Librarians’ Awareness, Positive Attitude and ICT Skills: A Panacea for Effective Services Delivery in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4th IR) Era in Academic Libraries in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined librarians’ awareness, positive attitude and ICT skills as panacea for effective services delivery in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4th IR) era in academic libraries in Southern Nigeria. The total population for this study was eight hundred and forty-one (841) librarians from 84  university libraries in Southern Nigeria. The entire population was sample using total enumeration  sampling technique because of the manageable size of population. Questionnaire was used to collect  data from the respondents. The data collected for this study was analyzed using simple  percentage/frequency counts and weighed mean. Findings from this study revealed that the extent of  librarians awareness of the technological innovations associated with the 4th IR era is low. Also, it  was shown that if librarians exhibit positive attitude towards embracing the 4th IR era technological  advancement, they will be able to: Adapt to changing technologies associated with the 4th IR; Accept the shift from conventional service delivery to WWW based service delivery among others. Also,  being in possessions of good ICT skills by librarians will to a very high extent facilitate effective  library services delivery in the 4th IR era. The following were suggested to improve on librarians  attitude to technological innovations of the 4th IR era and the acquisition of ICT skills among  librarians: Librarians should develop flair for technological innovations which will help to activate in  them the positive attitude required to effectively utilize the sophisticated technology associated with  the 4th IR era and libraries/librarians should also abreast itself with the latest technologies to provide  optimal services in minimum time through training, seminars, conferences and acquire and update  the necessary ICT skills that is required to remain relevant in the 4th IR era and the accompanying  changes it has brought to the educational sector and the library in particular.