Challenges facing the Use of Electronic Databases for Academic Activities by Undergraduate Students in University Libraries in Kano State

Abstract

This study investigated the challenges faced by undergraduate students towards the use of electronic databases in university libraries in Kano State. The objectives of the study were to identify the types of electronic databases available in university libraries in Kano State, to find out the challenges of undergraduate students towards the use of electronic databases. The study adopted a quantitative research approach using a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from the respondents. The population of the study was thirty thousand, two hundred and one (30,201) undergraduate students in universities in Kano State. A proportionate sampling technique was used to calculate the sample size of the study. Three hundred and seventy-nine (379) undergraduate students were selected to form the sample size for the study. A self-developed questionnaire was the instrument used to collect data with Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient results of .903 (90.5%) with 161 items. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics; while chi-square test using SPSS version 26 to was used to determine the relationship between the variables of the study. Findings from the study revealed that university libraries in Kano State provides adequate number of electronic databases which are very relevant to the student but fairly accessible. The study also discovered that the perception of the undergraduate students towards the use of electronic databases was positive as the findings established that some of the databases; Science Direct, Proquest, Jstor, EBSCOHOST and Hinari are most positively perceived with the majority of 50 (47%) of them. likewise the study indicated there is a statistically significant relationship between perception and use of electronic databases.