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TopBackground To The Study
The proliferation of information communication and emerging technologies have altered radically the way we gather, process, store, disseminate, seek and use information. Similarly, the convergence of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) and other emerging technologies have turned the world into a global village and technology driven knowledge economy. No institution or individual is isolated from this technology revolution.
Libraries, traditionally restricted to brick, mortar and physical collection of paper-based manuscripts of books, periodicals and other information products and services have metamorphosed into libraries without walls offering cutting edge technology enhanced information services to its technology savvy patrons irrespective of space or time. Collections hitherto held within the walls of the libraries with limited access are now digitized and held electronically online or on site offering patrons unhindered access from remote locations. Thus, library collections are no longer limited to those that are acquired directly by the libraries but include those that are accessed by subscription from information aggregators.
One of these information resources acquired by subscription/open access by most academic libraries is known as the electronic database. An electronic database can be described as collection of similar or interrelated records held in computers or computer mediated technologies. It can be open access or accessed by subscription. Tella, Orim, Dauda, and Suleiman (2018) define an electronic database as computerized information records consisting of organized pieces of information placed in to records. Within an electronic database, computer program assists the user in selecting desired pieces of data. Electronic databases include products such as periodical indexes, abstracts, directories, encyclopedias, dictionaries and other reference works. Electronic databases provide search facility to users by subject, type and title or key word with the Boolean logic features.
Because of technological advancements, the use of electronic databases has continued to gain prominence in tertiary institutions worldwide and many academics are availing themselves of the opportunity to exploit these resources to access relevant, current and up-to-date information for diverse purposes. Although not without its attendant challenges, the advantages of using electronic databases by academics are numerous. Most academics especially in Nigeria are saddled with enormous responsibilities that may hinder them from visiting the library but can access the contents of electronic databases from their comfort zones anytime. Furthermore, electronic databases save time, provide current and up-to-date information, facilitate teaching and research and provide easy access and retrieval to documents of interest.
However, despite the inherent advantages of e-databases over the traditional paper based information products coupled with the enabling environment, regular and alternative sources of power, robust Internet connectivity, lecturers in Bowen University are not making optimal use of these databases as gleaned from usage statistics. Thus, this research aims to unravel the mystery behind this phenomenon.
Statement of the Problem
The importance of using electronic databases to prepare teaching materials and facilitate research, coupled with the numerous advantages inherent in using electronic database as gleaned from available literature, should serve as impetus to the use of available electronic databases by academics, but the use pattern observed from usage statistics among Bowen University academics ran contrary to this expectation.
Also, various publications report challenges to the access and use of electronic information resources to include slow internet connection, limited access to PCs, lack of skills in searching for electronic information resources, unstable power supply, limited range of titles of resources, inability to access electronic information resources subscribed to by the institution from remote locations and lack of awareness of the resources by most of the users (Ahmed, 2013).
However, in Bowen University, most of the identified constraints have been taken care of as management has invested heavily in subscribing to reputable and prime databases and put in place adequate internet, power and other infrastructures to ensure optimal use of these resources. Despite this heavy investment, usage statistics generated from these resources show an abysmal use compared to the volume of investment. This study therefore seeks to unveil the mystery behind the abysmal use of these resources in Bowen University.