An investigation of the Information Literacy Training in Tertiary Institution Libraries in the South-South and South-East, Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to investigate the extent tertiary institution (University, Colleges of Education and Polytechnic) libraries in Nigeria are providing information literacy (IL)programmes.Librarians from 29 academic libraries participated in the survey which adopted an online method. The study revealed that librarians in tertiary institutions in Nigeria have different understandings of the term 'information literacy'. The study also revealed that information literacy training in the tertiary institution libraries are mainly catalogue/OPAC instruction, how to evaluate information, how to use database, how to define information task, and advance searching skills. The study further revealed that academic libraries in Nigeria mainly deliver information literacy training through face-to-face in the library training room and face-to-face in a venue external to library. Factors such as lack of interest on the part of students, teachers, and management, lack of personnel, lack of facilities, and policy concerning ILprogrammes were mentioned by the respondents as challenges militating against provision of IL training in academic libraries in Nigeria. The findings will inform information literacy instructors, or library directors to re-design their information literacy programmes in their libraries in order to equip the students with the needed skills.