Abstract

Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) is an information retrieval tool, introduced to aid students, lectures and every other person in retrieving information. In spite of this, it is observed that Babcock University students know less about OPAC effectiveness and it use. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 455 final year student from the four schools. The instrument used for the study was Questionnaire tagged “Students Perception of Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) Effectiveness Questionnaire (SPOEQ)”. Four Hundred and Ninety-Two (492) students responded making the response rate 92 percent. The finding reveals that student use Online Public Access Catalogue with minimal knowledge about its effectiveness. This revealed with the ranked top with mean and standard deviation scores of (x = 2.78, SD = 1.219) given by responses that OPAC provides wider range of information. This followed by OPAC makes access to information faster with the mean and standard deviation scores of (x = 2.66, SD = 1.518), followed by OPAC helps to improve my research work with the mean and standard deviation scores of (x = 2.48, SD = 1.304), this is followed by it helps to obtain current information with the mean and standard deviation scores of (x =2.36, SD = 1.239). It was also discovered that network problem is a barrier to OPAC use ranked top with mean and standard deviation scores of (x = 2.19, SD = 1.275), followed by light fluctuation hinders information retrieval through OPAC with mean and standard deviation of (x = 2.12, SD = 1.219). Therefore, it is recommended that the library administrators organize periodical orientation programme so that users would benefit from the technology. User education or training on how to use the technology would empower the users and effective utilization possible. If that is not done, all the money spent on purchasing and installation of the equipment would be a waste.

Keywords: OPAC, Students, Effectiveness, Library