DIGITAL LITERACY AND LIBRARY PERSONNEL SKILLS IN THE 21ST CENTURY: A DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY OF FATIU ADEMOLA AKESODE LIBRARY, LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Information professionals are central to knowledge management in a digital era, and their effectiveness increasingly depends on digital literacy alongside traditional professional competence. This study examined the digital literacy skills of library personnel at the Fatiu Ademola Akesode Library, Lagos State University (LASU), Nigeria, using a descriptive survey design. The population comprised the 56 library personnel in post, surveyed by total enumeration; 49 valid responses were retrieved (87.5% response rate). Data were analysed using frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation, with item and composite mean scores interpreted against a three-band benchmark (High ≥ 3.50; Moderate 2.50–3.49; Low < 2.50). Findings showed a High composite mean (3.66) for digital literacy skills, with particular strength in awareness of digital tools, information retrieval and online-meeting facilitation, but weaker competence in website/form design and patron-relationship tools. Respondents were highly familiar with social media and search engines, moderately familiar with library-management software, and highly familiar with Zoom. Institution-sponsored training was the dominant acquisition channel (3.60). The most salient challenges were restricted internet access and an unhelpful ICT-support culture; other constraints were not perceived as severe overall (2.46). The study recommends sustained digital-literacy training, improved internet access and ICT support, and equitable selection of training beneficiaries. As a single-institution descriptive study, causal claims are outside its scope; future research should apply inferential techniques with larger, multi-institutional samples