Choice of Library and Information Science (LIS) as a course of study by LIS undergraduate students of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined the choice of Library and Information Science (LIS) by LIS undergraduate students of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUA), Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. The study looked at the circumstances that influenced LIS students of MOUA, a Federal Government owned University, to choose LIS as their preferred course of study. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. From a population of 582 LIS students, 295 (51%) of the students were purposively selected as the sample size for the study. With the instrument of a questionnaire, data were collected based on the four research questions of the study. Frequency count and percentages were used to analyze the data collected thus providing verifiable answers to the research questions. The result of the findings revealed that majority of the LIS students in MOUA, Umudike came into the discipline by chance and not their original choice. More so, those that came into the discipline as a result of their original choice were influenced into studying LIS by their school librarians during their secondary school education days. Majority of the LIS undergraduate students of the University do not desire to work as Library and Information Science professionals after their graduation. It was recommended that school librarians and library associations such as the Nigerian Library Association should engage in the sensitization of secondary school students on what LIS is all about and the prospects of LIS professionals.

Keywords: Library and Information Science (LIS); LIS students; LIS professionals; Librarianship; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike