school library; access to use library materials other than textbooks and that the conducive condition of library to study especially during dry season do not constitute a challenge to the library users.

Hypothesis

There is no significant difference in the perceptions of education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) on learners’ use of library facilities and resources in public and private secondary schools in Osun State.

To test this hypothesis the data collected on the perceptions of education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) on learners use of library facilities and resources in public and private secondary schools in Osun State were subjected to t-test analysis to determine whether the hypothesis should be rejected or not. This was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The decision rule is such that null hypothesis (H₀) is rejected if the value of Sig. is less than 0.05. The results are presented in Table 3.

Table 4: Perception Difference in Learners use of Library Facilities/Resources and Social Studies Information based on School Type.

From table 3 the results indicated that there was no significant difference in the perception of education stakeholders (principals, teachers, library staff and students) in both private and public schools on learners use of library facilities and resources with the mean and standard deviation of private schools = 48.33, 13.26  and public schools = 52.24, 8.53 respectively at p = 0.285 > 0.05.

DISCUSSION

The findings of this study are in line with the findings of Chidaka (2017) who carried out investigation on the utilization of school library resources in teaching and learning in secondary schools. He found out that most of the relevant library materials were not available in all the selected schools. The study discovered that some problems, such as lack of convenient accommodation, lack of funds, lack of reading tables and chairs, non-involvement of library staff in collection development, and lack of qualified librarians, were among the challenges facing the use of school libraries in the study area. Also, Arua (2011), Adeyemi (2010), and Clabo (2002), at different times, carried out separate investigation but all arrived at the same position that lack of adequate and current reading materials in most of the school libraries is a major problem constraining students from using school libraries.

The result of this study also corroborates Ogugua, Unegbu and Esievo (2019) findings that most of the respondents do not make use of the library resources regularly and that the respondents are majorly interested in text related to their subject in school. Moreover, other library information resources, such as atlas and maps, dictionaries, novels, audio visuals and poetry were not accessible by students hence those sources were not satisfactory to meet their information needs. The findings of this study support the conclusion of Fidzani (1998) that improving users’ knowledge of their libraries’ collection and services could be a motivating factor for more usage and more demands on the library.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The study concluded that the library facilities and resources in secondary schools in Osun State are underutilized both in private and public secondary schools in the State. Arising from inadequate of library resources and qualified librarians to manage the facilities efficiently, the research recommends that the government should place greater priority on providing adequate funding necessary for the provision of current and updated library and information resources and employment of qualifies and trained teacher librarians.

The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training should provide guidance on regulating and establish operating methods, procedures and principles of administrative and management practice for secondary schools operation s in the state.

The government, in collaboration with other stakeholders, should build new school libraries in different secondary school in the country and equipped them with all necessary library facilities.

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