The aim of this study was to investigate the extent of access to and use of library electronic resources and their implications on remote users at the National Open University of Nigeria. Specific objectives were formulated to: find out the different types of electronic resources available in the NOUN Library; investigate academic staffs’ and students’ level of awareness of electronic resources available in the NOUN library; explore the various types of electronic resources used by academic staffs and students of NOUN; find out how academic staffs and students access and use electronic resources in NOUN library; analyze the policies that enable access to and use of electronic resources by academic staffs and students at NOUN; find out the perceptions and attitudes of academic staffs and students toward the electronic resources available in the NOUN library; and identify the challenges associated with access to and use of electronic resources by the academic staffs and students of NOUN. The study adopted a quantitative research approach and survey research method was employed. The study targeted 1,680 population samples of which include 1,513 Students, 140 Academic staffs, and 27 Academic Librarians. Probability (Stratified random and systematic) sampling and nonprobability (purposive) sampling methods were adopted. Two sample frames were used: Students - classified into subgroups (Level) in each selected study centers and Academic staff - classified into subgroups (academic staff/academic librarian). Online (Google form) self-administered closed-ended questionnaire was sent to participants’ email. Data collected were analyzed through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). This finding revealed that electronic journals and electronic books are readily available in the NOUN library. Academic staff most likely, interact with the library staff or visit the library to be aware of library electronic resources, however, the students struggled to be aware through personal efforts. NOUN library creates awareness through the email and notice boards. The academic staff and students access and use the library electronic resources for various multidimensional purposes, however, there is a low patronage of these electronic resources by academic staff and students as less than 40% of academic staff and students access and use the library electronic resources. Electricity outage, low internet connectivity speed and high cost of access to internet were presented as challenges encountered while accessing and using electronic resources. Recommendations: the library management should develop awareness programmes that is appropriate for an ODL university community through the use of modern communication tools, and emphasy should be on the use of electronic resources in the university curriculum. / Information Science

This study was conducted at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and it considered the information literacy and lifelong learning skills of the students in the University. The National Open University is an Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system that encompasses education for all, education for life, lifelong learning, life-wide education, adult education, mass education, media-based education, self-learning and part-time studies. The ability to recognise the need for the available information, retrieve, evaluate and use this information is a hallmark towards the direction of information literacy in any society. Developing lifelong learners is central to the mission of higher education institutions like universities, especially for distance learners. The purpose of the study was to investigate information literacy skills amongst the students in the National Open University. This study utilized the case study method of quantitative research mixed with a qualitative strand in its data collection process. The dominant quantitative approach (questionnaire) was used to investigate the information literacy and lifelong learning skills of the students in the National Open University whilst the qualitative approach (interview and document analysis) was used to collect qualitative data needed to clarify areas that were not adequately covered in the quantitative data collection phase. This study used the questionnaire, interview and document analysis as its data collection methods. The study was conducted in five selected study centres out of the seventy-two centres of the National Open University. This study utilized the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula, where the sample size of 384 was chosen because the total number of the sampled students’ population was 170 830. From the quantitative perspective of the study, data analysis involved the use of simple frequency and percentage distribution, mean, median and standard deviation. The descriptive statistics were generated on all the variables in the instrument and this was accomplished with the aid of a computer software programme known as the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. A thematic method of data analysis was used for this qualitative strand of the study. The results of the study revealed that the information literacy library facilities available at NOUN were course materials and University websites. The study confirmed that there were no facilities in relation to information literacy development in all the schools and there was no form of information literacy integration curriculum in the University. The study established that there were no information literacy programmes put in place to support, promote and create awareness of information literacy for lifelong learning and no methods were put in place to assess or measure the information literacy competency levels of the students in the National Open University of Nigeria. The study revealed that the link of collaboration between the academics in the school and the professional librarians was weak and not coordinated. The documents analysed brought to light information that provided insights on information literacy development in the University. In the documents analysed, University documents were in place concerning information literacy development but these resources only stated in print, the development processes towards information. The results of the study revealed that there was still so much work to be done with regards to the implementation of policies by the University management and staff towards information literacy development. The students in the University also have a role to play in developing their information literacy skills for lifelong learning. A recommendation that was made from this study was for the University management to integrate information literacy to become part of the university curriculum for all students. Information literacy (IL) policies should be formulated and channelled to support IL education in the University so that students will attain the necessary competencies and skills needed to access, process and assess information. Arising from the results gained from this study, it was recommended that information literacy educators should be trained in the area of information resources and ICT in order to enhance job performance. There is a serious need for the University to engage the librarians through regular training and re-training through professional development workshops. The library staff in conjunction with the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit of the University should create seminars and workshop for students and staff towards the improvement of information literacy instruction. For effective IL implementation in a distance learning environment, the University should work towards developing an information literacy course that is designed for asynchronous online delivery. A further empirical study on the development and implementation of information literacy skills for students in the University is also recommended. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)