48 | P a g e A Study of Some Factors in the Students’ Attitude Towards Library Usage and their Academic Achievements in Enugu State College of Education (Technical) Eze, Hycinth Osondu; Chukwu, Ebele Georgina A STUDY OF SOME FACTORS IN THE STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIBRARY USAGE AND THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN ENUGU STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL) Eze, Hycinth Osondu (Ph.D) Department of Education Enugu State College of Education (Technical), Enugu. Chukwu, Ebele Georgina Department of Library and Information Science Enugu State College of Education (Technical), Enugu. Abstract A descriptive survey study was conducted to find out the reasons behind some students’ behavior regarding use of libraries and its effects on academic achievement. The result generally indicated that students’ ‘background affects students’ library usage and that age and sex do not result in or promote competency in library usage and academic achievement. The researchers observed that the use of handsets, Ipads, playfulness and impatience seem to be associated with the degree of lack of interest in the use of libraries. Keywords: Factors, students, attitude, library, academic achievement. Introduction The motivating factor behind the study was the author’s observations of students’ pattern of library usage and the effect on their academic achievement. In recent years, with the rapid growth and development in technology, many students tend to ignore the importance of library in academic institution. This is to say that any factor that influences attitude could be said to be a barrier to academic achievement. The end result of poor usage of libraries may be failure in examination with its attendant consequences. Literature Review According to Kaskus and Aguila (1920), the importance of library cannot be overemphasized, because it is an integral part of quality education. This means that students who do not use the library may encounter academic problems (success). Thus the role of library in the successes of students must be acknowledged. Holmberg (1988) opined that the importance of libraries in schools and its usage provides information services, such that those who do not use library would result in producing learners with narrow experience in research-led inquiry. The graduates produced under this situation, would lack the vital skills necessary for independent thinking and research, which are fundamental aims of higher education. He stated that library visit enables students to be aware of the purpose, practice and predominant 49 | P a g e ESCET Journal of Educational Research and Policy Studies (ESCJERPS) Vol. 1 ISSN: Print 2811-2717 https://journal.escetjerps.com expectations. In the same way, if students are properly oriented on the use of libraries, their performance will certainly improve for better. Clemente (2013) carried out a study on the influence of library on the academic achievement of students and she concluded that the use of library is important for better output in academic pursuit, the above assertion, no doubt is applicable to use of libraries. Of recent, many researchers have devoted time to investigating provision of information services and its adequacy Oladukun (2002) Msuya and Maro (2002). They found that inadequate provision of library and information services result in poor achievement of students. This study has deviated from provision of psychological and intellectual factors that affect library usage in tertiary institutions. Factors that Affect Library Usage Students are exposed to use library and its services. Lack of usage or interest varies and according to Hoskinson and Harvey (1398), feelings, emotions, loneliness and poor intellectual ability affect library usage, which results in poor achievement. Methodology Sample: Subjects were 230 students (130 females and 100 males) from 10 ranndomly selected departments out of the existing schools in Enugu State College of Education (Technical) that are in their second year and have taken first semester examinations. Instrument: Four attitude scales on family background, economic background, sex and age and intellectual competence developed by researchers were used to gather data in this study. Each consisted of two sections. In section A, the students were requested to provide personal information on sex, age, background, parents’ education and year of study and grade point average. Section B of the instrument contained 10 attitudinal items on family background, age, sex, and intellectual competence respectively beside a four-point scale in which students were requested to indicate the extent of their agreement or otherwise to each item. Attitude instructions were adopted for the study. Data Collection and Analysis: Data collection did not lend themselves to rigid statistical analysis. Consequently, only appropriate descriptive statistics and the x2 test were employed in analysis of the data. In all, 215 of the forms given out were returned. Considering that some of them were administered during examination period, the 93 percent response rate was sufficiently high. Result: Considering the limited scope of this paper, only a few of the typical examples can be highlighted here. The attitude is presented first. The items on attitude were selected to reflect only temporary attitudes, while the other section contains personal data items. Here are some of the attitudinal behaviors for varying reasons, gleaned from students’ response. 50 | P a g e A Study of Some Factors in the Students’ Attitude Towards Library Usage and their Academic Achievements in Enugu State College of Education (Technical) Eze, Hycinth Osondu; Chukwu, Ebele Georgina a) If my family has reading materials, why should I use library. b) Students go to library to make friends. c) If I go to the library, boys will disturb me. d) If I am an intelligent student, why should I use the library. e) I cannot concentrate in the library. f) I am satisfied with my Ipad phone than library. g) My parents urge me to be using the library. h) If I go to the library, girls disturb me. i) I can be a good student without using the library. j) I am shy to read in an open space like the library. Indeed, it would appear that there are attitudinal behaviors with almost every student in the college. In response to items on questionnaire, many students said that the usage of library is influenced by attitude. Others opined that students ‘background influences the usage while others claimed that activities in the library essentially affect students’ attitude in library usage. Of a great note observed that students who have got high grade point average in their courses use libraries, it means libraries are still very necessary. Of more relevance to this study were the responses of students to the items asking them to indicate their general feeling about Ipad. Some 56 percent of the respondents indicated that they still believe in Ipad as against the use of library. About a quarter of the respondents said that they were not comfortable with the way boys and girls use libraries. Forty-nine respondents said that some students achieve very well without using the libraries. But there were a handful of the students who said they still believe in library use. As to being shy in the use of library, some of the students’ responses vary. Some are of the opinion that the use of library does not really matter. Respondents were also asked to give an overall evaluation of attitude by ticking any of the options and were the trends observed; ninety percent said that attitude influences library usage, 60 said backgrounds sometimes affects, 36 believed that sex and age are true, while 15 said, lack of concentration. The students’ responses to the relevant item on the questionnaire indicates that in the Nigerian institutions, students view library differently. It is seen as a place where they may not get exactly what they want. 51 | P a g e ESCET Journal of Educational Research and Policy Studies (ESCJERPS) Vol. 1 ISSN: Print 2811-2717 https://journal.escetjerps.com Table 1 Background effects Gender Age Intellectual O 91 60 36 15 E 50.5 50.5 50.5 50.5 N=202 The attitudes of the students were quite to those of other schools. In their responses to the item the X2 test carried out on these frequencies yielded a value of 47.78 which is significant at the 0.01 level. Asked what they thought accounts for this, respondents severally gave such explanation as not properly guided, intimidating books, desire to be on oneself; a reflection of what the school wants. Perhaps more relevant from the point of view of the orientation of the present study were the responses to items 8 and 9 on the power of parents to control students. Discussion: From the sample of attitude and the views of the students presented in this paper, it would appear that to a considerable extent, Nigerian students are influenced by parents, peers, and background in their attitude towards the use of libraries. It would not be any surprise that Nigerian students see use of libraries as a transition or an end to a process (studies in school). What appear new in the study is conception of gender which tends to be a source of distraction to students. It is shown that students who use libraries tend to achieve more than others. The implications of the study/these findings for counseling are not very obvious, but the contention is that these aspects of Nigerian students ‘personality are capable of influencing school guidance and counseling programmes and libraries in a number of ways. 1. Students ordinarily have problems. They consult Ipad, internet centres for information, but many find it difficult to use libraries. The school counselor will use this study to reinvigorate the way students are handled. 2. As the average Nigerian students hold adults in suspicion and believe that others can be of harm to him/her, they often tend to believe in themselves and do what pleases them. The parents will benefit from the study, that students rely much on themselves than what parents would want them to be. 3. The Nigerian society is largely authoritarian and the younger members are brought up to obey orders implicitly. Thus suppression is common and the one who is able to keep his/her feelings and plans to himself be regarded as mature. The principles of school counseling programmes emphasize different values from their views. 52 | P a g e A Study of Some Factors in the Students’ Attitude Towards Library Usage and their Academic Achievements in Enugu State College of Education (Technical) Eze, Hycinth Osondu; Chukwu, Ebele Georgina Suggestions/Recommendation The counselors, teachers and libraries who design the school programmes, and the students who are expected to benefit from them are not likely to develop appropriate attitudes towards libraries as a result of some aspects of their personality revealed in the result of this study. In order that schools could achieve its objective in institutions, the following recommendations are put forward to guide its principles and practice. i) School teachers should establish warm and reassuring relationship with the students and complement the efforts of other agencies in the society. ii) Deliberate efforts should be made to ensure that both lecturers and counselors are very well trained to re-orientate Nigerian students. iii) The policy of mass enlightenment is needed in schools. Conclusion Most findings of this study tend to corroborate available findings on Nigerian students’ attitude. However, in view of the vast cultural diversities that constitute the Nigerian institutions and in view of the rapid social and cultural changes taking place in Nigeria, the results of this study could be subject to zonal variations. Only a series of systematic studies conducted in various parts of the country can succeed in forming the basis for theories that can be generalized over the whole of the country. Any revision of the outcome of this study must await the results of such studies. References Aguilar, William and Kascus, Maria (1991), Introduction (To-Off) Campus Library Programs In High Education. Library Trend 39(4)367-74 Clemente, D.H. (2013), Instructional Practices and Students Achievements. A Correlation from a Study. A Correlation from a Study of Math’s Curricula. University of Denver Morgride College of Education. Holmberg, B. (1998), Concept of Library in Distance Education, International Perspective London Routledge Ogunjide, B. (2004), Teaching and Achievement in Schools. New Castle, Hill Paris. Oladoitun, O.S. (2002), The Practice of Distance Librarianship In Africa Library Review. 51(6) 295-300.