Information and communication technology (ICT) utilisation skills of undergraduate law students in Nigerian university law libraries

Abstract

The paper investigated ICT utilisation skill of undergraduate law students in Nigerian university law libraries. The objectives of the study were to determine whether ICT sources were available to law students; the frequency of use thereof; how the students sought information on the Internet and the challenges faced by law students using ICT sources in the law libraries. The sampling size consisted of 12 universities, 1534 law students, 12 deans and 12 librarians. Questionnaires were administered to the students, and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from deans and librarians. Observation was also done in the 12 law libraries. Data collected were analysed with Excel Statistical version, while data from the interviews were transcribed and arranged into themes for content analysis. Findings revealed that 90% of the respondents were ICT literate and could independently search information using ICT facilities from the Internet, though most of the students neither accessed nor used the law library ICT sources. The paper recommends that ICT skill training is included in the law curriculum as a compulsory subject of the law faculties.