A SURVEY OF LIBRARIES SOFTWARE USAGE IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN ADAMAWA STATE

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to analyse the usage of software in academic libraries, specifically focusing on selected universities in Adamawa State. A survey design was employed to gather data for this investigation. The study was guided by a set of four research questions. The population for this study consisted of all librarians from a specific university in Yola, Adamawa State. The sample used in the study included 60 university librarians from five different universities in the same area. The researcher developed a questionnaire called the Software Usage Questionnaire (SUQ) for this study. The SUQ underwent validation by three librarians affiliated with the chosen university. The data collected and organised was examined through the use of frequency tables and percentages. The study revealed that academic libraries in Nigerian universities have access to various software programmes, such as KOHA, Virtua, Microsoft Access, Alice, CDS/ISIS, SLAM, X – LIB, DSpace, ALICE, and E-Lib. The findings suggest that there are several reasons for adopting software programmes in academic libraries in Nigeria. These reasons include easy access to information, elimination of repetition, accuracy and timeliness, speedy information retrieval, and increased efficiency. Based on the study's findings, the researcher suggests that the government, particularly the National Universities Commission (NUC) in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), should prioritise the establishment and enforcement of policies and guidelines regarding the automation of Nigerian university libraries. It is important to prioritise the provision of regular training and retraining on the use of library software packages for both library staff and users.