USER COMMUNITY AWARENESS, ACCESSIBILITY AND UTILIZATION OF AZARE PUBLIC LIBRARY RESOURCES AND SERVICES BY USER COMMUNITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

ABSTRACT This study is aimed at investigating the awareness, accessibility and utilization of Azare public library resources and services by user community for sustainable development, guided by six objectives and six research questions. Descriptive research design was usedfor the study with the population of four hundred and fifteen thousand one hundred and ninety-two (415,192). Thus, Yamane (1967) formula technique was used to draw the sample size of four hundred (400) respondent followed by random sampling to select the respondents. Six cluster questionnaires containing 51 items on the awareness, accessibility and utilization of information resources and services, was developed and got validated by three experts from Adebimpe Ike University library of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, titled (UCAAUQ) was administered on the respondents. The data collected was analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) to determine the Mean rating and Standard Deviation of their responses. Hence, the findings of the study indicated amongst other things that the respondents are aware to a great extent about the information sources and services in the library, accessibility and utilization of information resources and services and the factors militating against the user community awareness accessibility and utilization of information resources and services. Therefore, it is recommended among other things that: Non-print information resources such as films, video, audio, radio, TV should be provided adequately in the library in order to meet the verity information needs of the general public which includes educational, vocational, leisure and research purposes by the management of Azare public library, effort should be made by the Bauchi State library board to improve related services that included exhibition and display services, mobile library services, story-telling services, bindery services and online internet services for better satisfaction of the user community information needs Azare public library, enlighten campaign should be adequately improve by the management of Azare public library in order to let the general public aware about the existence of various information resources and services there available in the library for consultation in order to aid them in their educational and other information needs, the management of Azare public library needs to improve on the level of provision of access to the information resources and services of Azare public library.