Internet Services, Library Week/Day Activities and Library Usage: A Study

Abstract

This study focused on the availability of internet services and library week/day activities as marketing strategies for library usage in Federal Universities in the South-South zone of Nigeria. Descriptive research was used in the study. A total of 1,510 registered student library users and 68 librarians were involved in the study. Two researcher-developed questionnaires were used. Results indicated that, in the six components of internet services marketing strategy, the mean % positive response were 59.8, 20.4, 16.7, and 67.9 for Universities of Benin, Calabar, Port Harcourt and Uyo, respectively for librarians and 43.4, 17.2, 13.4, and 31.1 for Universities of Benin, Calabar, Port Harcourt and Uyo, respectively for students. In the six components of library week/day activities, the mean % positive response were 45.1, 15.8, 11.6, and 57.1 for the Universities of Benin, Calabar, Port Harcourt and Uyo, respectively for librarians and 17.0, 18.5, 14.9, and 21.9 for the Universities of Benin, Calabar, Port Harcourt and Uyo, respectively for students. The implications of these findings are discussed. In addition, independent t-test indicated that these two marketing strategies had a significant positive influence on students’ use of the library showing that the effective use of these marketing strategies would enhance library patronage.