1. Background of the Study

The practice of librarianship constitutes holding out oneself as skilled in the knowledge, art and services of the organisation, dissemination, preservation of recorded information, the reading, the rendering, furnishing and contracting of professional services such as consultation and advice on the organisation and management of libraries; data-banks, research and information centres to client on a fee or otherwise; the teaching of subjects in the library and information; and the signing or authenticating for clients of document and reports when called for (Chanrobles, 2019). This implies that the sole aim of librarianship is to provide the needed information to library users and so to speak to the society.

If one looks at what constitutes librarianship as indicated above, one can deduce that librarians by training are moulded and equipped with the technique on how to acquire, process, organise, store and disseminate the needed information to the community. They are also provided with the skills to provide services that meet the needs of the community through information education, preservation of cultural heritage and recreation. The above skills can only be obtained through LISE. LISE in Nigerian Universities have a great deal of autonomy regarding their curricula and are able to review these, provided funding and time permit. Library and information Science is controlled by National University Commission (NUC) whose main vision is: ‘To be a dynamic regulatory agency acting as a catalyst for positive change and innovation for the delivery of quality university education in Nigeria and functions as: Granting approval for all academic programmes run in Nigerian universities; Granting approval for the establishment of all higher educational institutions offering degree programmes in Nigeria; Ensure quality assurance of all academic programmes offered in Nigerian universities; and Channel for all external support to the Nigerian universities’. and Librarians Registration Council Nigeria (LRCN) whose mission is: ‘To pursue the attainment of professional excellence by determining who are librarians; set standard of knowledge and skills required for registration and practice; guidelines for accreditation and minimum standards for libraries, and maintenance of professional discipline among librarians’ and the mandate to: ‘Determine the level of knowledge and skill required to be a librarian and Set and maintain standards for all categories of libraries by maintaining discipline within the LIS profession’ (NUC, 2020 and LRCN, 2019).

The two bodies regulate and fund (or solicits funds) for curriculum reviews and applies quality assurance procedures governing the university educational system. All LIS education and training programmes in the SE Nigeria follow a common curriculum, developed in collaboration with university faculty staff as directed by NUC the sole body that is responsible for programme accreditation in any Nigerian university. On the other hand, education in librarianship had its debut in SE Nigeria in 1983 when the Department of Library Science, as it was originally known, was created in University of Nigeria, Nsukka as a response to repeated calls for more training opportunities for library and information professionals in the region. Subsequent changes in the name of the Department and degree nomenclature (from B.A.L.S/B.SC.L.S. to B.L.I.S.) were effected to reflect current trends.

As Adebayo and Alex-Nmacha (2018) posit, a major significance of information is its capability to reduce uncertainty, sustain planning and as an instrument for decision making. The underlined fact is that librarians and libraries as information managers and disseminators are looked upon as society reformers and as agents of change as nothing changes ones mindset like information. It is believed that a society that is not well informed remains under-developed. To this end, a certified librarian no matter where he finds himself is expected to provide the desired information that can touch and change the community for good. In the Nigeria context, much is expected of the librarians in a community that is surrounded by uncertainty and requires tremendous transformation. The crux of the matter is that the academic society is the most wanted area for this change and transformation as the centre of learning, research and character building. There is therefore this need for library and information science education to be tailored towards preparing would-be librarians with the desired skills and knowledge as to be relevant in this dynamic world.

2. Statement of Problem

The societal change which also affected library and information science definitely calls for a paradigm shift in the education and skills acquisition of potential librarians. For the librarians of today and tomorrow to remain relevant and contribute meaningfully in the transformation of the academic society and Nigeria’s societies, there should be a total overhauling of the educational curriculum of library schools in Nigeria as to enhancing effective training of potential librarians.

A critical analysis of literature reviewed, observations, and interactions with undergraduate of library and information science revealed that students are not aware of emerging topics in their field of study; it revealed also that the current educational process and training are mainly theory-based than practical. A study by Anderson (2007) in Australia stipulates that LIS education programmes are blamed for producing graduates who lack the requisite skills to function effectively in the society. In the United States of America, Moran and Marchionini (2012) confirm this criticism, asserting that LIS graduates fail to meet the immediate needs and requirements of current LIS work environments. The general criticism has heightened pressure on LIS education and training programmes globally and, particularly in SE Nigeria, to empower graduates with generic skills enabling them to contribute to their future places of employment and ‘perform successfully as citizens in the knowledge economy. Furthermore, there is this critical decay in modern infrastructure and equipment for training librarians as obtained in advanced countries and students are only evaluated by terminal examinations divulged of any form of practical. This situation was also exposed by Munyoro (2014) in his study that LIS education and training programmes in most countries of Africa have not significantly responded to changes in the profession, in wider society, and in higher education globally, by reviewing and updating. Virkus (2012) points out that a curriculum is the best barometer for measuring changes in the profession and in society at large. Burnett (2013) concludes that LIS curricula in Nigeria are out-dated and are of only limited use in today’s transient work environments. The criticisms suggest a widening gap between the needs of society and LIS education and training systems. There is therefore, an urgent need for an in-depth empirical study into the quality of LIS education, to define gaps in LIS curricula and to suggest ways of empowering students to fulfil the demands made on graduates as society transformation agents.

If the problem under study is not addressed, LIS education and training programmes will stray from their principal mission of producing skilled human capital for the society and the profession. The relevance and ultimately the survival of the LIS academic discipline are in other words, under threat. It is the consideration of the above challenges that this sort of study becomes necessary with the aim of investigating the state and students’ understanding of library and information science education in universities in South-East Nigeria and by extension- Nigeria.

Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is all accredited universities in the South East Nigeria offering library and information science at undergraduate levels (100 – 400 level). The universities include: Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU); Imo State University, Owerri (IMSU); Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (NAU) and University of Nigeria (UNN).

Objectives of the study

The specific objective of this study is to establish the State and Students’ understanding of Library and information Science Education in Universities in Southeast Nigeria.

Generally, the objectives are to:

1. Determine library and information science students’ awareness of emerging topics in library and information science education;

2. Identify educational processes being used in the training of library and information science students in universities in the South East Nigeria;

3. Evaluate as to establishing the state of educational infrastructure and equipment that are available for the training of library and information science students in universities in the South East Nigeria,

4. Identify the methods by which library and information science students in the South East Nigeria are being evaluated.

Research Questions

The present study seeks to address the following research questions:

1. Are library and information science students in universities in South East Nigeria aware of emerging topics in library and information science education?

2. What educational processes are used in the training of library and information science students in universities in South East Nigeria?

3. What educational infrastructure and equipment are available for the training of library and information students in universities in South East Nigeria?

4. What methods are used in evaluating students of library and information science in universities in South East Nigeria?

3. Literature Review

Librarianship as a profession that is skilled in knowledge, arts and science of the organisation, preservation and dissemination of recorded information to stand the test of time must through her training schools continue to raise generations in line with the changing world. This implies that for librarians and libraries to still remain relevant in the scheme of things and also be appreciated, there must be a paradigm shift on activities being used for training of library and information science students in line with the constant changes in the environment. Mills, Campana and Goldsmith (2017), also shared the above view as they posit that in the face of changing landscape of information services, library and information science education can push the field of librarianship forward by adopting research based frameworks that are directly applicable to the profession. The above suggests that the traditional theoretical methods of training librarians are not in tandem with the changing environment.

The study of Kacunguzi and Samuel (2016), which assessed Nigeria and Uganda’s Library and information programmes in meeting the demand of the digital age, reported that library and information science as a discipline in Africa is continuously struggling to keep up with diverse platform through which it can satisfy the demands of the job market. In the study, four LIS programmes in East and West African countries were assessed in order to know if they align with the professional demands of librarians in the changing information environment. With a comparison similar to LIS programmes in the US, the final analysis shows that all the four programmes considered in Nigeria and Uganda were not adequately inclusive; the schools in Nigeria were even far from achieving digitally attractive library curricula. The study recommended that Nigeria needs to improve on the technology and electronic information management contents of their curricula to replicate the 21^st century skills required of librarians. In the same vein, Nalumaga (2016) carried out a survey on trends and development in information schools (ischools) in Africa. The report shows that the movement from traditional library schools to ischools reflects a revised approach towards librarianship and information technologies. The report also revealed that an examination of library and information schools across Africa that only one has formally adopted the ischool perspective. This submission explains that there is urgent need for changes in the infrastructure; curriculum, contents and process of LIS education for the transformation of academic society. Stating the obvious, for some institutions, embracing a modern identity and disciplinary approach, may be a matter of survival knowing that man is susceptible to change.

According to Kaluli and Mutula (2017), the redefining of library and information science education and training in Zimbabwe is structured to close the workforce skills gap. In their study, they identified gaps in knowledge as well as in functional and generic employability training in LIS curricula. The gaps according to them are connected to the transient environment in which LIS departments operate; outdated educational models; shortage of well developed multi-stakeholders, mutual partnership and alliance; an expanding labour environment and absence of continuous professional development programmes. From the result, one can deduce that not only Zimbabwean, but African LIS education programmes as a whole need a holistic transformation through the adoption of innovative education models that can meet the dictates of the techno-economic standard that serves today’s society. One can also conclude from the submissions that there is need for the training of academic librarians to align with the modern changes in the academic society.

Lowden et al., (2011) suggest that multidisciplinary competencies such as project management, communication and presentation, pedagogy and skills related to technology, business, planning, designing and general management are integral to efficient work flows and service provision in the transitory LIS labour environment. Pettigrew (2013) and Gibbs et al. (2011) shift the focus from multidisciplinary abilities to the need for knowledge of information ethics. According to these authors, LIS professionals need to have an in-depth understanding of information- related laws and ethical issues pertaining to intellectual property rights (IPR) such as copyright laws, information access, rights to information, privacy protection and open access. The Economist Intelligence Unit (2014) report for the British Council stirred the focus of the discourse to technical skills associated with specific jobs. The remark is that LIS professionals ‘must be able to tell the library’s story through various media-writing, photography, audio and video.

Partridge et al. (2010) share this view, arguing that LIS work environments require a librarians with well-developed functional skills for the use and application of information technology in library operations, to compare, evaluate and select technologies and software, translate print-based services to electronic services, design and manage websites, engage with and use technology to accomplish professional tasks.

In his study of the past, present and future of LIS education in Anglophone Africa from colonial period to the present, Otike (2017), discovered that earliest schools were initially known as library schools and later changed to LIS schools after independence. The curricula were based on programme prevailing in the mother countries. he further exposed the fact that LIS schools are rapidly increasing all over the continent but noted that if not checked could have a severe consequences on the quality of graduates being produced. He concluded by saying that LIS schools need to match the rapid changes taking place in the information industry and societies with process of preparing and producing information professionals. The nature of employability skills in today’s labour environments is indicative of the radical changes taking place in the world and related to the techno-economic paradigm serving contemporary society. This techno-economic paradigm demands a workforce with multidisciplinary expertise, highly developed functional skills and a myriad of personal attributes (Munyoro, 2014). To facilitate the development of such competencies and qualities in library science graduates, LIS education and training programmes globally have reformed and reoriented their curricula. Multi- and trans-disciplinary and ICT-related modules and subjects have been integrated into study offerings and curricula are continuously being revamped to align them with the demands of the labour market (Munyoro, 2014). Prebor (2010) and Kovatcheva (2011), observe that today’s LIS education programmes have absorbed courses ranging from computer science, education, communication and media studies to business management, technology, sociology, anthropology, psychology, political science, information systems, natural sciences and law. Minishi-Majanja (2007), reviewing efforts to integrate ICT into LIS curricula, found that LIS schools in sub-Saharan Africa have indeed incorporated diverse ICT modules in their curricula as a strategy to prevent curriculum drift, to improve the quality of programmes and to realign them with labour environments needs and demands. Some LIS departments have recreated curricula by no longer focusing exclusively on the traditional library functions rather letting their institutions play a more broadly-based role in the provision of information access (Chu, 2010). Other departments have changed the titles of their programmes, for example from Library Science to Library and Information Science, or Studies/Management, or Information Science/Studies/Management/Knowledge Management, as a strategy to ‘embrace diversification and clustering into larger organisational groupings’ (Raju, 2013). Raju (2013) observes that LIS departments in South Africa and a few other parts of the world are jostling with related disciplines, offering advanced programmes such as media studies, computer science, informatics, information systems and business information management.

Lowden et al. (2011) point out that LIS departments have introduced work-integrated learning projects, job shadowing and internships as institutional responses to the demands of labour environments. In addition, they have introduced professional seminars and critical inquiry as new modules and made them into core courses. These courses are aimed at developing such general employability skills requirements as in leadership, communication skills and the ability to think critically and creatively, to work in a team and to be enterprising as the courses attempt to empower students by combining teaching with practice through group projects, peer learning, presentations, online discussions and peer evaluation of project work (Chaudhry et al., 2008). Similarly, LIS professional bodies such as the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), the American Library Association (ALA) and the Special Libraries Association (SLA) have responded to concerns expressed by the LIS job market by developing competency frameworks. These frameworks explicitly accentuate the knowledge and the various competencies and employability skills that those wishing to enter the profession should acquire (Rehman, 2012).

Writing on students’ evaluation method, Adebayo and Alex-Nmacha (2018) opine that since education is a process, outside awarding marks after examinations, LIS schools should find a unified ways of evaluating students’ cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills.

The literature is broadly in agreement that worldwide, the LIS community of practice finds itself in the midst of a radical transition. This is attributed to socio-economic and technological factors such as changing modes of information production, storage and dissemination, changing patterns of economic competition, as well as new forms of work organisation, technological innovations and an intensifying consumerism that has resulted in increasing needs of users who expect information services to be not only technically competent, but also conveniently delivered.

4. Methodology

Research Design

The research employed descriptive survey research design which according to Nworgu (2015) is a type of study which aims at collecting data on describing in a systematic manner the characteristics features and facts about a given population. This design gave the researcher the room for proper description and analysis of data collected.

Area of Study

Area of study is universities in Southeast Nigeria accredited to offer undergraduate programmes in LIS leading to the award of BLS, BLIS, BA/ BSc Education/LIS etc. These universities are spread in the five States of the region which are: Abia; Anambra; Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo State. The mentioned states cover the geo-political zone called South Eastern Nigeria with each housing one federal and state owned university respectively. Imperatively, there are 10 government owned universities in the region but of the 10, only 4 have accredited LIS schools. The universities are: Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU); Imo State University, Owerri (IMSU), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (NAU) and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

Population of Study

The population of this study comprises all the 300 and 400 levels students of the Department of Library and Information Science of the schools under study. They were chosen based on the fact that they are familiar with all the topics taught in their departments.

The Sampled Population

Population for this study is 980 LIS students from the four universities under study. To derive this number, a total enumerative sampling technique was applied. This technique according to Sharma (2014) is a sampling technique in which every subject meeting the criteria of inclusion is selected until the required sample size is achieved. This census method of sampling implies that all the undergraduates of LIS Schools under study were respondents.

Instrument for Data Collection

The principle instrument used for data collection is a structured questionnaire formulated in line with the research objectives. The instrument consist of ‘section A’ that sought the demographic information of the respondents, while ‘section B’ contains items/statements that focused on the research questions developed in line with the study objectives. The researcher also used observation/document analysis which gave the researcher an insight to the curricula contents and interview with which data were collected on the state of library graduates from the university librarians of participating library schools. A document review checklist was developed, based on Bloom’s (1984) taxonomy of learning domains: cognitive, affective and psychomotor and guided by the research question: Are library and information science students aware of emerging topics needed for the transformation of academic society in South East Nigeria? The outcomes for each course outline were delineated.

The checklist was used to systematically assess LIS curricular documents and course outlines and to ensure that valid information was identified (World Bank Institute (WBI) Evaluation Group, 2007). And after which, each identified course outline and curricular documents were analysed and coded with the obtained data documented.

Assisted by a research assistant and Heads of Department of LIS of the schools, the questionnaires were directly administered to the students and returned 100%. In analyzing the data collected, SPSS output format based on simple frequency count, percentage distribution, mean, standard deviation and Pearson’s Chi-Square were used with data presented in figures and tables. Prior to using the instrument for study proper, it was subjected to a validity and reliability test. A test-retest method was used to collect data from 90 students used in trial testing. Cronbach Alpha was used to determine the reliability which gave a reliability coefficient of 0.87.

5. Data Presentation

The data collected for this study is here presented in figures and tables; with the figures showing the demographic data of the respondents and the tables showing data in respect of the research questions.

Figure 1. Respondents by Institution

Figure 1 show that 188 students representing 19.2% of the respondents are from ABSU; 16.7% or 164 students are from IMSU, while 296 students or 30.2% are from NAU and 33.9% or 332 respondents are from UNN.

Table 1. Respondents by gender

Figure 2. Respondents by Gender

Table 1 with figure 2, shows that 574 (58.59%) are female respondents and 406 (41.41%) male respondents, ABSU produced 108 (11.00%) female and 80 (8.16%) male respondents while IMSU has 58 (5.91%) male and 106 (10.82%) female respondents. On the other hand, NAU produced 182 (18.57%) female and 114 (11.63%) male respondents and UNN having 154 (15.71%) male and 178 (18.16%) female respondents.

Figure 3. Respondents by Age range

Figure 3 above displays the age range of the respondents from the four institutions. The figure shows that students from the ages of 18-25 form majority of the respondents with ABSU-136; IMSU-146, NAU-242 and UNN- 574 totalling 574 respondents or 82.04%. They are distantly followed by those within the age range of 26-32 years with 120 (12.24%) responses and lastly those of 32 years and above with 40 0r 4.1% respondents.

6. Data Analysis and Discussion of Result

This section presents and discusses results of the study focusing on current library and information science educational procedure in SE Nigeria as to determining how it holistically prepare potential librarians towards the changes that are taking place in our academic environment and the world.

Research Question 1:

What educational processes are being used in training LIS students in SE Nigeria?

Table 2, shows that 524 (53.3%) of the respondents strongly agree and another 400 (40.8%) agree that the teaching process allows for full participation and question asking, while the remaining 56 (5.8%) disagree. A total of 764 (78%) respondents indicate that the course contents are theory based with little or no practical classes, while 800 respondents representing 82% discontent that Indexing and abstracting involve practical whereas 705 0r 684 respondents affirm that there are no practical classes on information literacy skills. The same number that affirm that Students are not allowed to rate lecturers at the end of each course offered. On the area of practical classes on digitization of information resources, 79% 0r 872 indicate that there are no practical classes.

Table 2. Educational processes in training LIS students

The synthesis of collected and displayed data in table 2, shows that the teaching methods being used in students’ instruction allow for full participation in the learning process as there are rooms to ask questions which make every session interactive. On the other hand, the data exposed the fact that the courses taught in LIS classes are not practical rather they are mostly based on theory but with sound teaching method. The finding underlines that university LIS curricula are oriented towards the development of intellectual abilities rather than applied skills. It further confirms Pillay (2011) assertion that university education has a strong theoretical and research orientation. This perception was validated by the LIS heads who, in response to the question ‘What is the nature of the LIS curricula?’ revealed that: the curriculum is theoretical in nature and can basically inculcate intellectual capabilities’. Another noted: ‘Our curriculum is focused on producing librarians by name and not library technicians’. This view was further corroborated by a senior librarian in one of the university libraries: ‘LIS graduates from universities lack applied skills in cataloguing and classification’. The implication is that most LIS graduates from our universities cannot catalogue or classify and this is indeed, a big challenge.

This result brings the dilemma of theory versus practice in LIS curricula to the fore. Virkus (2012) and Bawden and Robinson (2012) concur that students gain much more from having a profound understanding of their profession, its theories, principles and concepts, than from building functional competencies. They maintain that practical competencies can be learned on the job and through lifelong learning and continuing professional development (CPD). But Augustyn and Cillié (2012) discontent this as they argue that librarianship is an applied discipline that has evolved from practice, and therefore cannot be disconnected from practice. Also Jacobs (2014), Nugent (2015) and Freeland (2016) argue that university education needs to be linked to practice. They consider the connection critical, not simply for the sake of being successful in the contemporary society but also to increase graduates’ capacity for active civic and democratic participation. Lynch (2008) and Chu (2010) advocate for an optimal balance between theory and practice in LIS education whereby curricula offerings are appraised and, if necessary, redefined in such a manner that they contribute to both liberal and vocational qualities. Chaudhry et al., (2008) added that there should be a combination of teaching with practice through group projects, peer learning, presentations, online discussions and peer evaluation of project work.

All the same, simply including multidisciplinary modules in the curricula without adopting and using relevant instructional and assessment methods, does not ensure that graduates develop the cognitive; social, practical prerequisites (Yorke, 2004). The need remains to embrace innovative approaches to teaching and learning that can lead to competency-based, student centred, and results-focused education delivery models in LIS education in South East Nigeria.

Research Question 2:

Are LIS students aware of emerging topics in library and information science education?

Table 3 shows the level of awareness of emerging topics for the transformation of academic society in SE Nigeria by students. 236 (24.1%) respondents are somehow aware, 24.9% or 244 are aware and 156 (15.9%) highly aware that Information ethics is one of the evolving trends in library & information science for the transformation of an academic society whereas, 35.1% representing 344 respondents are not aware. Of a total of 980 respondents, 468 (47.8%) are not aware that LIS discipline can help in the transformation of academic society through the knowledge of Altmetrics. The researcher’s contact with some of the students reveals that majority of them do not know or have not heard of the concept ‘Altmetrics’. While 260 (26.5%) respondents are somehow aware, 92 or 9.4% are strongly aware and the remaining 160 (16.3%) are aware. On cloud computing, 128 (13.1%) indicate that they are highly aware that it can help in the transformation of academic society in SE Nigeria, 176 (18%) are aware, while 340(34.7) are somehow aware. On the other hand, 34.3% or 336 respondents indicate that they are not aware. Majority of the respondents- 928 (94.7%) are strongly aware, aware or somehow aware that mobile services and marketing of information services is current trend in LIS education, while the remaining 5.3% or 53 respondents claim ignorance. Meanwhile, 344 (35.1%) and 148 (15.1%) of the respondents are highly aware and aware that research data management by academic libraries can help in the transformation of academic society; the other 476 (48.6%) respondents are not aware while only 12 or 1.2% are somehow aware.

Table 3. Emerging Topics in library and information science education

To determine the level of awareness of emerging topics in library and information science by students, test of norm was conducted with the result showing that scale between1-7 is low, 8-13 moderate and 14-20 high. The overall mean for the awareness among the students stands at 11.16 which are within the scale of 8-13. From the above analysis, one can deduce therefore that the awareness level of emerging topics in library and information science education by the students is moderate.

Writing on this, Lowden et al. (2011), suggest that multidisciplinary competencies such as project management, communication and presentation, pedagogy and skills related to technology, business, planning, designing and general management should form integral part of today’s librarianship and service provision in the transitory LIS labour environment. Pettigrew (2013) and Gibbs et al. (2011) shift the focus from multidisciplinary abilities to the need for knowledge of information ethics. According to these authors, LIS professionals need to have an in-depth understanding of information- related laws and ethical issues pertaining to intellectual property rights (IPR) such as copyright laws, information access, rights to information, privacy protection and open access.

As noted by Mabawonku (2011), the curriculum structure for LIS in Nigeria concentrates on major areas like collection development, management principles, information and communication technology, information organization, economic and marketing of information, publishing and book trade, research methods, general studies, current issues and trends in information practice, etc. Prebor (2010) and Kovatcheva (2011) observe that today’s LIS education programmes have absorbed courses ranging from computer science, education, communication and media studies to business management, technology, sociology, anthropology, psychology, political science, information systems, natural sciences and law. Minishi-Majanja (2007), reviewing efforts to integrate ICT into LIS curricula, found that LIS schools in sub-Saharan Africa have indeed incorporated diverse ICT modules in their curricula as a strategy to prevent curriculum drift, to improve the quality of programmes and to realign them with labour environments needs and demands. Some LIS departments have recreated curricula by no longer focusing exclusively on the traditional library functions rather letting their institutions play a more broadly-based role in the provision of information access (Chu, 2010). Furtherance, Smith in Akwang (2013) noted that today, the courses content of LIS is developed along computer science, management, psychology, economics, information technology, communication, mathematics, marketing, education, among other related fields.

A senior librarian identified another set of competencies such as training, strategic management, public relations, resource description and access (RDA), licensing and quality control. This respondent noted: We require LIS graduates with competencies in training/ teaching, information literacy skills (ILS), knowledge management (to manage institutional repositories), knowledge of resource description and access (RDA), information auditing skills, copy cataloguing skills, quality control competencies, e-resources licensing and strategic management, public relation skills, negotiating skills with database vendors and publishers and disability awareness in collection management and information provision.

The data collected in the present study shows, however, that LIS education programmes in SE Nigeria have to some degree, responded to the call for a transformation in LISE. This is obvious from the presence in the curricula of various multi-disciplinary modules such as project management, information technology, legal and ethical issues, information systems, human resources, management and a number of ICT-related modules. This suggests that LIS educators are aware of the need to modify educational programmes in response to the demands and needs of the society.

Research Question 3:

What educational infrastructure and equipment are available for training LIS students in SE Nigeria?

The data in table 4 reveal that a total of 844 (86.3%) respondents, agree that the LIS department has well stocked computer laboratory for practical. While the remaining 13.9% or 136 respondents disagree. The researcher observed that most respondents who disagreed came from Abia state University that has a poorly equipped LIS laboratory. On the other hand, it was observed by the researcher that most equipped laboratories lack the needed maintenance culture thus most system are not functional and where they are, there is always this problem of epileptic power supply which most cases hinders their usability. Majority of the respondents- 884 0r 80% disagree that the departmental library is well stocked with relevant e-database. The above claim was also substantiated by various Heads of Library Departments of these universities who complained of poor funding and support from university management a situation they said has hindered them from providing the department with state of the art infrastructure and equipment.

Table 4. State of educational infrastructure and equipment for training LIS students

The respondents-832 (84.9%) refuted that there is access to institutional Wi-Fi/internet in the department whereas 15.1% or 148 respondents affirm to it. These set of respondents it was observed came from UNN where it was discovered that for one to have access to the institutional Wi-Fi/internet he must subscribe to it with an annual payment.

The table also shows that 820 respondents or 83.7% indicated that their libraries have OPAC while the other 160 (26.3%) indicated otherwise. The only observation made is that inasmuch as these universities have OPAC, the operations and accessibility are restricted within the library environment as they are been powered through local area network (LAN). The result also revealed that the departments do not have Resource Description Access (RDA) with a response of 656 representing 67% with the exception of UNN. In the same vein, 77.2% or 756 respondents revealed that their classrooms are not fitted with interactive white board let alone been connected to the internet. The remaining 23% or 224 respondents indicated otherwise which in the opinion of the researcher, may be out of ignorance as there was no classroom seen in the four universities that had interactive white board let alone been connected to the internet.

In order to determine the state and level of availability of educational infrastructure for training LIS students a test of norm was carried out and the results reveal that the scale between1-10 is low; 11-20 is moderate while 21-32 is high. As indicated on the table, the result yielded a grand mean of 17.32 which falls within 11-20. To this end, one can deduce that the state and level of availability of educational infrastructure for LIS students’ training vis-a-vis LISE in SE Nigeria is moderate.

All the same, LIS education like other academic programmes requires extensive use of quality facilities that support the process of teaching and learning. Suffice it to say that no educational programme in any institution can thrive without quality teaching and learning facilities. LIS schools need standard size lecture halls with pitched floor, well-furnished staff offices with toilet facilities, libraries, and well equipped common room for students. Also, the availability of multimedia room, work rooms, laboratories, microphones and loudspeakers, projector screens, and other modern teaching and learning facilities could enhance instruction delivery.

It is a worrisome situation, that most lecture halls in the universities do not accommodate all the students at a time. LIS students are seen standing by the windows and doors outside receiving lectures prompting the lecturers to teach at the top of their voices for not less than an hour in the bid to catch the attention of the overwhelming number of students. The wretched situation does not only hamper teachers’ effectiveness but also leads to serious negative impact on teachers and students’ morale for innovation and creativity. This problem could be greatly attributed to a lot of factors like poor and epileptic funding of higher institutions, mismanagement of the available funds; lack of quality consciousness, poor maintenance culture, and misplacement of priority by government. The above state is corroborated by Evarista (2009), when he describes the state of teaching and learning facilities in Nigerian institutions as deplorable, noting that the facilities are either lacking or grossly inadequate.

Writing on the need for education infrastructure and equipment for LISE Akwang (2017) explains that new technologies in form of software packages, hardware, and electronic communications could provide new, interesting, and rewarding learning methods and a conducive environment for LISE. The use of projectors and public address system is extremely needed to enhance visual and audio quality especially when teaching large class size. LIS schools need at least a laboratory equipped with computer systems and Internet connectivity and sometimes with audio-active equipment. Besides, any Internet-aided environment offers people the opportunity to interact and discuss with other people of same information interest using facilities like Bulletin Board System (BBS), Telnet, Finger, Gopher, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Archie, etc.

Teixeirajeremie (2017) posits that building, classroom. Laboratories and educational infrastructure are crucial elements of learning environments in schools and universities. There is strong evidence that high quality infrastructure facilitates better instruction, improve students’ outcome and reduces dropout rate among other benefit. Varshney (2017), affirm to the above view as he averred that school building, classroom, playground, library and equipment are the most important aspect of school infrastructure. Spacious and refurbished buildings and well ventilated classroom are a must in schools. Noting that properly planned school infrastructure is an out-and-out key factor in effective teaching and learning. It is important added Nalanda International School (2020) for schools to have good infrastructure as to improving the performance of the students and improving the school system. It pertinent to state, that though school infrastructure and equipment are important but at the same time, it should also have emphasis on a student/instructor friendly ambience and activity and value based learning.

In a recent study from the UK, Barrett, Davies, Zhang and Barrett (2016), found that environmental and design, elements of school infrastructure together explained 16% of variation in students’ academic progress. The research shows that the design of education infrastructure affects learning through three interrelated factors: naturalness, stimulation and individualization.

It is disheartening therefore to note, that despite the importance of infrastructure and equipment to education, some education policymakers are still increasingly focused on quality of education and school learning environment that many countries including Nigeria which is the macrocosm of the microcosm call SE Nigeria still use fragmented or piecemeal approach to investing in their education infrastructure.

Research Question 4:

What methods are used in evaluating students of LIS in SE Nigeria?

Table 5 shows that majority of the respondents- 828 representing 84.5% of the total respondents of 980, indicated that they are being evaluated by award of marks or attestation to successful completion of a relatively large unit of instructions by means of quizzes, assignments & terminal examinations. This summative method of evaluation has into consideration, only cognitive domain which allows the students to acquire only conceptual skills and living them incapacitated in the areas of affective and psychomotor skills. The percentage of respondents that indicated other methods of evaluation like; evaluation based on previous achievement or personal characteristics -288 (29.2%); evaluation based on feedback on the progress towards mastering of relatively small unit of learning-396 (40.5%) and evaluation through the identification of learning behaviour-224 (22.8%) are those that are in the class of industrial attachment otherwise called industrial training in Nigeria. The class of respondents are mostly from UNN and NAU.

Table 5. Methods of Evaluating LIS students

According to this study, the most commonly used assessment methods in LIS schools are essay examinations, short answer examinations and multiple‐choice examinations and in recent time 15% score from industrial attachment for 300 level students.

The reviewed university curricula documents hint at a trend towards the development of conceptual rather than functional and transformational skills. This is apparent in the instructional and assessment methods adopted in the course outlines. The instructional method (lectures) and the assessment method (written essays) accentuate cognitive above applied abilities as desirable in LIS university graduates. The course outlines lacked for example, hands-on slots, or seminars, and cataloguing and classification standards (such as AACR2 and DDC) were not presented as obligatory resources in the relevant modules.

The implication of the finding is that the instructional and assessment methods currently used in university LIS education and training programmes in SE Nigeria do not stimulate the development of functional skills. To this Adebayo and Alex-Nmacha (2018), argued that since education is a process, outside awarding marks after examinations, LIS schools should find a unified ways of evaluating students’ cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills. While Bognar and Bungic (2014) believe that evaluation of higher education teaching could be brought to a higher level by educating teachers and students about the importance of evaluation for the quality of teaching process and finding ways to include students in this process.

7. Conclusions and Recommendations

This study exposes the fact that LIS education programmes in SE Nigeria have to some degree, responded to the call for a transformation in LISE but the level of understanding of LISE in by the students still left much to be desired. On the other hand, that the LIS education in this region are faced with many challenges which are bound to work against the purpose of using LISE as a means of preparing potential librarians to be relevant in a changing world. They include; improper teaching methods, lack of educational infrastructure and equipment, students not taught most of the emerging topics in line with global trends as a result of the birth of ICT and changing world that is ruled by information as well as poor evaluation methods of students. The above opinion is also shared by Katuli-Munyoro and Mutula (2017) as they declared that LIS professional competencies and skills must evolve continuously in order to remain relevant in the contemporary world. The data suggest that today’s LIS educators have not mastered the required competencies and are not able to transfer these successfully to their students. The study leaves no one in doubt as to the necessity for LIS educators and practitioners to adopt a position of continuously learning and relearning to keep up to date.

In view of the above, and if would be librarians would stand the test of time and be relevant in a daily changing information age there must be a paradigm shift. As a way forward therefore, the researcher is of the opinion that the following measures should be applied as remedies:

v It is high time NUC and LRCN arose to their constitutional mandate and responsibilities as quality assurance agencies responsible for the reviewing of LIS curricula, accreditation of library schools and enforcement of standards. They should work as to avoiding the temptation of ‘brown envelope’ (The name that Nigerians christened high profile bribery) which in most cases are valued at the detriment of standard and excellence. The underlined factor here is that NUC should give accreditation to LIS schools only when such school is found to have all the pre-requisite which include: human capacity, necessary infrastructure and equipment. These two agencies should partner to ensure regular review of LIS curricula in line with what are obtained in advanced nations in accordance with the standards stipulated by International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) and Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) in an information age.

v The heads of LIS schools need to adopt aggressive and assertive approach to ensuring that the desired change in the education of information professionals is achieved. LIS schools need to apply innovative management principles to harness the products, process, and services or operations within the department and host institution. Although, the professional knowledge base of librarians or LIS educators is highly important in the transformation of LISE, obviously, management skills cannot be overemphasized in reaching high-level performance.

v LIS schools need to critically assess the ethical issues arising from the information cycle within their environment and develop ethical codes alongside with the standards ones for effectiveness and efficiency. The changes in information system brought by different technologies must be a guiding factor. As noted by Mabawonku (2011), the essence of ethical code is to resolve conflicting interests within the information cycle, and harmonize the interests of information providers with those of information users. Consequently, LIS schools in SE Nigeria need to include in their curriculum, course(s) that would not only equip the students with knowledge of best practices for the profession but also with the ability to educate the government, policy makers, and other stakeholders on the value of maintaining ethics in providing, accessing and using information for decision making, self and national developments.

v In the words of Akwang (2017), LIS schools in Nigeria need to partner other schools within the country, developing countries and in the developed world as to bringing about innovation and transformation in many areas of LISE. The areas include teaching, research, curriculum development, knowledge sharing, students’ industrial training, oral examination, exchange programmes among others.

v Education and training of staff is one of the most critical ingredients for improved organizational performance (Sivadas, 2012). Considering the technological advancement and changes in the teaching environment, process, and strategies, staff who are drivers of the change must receive some level of education and be continuously trained. Resis In Johnson (2012) affirmed that all activities of any institution are initiated and determined by the persons that make up the institution. That means, the available school plants, equipment, computer systems, and all other facilities are unproductive except for human efforts and directions. Therefore, members of staff need to be technically and socially competent to perform adequately on a given task or job. The view is that training and re-training the trainers is a sine-qua-non if their products are to be relevant in the scheme of the changing world.

v LIS practitioners will have to be provided with the knowledge and functional skills to use and manipulate these and future technological innovations for up-to-date service delivery and for true professionalism. It appears that traditional professional competencies, skills, techniques and technologies of LIS practitioners have been overtaken by modern technological requirements. LIS education and training programmes are challenged by the need to respond to new demands. The suggestion is that the LIS educational system has become passé and must be re-engineered so as to regain its relevance as a societal transformation tool.

v The various governments under whose jurisdiction falls the funding of these library schools, should stop paying lip service to the provision of educational infrastructure and equipment knowing full well that these amenities act as catalyst to effective teaching and learning. On the other hand, those working as heads of library schools should avoid this Nigerian factor that every appointment is an avenue to misappropriate fund and enrich one-self and associates. Apart from judicious use of fund allotted for the development of these library schools, the heads ought to embrace proper maintenance culture and ensure that infrastructure and educational equipment under their care are well maintained and taken good care of.

v Heads of Library and Information Science Departments should as a matter of necessity ensure the inclusion of practical sessions in the teaching of topics like: indexing; abstracting, information literacy in a digital age, digitalization; database management, cataloguing and classification among others.

v The NUC and LRCN should devise different forms of summative and formative evaluation methods for LIS students putting into consideration the three domains of knowledge in which case, students’ conceptual, synthesis and application skills in library and information science will be tested. In fact, the agencies should come with external independent periodic assessment of internal education quality assurance at LIS schools to be conducted by tested and reliable professionals designated ‘a body’.

v Furthermore, evaluation being a cooperative process means that both teachers and learners are all interested parties; to this end, there must be a policy (which will be part of the educational system) which allows the students to assess their lecturers after classes after all, the whole idea of evaluation is to provide information about someone’s work with a view to improving it in case there are loopholes. Let us make hay while the sun shines and make librarianship the envy of all.