Perception and Utilization of Electronic Resources by Undergraduate Students: The Case of the Federal University of Technology Library, Akure

The research was carried out to assess the perception of the undergraduate students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure on the use of e-resources in the library. A total of 180 undergraduate students were randomly selected from the students who visited the e-resources section of the University within a period of eight months in 2015 (January – August). A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents; the data was analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, Likert type scale and means. The study revealed that the undergraduate students that visited the e-resources unit of the University were relatively young with a mean age of 22 years; male students visited the e-resources more than the female students. The e-resources in FUTA library are mainly used by male students that cut across most of the schools in the University. The major reasons for utilizing the e-resources were for assignment and research purposes. The E-resource frequently used was the e-journals, e-book and e-magazines. Although the students have positive perception of the e-resources, the most significant challenge faced by the students was insufficient computers in the e-library. Based on the findings, the study recommends that female students should be motivated to use the e-resources like their male counterparts. More computers should be provided in the library to cater for the needs of the students.