This study revealed a high-level misconception among secondary school pupils in Osun state, Nigeria. Mass media was the major source of information with doubtful effectiveness evidenced by obvious erroneous beliefs. An improved multisectorial approach in HIV/AIDS education with greater participation of school and public libraries is advised.
This study compares the utilization by adolescents age 12-17 of public libraries in Osun and Oyo States in Nigeria. The study utilized interviews and a checklist as data-gathering techniques. Some 414 volunteer adolescent users were selected, with males predominating. Of the respondents, 51.7 percent were in the libraries to read their own books. Of the respondents from Oyo State Public Library, 99 percent were aware of library Internet services compared to only 22 percent from Osun State. Users specified two major problems: no good display of library materials and lack of up-to-date materials on subjects in which students were interested. The authors suggest several policy changes to improve adolescent services in the two libraries. KEYWORDS youth services, children's services, adolescent use of libraries, Nigerian libraries, student use of public librariesThe primary purpose of public libraries is to provide resources and services in various formats to meet the needs of individuals and groups for education, information, and personal development, including recreation and leisure (Gill et al. 1997). Despite the increase in information outputs, information is still not available to the majority of the world's population, and the gap between the information rich and the information poor continues to widen (Nawe 1998). Public libraries should recognize and exploit the opportunities provided by the developments in information and communications technology (ICT). Libraries have the opportunity to become the electronic gateway to the information world (Gill et al. 1997).
The research evaluated among secondary school students the time spent in reading and the reading materials preferred. The purpose for which they read was also identified. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted which focused on public secondary schools of Osun State, Southwest, Nigeria. A multistage random sampling technique was used to select 1101 senior secondary school students from 12 public schools covering the 6 educational zones of Osun State. A 20 item Reading Habit Scale was used. The questionnaire was administered with the aid of a research assistant and retrieved immediately from the volunteers after completion. One thousand and seventy-nine copies of the questionnaire were analyzed, 43% of the respondents were boys while 57% were girls. Only 18.6% of the respondents were daily long-time readers (>1 to 6 hours per day) which comprised 17% of the boys and 20% of the girls. Boys more than girls read past questions and solutions while girls more than boys read textbooks and subject teachers note. Boys (98%) more than girls (97%) indicated they read in order to get better grades in tests and examinations. Conversely, girls more than the boys read for a better understanding of topics taught by the teacher and for pleasure (84:76%). A statistically significant gender difference exists with respect to “reading for pleasure” (x=8.92, p=0.003). Most of the students have poor reading habits with respect to daily reading time. Girls were more daily long-time readers and also read for pleasure.
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