Technological competencies and utilisation of integrated Library management software among librarians in university libraries in South-South, Nigeria

This study examined the relationship between technological competencies and utilisation of integrated Library management software (ILMS) among librarians in university libraries in South-South, Nigeria. A descriptive correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population consisted of 269 librarians working in federal and state university libraries. Due to the manageable population size, a total enumeration sampling technique was adopted. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed to assess librarians’ technological competencies and their utilisation of ILMS. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were used to answer the research questions while the hypothesis was tested at the 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that librarians possessed very low levels of technological competencies, that the types of ILMS platforms utilised across the surveyed libraries were KOHA, NewGenLib, and SLAM, even though (29.8%) of the libraries are currently not utilising any ILMS and that ILMS was moderately utilised in university libraries in the region. The study also found a significant positive relationship between librarians’ technological competencies and the utilisation of ILMS. The study concluded that improving librarians’ technological competencies is essential for enhancing the effective utilisation of ILMS and recommended strengthening practical competencies through hands-on training sessions focused on specific ILMS tasks, such as cataloguing, acquisition, circulation, and reporting. This can be achieved through access to ILMS test environments or mentorship programs within the library.