Digital literacy and operational efficiency of Librarians in State University Libraries in Rivers State

Abstract

The study investigated digital literacy and operational efficiency of librarians in state university libraries in Rivers State. It was guided by three research objectives, research questions, and hypotheses, and adopted a correlational research design. The population comprised
22 librarians from state university libraries in Rivers State, and a census sampling technique was used due to the manageable size of the population. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Digital Literacy and Operational Efficiency of Librarians Questionnaire (DLOELQ), which was validated by an expert in Library and Information Science. The instrument was administered to all respondents, and 20 copies were retrieved and found valid for analysis, representing a 90.9% response rate. The instrument was validated by an expert in Library and Information Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt. Reliability was established through a pilot study, yielding a Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of 0.88. Data was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment  correlation (PPMC) via SPSS Version 23. Findings revealed that digital communication skills (r = .782, p = .001), basic computer skills (r = .778, p = .001), and information retrieval skills (r = .762, p = .003) have significant positive relationships with operational efficiency of librarians. Based on the findings, the study recommends that library management should strengthen librarians' digital literacy competencies through continuous training, regular workshops, effective use of ICT tools and library management systems, improved
information retrieval skills, and adequate provision of ICT infrastructure and technical support to enhance efficient library service delivery.