Assessing Librarians’ Utilisation of Library 3.0 For Information Service Delivery in Public Universities Libraries in Kaduna State

Abstract

The study investigated librarians’ utilisation of Library 3.0 for information service delivery in public university libraries in Kaduna State. The study was guided by three objectives, which were to ascertain the types of Library 3.0 technologies available in public university libraries in Kaduna State, to identify the information services provided in these libraries and the extent of utilization of library 3.0 for service delivery. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The total population consisted of one hundred and thirty-eight (138) academic librarians in public university libraries in Kaduna State. Total enumeration technique was employed. Questionnaire and observation checklist were the instruments used for data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that Library 3.0 tools were moderately utilised, with high usage of basic digital platforms like OPAC and Google tools, but limited use of advanced tools like chatbots and Moodle. The finding also revealed that librarians provide services like reference, lending, and information literacy, but modern digital services like current awareness, selective dissemination of information (SDI), and AI-driven support are largely underutilised. Similarly, the study revealed the extent of librarians utilization of Library 3.0 which the outcome was not overwhelming as expected from the librarians. The study recommended among others that public university libraries should upgrade and diversify their services to include personalized, user-centered, and AI-enhanced services like SDI, chatbots, and mobile current awareness platforms, and institutions should organise regular, hands-on training programs for librarians, covering areas such as data management, AI tools, social media engagement, and collaborative platforms.