Lecturers’ use of Online Access to Research in Environment (OARE) Database in Federal Universities, in Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated Lecturers’ Use of Online Access to Research in Environment (OARE) Database in Federal Universities in South East Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted. The population size consisted of hundred and eight five (185) respondents of all the lecturers in three universities that their libraries subscribed to OARE database. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Data obtained were analysed using arithmetic mean. Findings of the study revealed that junior environmental lecturer understood more the meaning and use of OARE than senior lecturers, meanwhile, while senior lecturers understood more the requirements of OARE. Environmental science lecturers also agreed that OARE provide extensive link to additional related resources, but the average use of OARE in support of their teaching activities, administrative purpose or lecture preparation is low. Junior lecturers were more active and regular in the use of OARE database than the senior lecturers. Hence this work recommended that it should be included as part of librarians’ duties to give orientations at least annually to lecturers on helpful databases like OARE, that can aid their research and academic work