Awareness and utilization of emerging technologies for effective services in selected federal university libraries in Southeastern Nigeria

This study examines the extent of awareness and utilization of emerging technologies for effective services in selected federal university libraries in Southeastern, Nigeria. Four research questions guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design to study a target population of 429 library staff from three selected federal university libraries in Southeastern, Nigeria. A proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 215. The study employed questionnaire for gathering data, which was administered through Google Forms on staff WhatsApp platforms. A total of 136 responses were collected and analyzed using frequency count, mean, and standard deviation. The study‟s findings revealed that library staff in the study areas are aware of the emerging technologies in libraries with an overall mean score of 2.91. However, the mean score of 2.43 on the extent of utilization implies that most of the emerging technologies are not adequately utilized in the study areas. Some of the identified challenges to inadequate utilization of emerging technologies in the study areas were lack of skilled personnel ( =3.44), poor staff training ( =3.34) and poor bandwidth and internet connectivity ( =3.27). The study recommends sensitization campaigns, regular training and re-training of library staff, provision of alternative and reliable power sources, robust internet connectivity and increased bandwidth to improve awareness and usage of emerging technologies among staff and students of the studied area. The study also recommends that government bodies, institutions, and other relevant stakeholders should prioritize budget allocations for technology adoption and usage in libraries.