University of Ibadan Library Systems
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Item Technology ease of use and adoption for open and distance learning: challenges from rural Nigerian communities(2025) Oseghale, O.; Babarinde, B. A.Perceived ease of use is a critical determinant of technology adoption and effective utilization, particularly in educational contexts. While previous studies have primarily linked ease of use to factors such as system design, training, and user support, the influence of technology availability, accessibility, individual differences, and geographic location has received comparatively little attention. This study examined the perceived availability, accessibility, and ease of use of technology among Open and Distance Learning (ODL) students residing in rural communities across Nigeria. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 453 students through a structured questionnaire designed to measure their perceptions of technology-related variables. Descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions, means, and percentages, were employed for data analysis. The findings indicated that ODL technologies were generally perceived as available (mean = 3.31 > 3.0), accessible (mean = 3.12 > 3.0), and relatively easy to use (mean = 3.03 > 3.0). However, students reported several challenges that hindered effective technology utilization, such as erratic power supply, poor internet connectivity, high data costs, and financial constraints. These infrastructural, economic, and skills-related barriers were found to significantly limit both access to and effective use of ODL technologies. The study concludes that improving technology availability and usability requires targeted investment in digital infrastructure, affordable connectivity, and continuous digital literacy training. It further recommends that ODL platforms be designed with user-centered principles to promote inclusivity and ensure equitable access to higher education opportunities for learners in underserved rural communitiesItem Managing deviant behaviours among undergraduate student users of Federal University Libraries in Southwest, Nigeria(2022) Oseghale, O.This study investigated the causes, prevalence and effect of deviant behaviours among undergraduate student users of Federal university libraries in Southwest, Nigeria. Using a descriptive survey research design, 108 librarians from the six Federal university libraries participated in the study. A self-devised structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data collected were analysed and results presented using table of descriptive statistics, frequencies and percentages. The study revealed that deviant behaviours are opportunistic crimes caused by situational factors including a pervasive view that there is little or no danger of being caught, Porous library security, Poor illumination, lack of vigilance on the part of the employees and feeling that there is little or no punishment when caught. The findings of the study showed that the prevalent deviant behaviours which include stealing, mutilation, defacement of library materials, rudeness to library staff and misuse of library computers, can affect sustainable library growth, destroy library materials, frustrate librarians efforts, affect library image and cost taxpayers money. They reduce library’s service capacity, quality of library resources/ services, increase educational inequality, discourage library usage and reduce users’ perceived value of library services. The study suggests that situational crimes occur when the perceived cost is low and the net benefits associated with the crime is high. Therefore, managing situational crimes in the library implies achieving a balance between situational factors that increase the criminal’s perceived cost and those that decrease the criminal’s perceived benefit. The study recommends the establishment of student disciplinary and counselling units in addition to increasing the cost of crime and the risk of getting caught by increasing library security and imposing stiffer penalties for offenders in order to minimising crime commissioning among undergraduate students in federal university libraries.Item Digital information literacy skills and use of electronic resources by humanities graduate students at Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan, Nigeria(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2023) Oseghale, O.; Ola, C. O.Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of digital information literacy (DIL) skill and use of electronic resources by humanities graduate students at Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses the survey research design and 200 graduate students from the 12 departments that made up the Faculty of Arts in the University of Ibadan participated in the study. A self-devised structured questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. A pilot questionnaire was first sent to a small random sample of the respondents, with feedback used to fine-tune the final questionnaire. Respondents were requested to rate their level of proficiency in the use of digital devices, web-based tasks, information finding, evaluation and utilisation of available e-resources and challenges encountered. Ethical consideration of informed consent, institutional permission, confidentiality and anonymity of participants was strictly followed. Data collected were analysed and result presented using descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentage, mean and inferential statistics such as regression analysis and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient were used to test the research question and hypothesis, respectively. Findings – Humanities graduate students at the University of Ibadan possessed high level of DIL skills in respect of digital devices usage, web-based tasks, information finding and evaluation, but low in e-resources utilisation. This study identified inadequate knowledge of e-resources availability, irregular internet access, inadequate training on e-resources utilisation, inadequate staff assistance, lack of continuity in e-resources subscription and paucity of local contents in the e-resources as main challenges encountered by graduate students in the use of e-resources. To ensure that those who can most benefit from e-resources utilisation are not further marginalised, this study recommends that active steps should be taken to increase e-resources awareness, regular internet access, training/support, continuity of e-resources subscription and increased local content so that all may benefit from the opportunities of the information age. Originality/value – This paper has demonstrated that DIL skills can enhance effective utilisation of eresources if users have adequate knowledge of e-resources availability, regular internet access, adequate training and assistance on e-resources utilisation, continuity in database subscription and adequate local contents e-resources.Item Teaching high school students to use online consumer health resources on mobile phones: outcome of a pilot project in Oyo State, Nigeria(Journal of the Medical Library Association, 2019-04) Ajuwon, G.A.; Ajuwon, A.J.This project evaluated the outcomes of training high school students to deliver consumer health information to their peers. A total of 120 students selected from 7 high schools in Oyo state, Nigeria, received 8 hours of training on consumer health literacy and peer education, which is a process of training volunteers to deliver health information to their peers. The training included hands-on activities using the students’ own mobile phones. After the training, peer educators distributed leaflets, showed consumer health information (CHI) websites to others, counseled and referred fellow students, and submitted forms describing these activities. All peer educators completed pre- and post-tests, and 10 were interviewed 4 months after training. After the training, the authors found improvement in the trainees’ knowledge of CHI resources and understanding of their roles as peer educators. Most peer educators (72.5%) delivered CHI to their peers after the training, primarily through sharing websites on teen health and other CHI resources. In the interviews, all peer educators reported direct benefits from participating in the project, and many stated that they knew where to find reliable health information. Volunteer high school students can be trained to deliver CHI to their peers using mobile phones.Item International Perspectives and Initiatives(Health Information & Libraries Journal,, 2015) Ajuwon, G.A.; Sulemani, S.B.; Afarikumah, Ebenezer; Aggrey, S.B.; Ousmane, DialloThis is the 15th in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the 21st century. It is the third of four articles pertaining to different regions in the African continent. The present issue focuses on countries in West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal). The next feature column will investigate trends in North Africa.Item Internet Accessibility and Use of Online Health Information Resources by Doctors in Training Healthcare Institutions in Nigeria(Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)., 2015-05-20) Ajuwon, G. A.The Internet is a global network of networks that enables computers of all kinds to directly and transparently communicate throughout the world. It is described as a global network and an 'Information Super-highway' (Computer Hope 2010). It is defined as a world-wide broadcasting capability, a mechanism for information dissemination, and a medium for collaboration and interaction between individuals and their computers without regard to geographical location (The Internet Society 2010). The internet is indeed a major technological breakthrough of our time. The Internet is a popular source of health information for health care providers and consumers. It has been recognized by many as an important mechanism for transforming medical care. The internet affords healthcare practitioners unprecedented access to huge volume, high quality, current and relevant health care information. Among currently available technologies only the Internet has the potential to deliver universal access to up-to-date health care information (Godlee, Pakenham-Wash et al. 2004). Accurate and up-to-date information is vital to maintain quality of health care. During the past decade, many health information resources have been developed and available online for use by health care professionals. The Internet has been used by healthcare professionals to obtain and share large amounts of medical information and to monitor diseases. The knowledge of the Internet as an important health information resource for physicians have greatly improved during the past decade as a result of patterns of use and medical impact measures (Bennett, Casebeer et al. 2004 ). The Internet has enabled health care practitioners to obtain and share health information and to track and monitor diseases (Centre for Disease Control 2003). In addition, it has made it easy and possible for physicians throughout the world to collaborate, communicate, and interact with each other (Manhas 2008). The Internet has brought about flexible communication between patients and doctors by empowering patients with information. It has also revolutionized the compilation, assessment and distribution of information relating to healthcare (Slattery 2008). In the last two decades, there has been a tremendous increase in the volume of healthcare information published online. The amount of online health information available to users keep growing on daily basis than can ever be imagined ten years back. A great variety of information resources are now available and accessible online. These include among others search engines (Google, Yahoo, Alta Vista, Lycos, Mama, etc) databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, EMBASE, African Index Medicus), portals, gateways, digital archives, libraries and institutional repositories. Recent, reliable, quality and up-to-date healthcare information are also available in websites of academic and health institutions, professional associations, governmental and non-governmental organizations. In addition, some governmental and not-for-profit organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Bioline International have digital archives for free full-text articles. Also available online are medical dictionaries, encyclopedias, abstracts and indexes, bibliographies, atlases, videos and drug information sources. Many of these information resources that provide accurate and reliable health care information for medical doctors are results of increase in the pace of healthcare research (Mckibbon, Fridsma et al. 2007) Information is worthless if it is not used. Availability of information is one thing, access to and use of the available information is another (Odutola 2003). According to Dervin and Nilan, “information use” is a process whereby the user tries to make sense of discontinuous reality in a series of information use behavior (Dervin and Nilan 2003). Systems that are not utilized do not result in expected efficiency and effectiveness gains (Agarwal and Prasad 1999). Availability of eresources has changed what users actually read and use; they tend to use what is easily accessible (Renwick 2005). The use of information varies among individuals, and professionals depending on their information needs and status. An important consideration in the process of health information gathering is accessibility and use of such information.Item HINARI Usage Patterns and Trends in Nigerian Universities in Five Years (2010-2014)(African Journal of Biomedical Research, 2016-09) Ajuwon, G.A.; Titiloye, M.A.The digital divide is a global challenge. The Health Internetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) is one of the most successful efforts aimed at bridging the digital divide in access to health information in developing countries. Despite the availability of this resource free of charge to not-for-profit institutions in developing countries, few studies are available that investigate its usage patterns and trend in Nigeria. Data for the study were obtained from HINARI server located in the WHO Library in Geneva. The data were the yearly log and statistics of usage of HINARI in universities in Nigeria from 2010 to 2014. The collected log data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Descriptive statistics including frequency counts, percentages and bar charts were used. More (68.0%) public than private (32.0%) universities in Nigeria are registered with HINARI. Of the registered institutions, (37.0%) are located in the South-West zone. A total of 201,110 user’s accessed HINARI resources in universities in the six zones across the country during the five-year period. While universities in the South-West zone recorded the highest (63.4%) users, those in the North-East had the lowest (3.1%). The highest (97,229) number of HINARI users in Nigerian universities was recorded in 2012 while the lowest figure occurred in 2014. This study shows that HINARI was used in universities in all five geo-political zones in Nigeria however, usage trends revealed a sharp decline in 2014. Further studies are recommended to determine alternative sources used by students, researchers and healthcare providers to meet their information needs.Item Influence of Internet accessibility and demographic factors on utilization of web-based health information resources by resident doctors in Nigeria(African Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 2014-09) Ajuwon, G.A.; Popoola, S.O.The internet is a huge library with avalanche of information resources including healthcare information. There are numerous studies on use of electronic resources by healthcare providers including medical practitioners however, there is a dearth of information on the patterns of use of web-based health information resource by resident doctors. This study therefore investigates the influence of internet accessibility and demographic factors on utilization of web-based health information resources by resident doctors in tertiary healthcare institutions in Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. The population of study consist of medical doctors undergoing residency training in 13 tertiary healthcare institutions in South-West Nigeria. The tertiary healthcare institutions are Federal Medical Centres, University Teaching Hospitals and Specialist Hospitals (Neuropsychiatric and Orthopaedic). A pretested, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment correlation and multiple regression analysis. The mean age of the respondents was 34 years and males were in the majority (69.0%). A total of 96.1% respondents had access to the Internet. E-mail (x=5.40, SD=0.91), Google ( =5.26, SD=1.38), Yahoo (2 =5.15, SD=4.44) were used weekly by the respondents. Preparation for Seminar/Grand Round presentation ( 2 =8.4, SD=1.92), research ( =7.8, SD=2.70) and communication (2 =7.6, SD=2.60) were ranked high as purposes for use of web-based information resources. There is a strong, positive and significant relationship between internet accessibility and utilization of web-based health information resources (r=0.628, p<0.05). Internet accessibility (B=0.911) and demographic variables: gender B=-2.027), designation (B=-0.343) educational qualification (B=2.4 1 1) significantly influence utilisation of web-based health information resources of the respondents. A great majority of the respondents have access to the Internet and used web-based health information resources more for academic purposes than patient care. Training is required to promote use of internet health information resources among resident doctors. The findings of this study will be useful to the management of the 13 healthcare institutions regarding provision of appropriate internet facilities that will enhance access and use of web-based health information resources by resident doctors.Item Predatory Publishing and the Dilemma of the Nigerian Academic(African Journal of Biomedical Research, 2018-01) Ajuwon, G.A; Ajuwon, A.JPublication through the open access model has provided unrestricted global access to the latest scientific findings to anyone who has access to the internet. Although open access publishing was originally promoted because of the ‘public good’ it promises to deliver, concerns are being raised about this mode of publishing because of the emergence of dubious practices by publishers whose primary interest is profit and not the promotion of access to scientific knowledge. Predatory open access publishing is a phenomenon widespread in developing countries. This article summarizes the published literature on predatory open access publishing, discusses its potential impact on scholarship in Nigeria and offers suggestions to address the problem.Item Influence of motivational factors on utilisation of Internet health information resources by resident doctors in Nigeria(Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2015) Ajuwon, G. A.; Popoola, S. O.This study aims to determine the influence of motivational factors: perceived ease of use (PEU), perceived enjoyment (PEJ) and perceived usefulness (PU) on utilisation of Internet health information resources among resident doctors in tertiary health-care institutions in Nigeria. The Internet has become a major source of health information for practitioners and the general public. Despite the availability of health information resources on the Internet, some resources are underutilised. There are numerous studies on Internet use among health-care workers; however, there is a dearth of information on motivational factors influencing utilisation of Internet health information resources among resident doctors in Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was used. Total enumeration technique was adopted to cover 1,280 resident doctors in 13 tertiary health-care institutions in southwestern Nigeria. A validated, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire has four sections covering the demographic profile of the respondents, PEU, PEJ and PU. Four hypotheses were tested at the p 0.0 1 level of significance. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation and multiple regression analysis. There were more males (69.0 per cent) than females (31 per cent); respondents mean age was 34 years. The result revealed that PEU(r =0.181, p 0.01), PEJ(r = 0.166, p 0.01) and PU(r = 0.121, p 0.01) have significant relationship with utilisation of Internet health information resources by the respondents. Also, PEU, PEJ and PU collectively (F = 15.366, df = 3; 897, p <0.01) have significant influence on utilisation of Internet health information resources of the respondents. Individually, PEU (B = 0.864, df = 897, t = 3.90, p < 0.01) and PEJ (B = 0.349, df =897, t =3.060, p [lt]0.01) were found to have significant influence on utilisation while PU (B =0.232, df = 897, t = 1.328, p> 0.01) does not significantly influence the utilisation of Internet health information resource of the respondents. One major implication of this study is that system designers and web content developers should design programs and websites that are compatible with the user’s abilities. Medical librarians have a role to play in providing quality health content that is easy to navigate and pleasurable to use. Both the institutions and the government have a role to play in providing information and communication technology facilities to enable doctors access relevant health information resources easily. Practical implications – Introduction of information literacy training in the residency programme or inclusion as a component of the continuing professional development will enable resident doctors to know relevant online searching tools and search techniques for accessing health information resources which will be useful to their work. This will in turn increase their PU of Internet resources. Health sciences librarians (medical librarians) in the various institutions/centres have a role to play in training resident doctors on how to access, retrieve and evaluate online health information. Librarians should also train resident doctors on how to search evidence-based Medicine resources such as the Cochrane Library and PubMed Clinical Queries and Critical Appraisal of the medical literature to make informed decision in the management of their patients and for research purposes. They should be trained on how to organise bibliographic references using reference manager tools such as Endnote, Zotero or Mendeley. Social implications – The social implication of this findings is that systems that are easy to use should be designed, so that doctors will be able to access relevant information for research and patient care for better health outcomes. The easier and enjoyable the system is to use, the more resident doctors will access and use health information resources to improve their service and save more lives. Originality/value – This study examined three motivational factors (PEU, PEJ and PU) that influence the utilisation of Internet health information resources by resident doctors in tertiary health-care institutions in Nigeria. The result revealed that collectively PEU, PEJ and PU have significant relationship with the utilisation of Internet health information resources, but PEU and PEJ are the main drivers of use of Internet health information resources among the resident doctors studied. This study adds to the literature of motivational factors influencing utilisation of Internet health information resources by resident doctors in southwestern Nigeria. This paper is original because, to the best of our knowledge, there is no other study on motivational factors influencing Internet use among resident doctors in Nigeria.