Internet Service Quality and Use of Electronic Information Resources by Postgraduate Students in Public Universities in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Electronic Information Resources (EIR) is now becoming the major source of information in tertiary institutions. Libraries in tertiary institutions now uses EIR for information service delivery. Meanwhile, the quality of the internet matters when retrieving information from internet-enabled EIR. This study therefore seeks to investigate internet service quality and use of electronic information resources by postgraduate students in public universities in Osun state, Nigeria. A correlational type of survey research design was adopted while the study population comprised 8,486 students from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and Osun State University (UNIOSUN). A sample of 400 students was drawn using Slovins formular. Data were gathered using standardized questionnaire. Results revealed types of electronic databases mostly used by postgraduate students. The findings reveal that electronic databases, such as ProQuest, AGORA, and HINARI, are extensively used by postgraduate students, with high usage of (84.4%). This was followed by institutional repositories (67.3%), E-journals (51%) while the least type of e-resources used is audio-visual resources (13.0). It was discovered that e-books had relatively high usage (x̄ =4.32), with a significant number of students using them on a weekly basis. The students also had concerns related to the speed, functionality, accessibility, and reliability of the university's internet service with high number of them indicating the speed of the internet is slow (x̄ =3.01). This study also recommends that universities should offer comprehensive digital literacy training programs to postgraduate students in effectively utilising EIRs.