THE ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN PROMOTING READING CULTURE AMONG UNDERGRADUATES: A STUDY OF SA’ADU ZUNGUR UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, BAUCHI

This study investigates the role of Sa’adu Zungur University Library in promoting a reading culture among its undergraduates in the digital age. It assesses the level of adoption of e-library services, identifies the major challenges hindering their effective utilization, and examines the influence of these services on students' academic performance and research outcomes. A descriptive survey research design was employed, with a population of 3,996 undergraduates. Using the Krejcie and Morgan table, a sample size of 379 students was determined and selected through simple random sampling. Data was collected via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed a high level of adoption of e-library services, with students acknowledging that the variety of resources effectively encourages reading. However, significant challenges were identified, including technical issues (slow internet, system downtime), insufficient digital literacy training, and occasional inadequacies in subject-specific content. The study concludes that while the library's digital transformation has positively impacted reading culture and academic outcomes, its full potential is hampered by these infrastructural and training gaps. It recommends investing in improved technical infrastructure, expanding digital literacy training programs, and curating more comprehensive subject-specific digital collections to optimize the library's role in fostering a robust reading culture. Keywords: Reading Culture, Academic Library, E-Library Services, Digital Transformation, Undergraduates, Academic Performance, Nigeria.