UTILIZATION OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES BY UNDERGRADUATE USERS IN LEAD CITY UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.

Utilization of electronic resources is essential to undergraduate students for academic success. Indeed, the utilization and challenges associated with electronic resources form the basis of this study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted in this study. The population for this study constituted undergraduate students at Lead City University, and a proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to arrive at a sample size of 347 respondents. The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire. Quantitative methods of data analysis were employed, involving descriptive statistics such as frequencies and simple percentages. The frequencies were evaluated while the simple percentages were calculated and interpreted accordingly. Results show that only 42% of the respondents frequently use electronic journals, and less than 20% access scholarly databases like JSTOR and EBSCOhost. Challenges such as inadequate training (68%), poor internet connectivity (72%), and limited access to relevant materials (55%) were reported. The study found that most students primarily use electronic resources for academic purposes like project writing and exam preparation. This research discovered that the level of digital resource utilization among undergraduate students is relatively low, mainly due to technical and infrastructural challenges. The findings also highlight the importance of improving training, internet infrastructure, and user-friendly library systems to enhance students’ engagement with electronic resources. Moreover, while there is moderate awareness of electronic resources, significant barriers still hinder their effective use.