An Evaluation of Digital Information Literacy Skills among Undergraduate Students of Library and Information Science in Universities in Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the digital information literacy skills among Library and Information Science (LIS) students in universities in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research method, and a questionnaire was used to collect data from 279 final-year undergraduate students of Library and Information Science departments in six federal universities offering LIS in Nigeria. The study found that the final-year students of Library and Information Science trust their information search proficiency on the internet. The LIS students are aware of some information resources and not aware of others such as electronic theses and dissertations, e-reference books and e-books. The study revealed that the students frequently used online information resources such as online newspapers, online journal articles, online databases, and internet information. The majority of the students indicated that they do not trust and use information they find on the internet for their academic assignments. To search for information for academic assignments, the students try to use different subject terms on Boolean operators. The study discovered that students preferred digital sources of information, but still used the library to retrieve needed information. It also emerged that the students evaluate information resources by checking for currency, and the author’s name and expertise. The findings of the study may be critical for designing information systems that fit the information needs of students and support information management in developing countries. This could help educators in universities improve the learning experiences of their students and improve their competitiveness in the job market. Digital information literacy skills must become an integral part of higher education curricula in developing countries. Therefore, the study recommends that all students in universities need to take courses on digital information literacy irrespective of their field of study.