Skills and Competencies Required by Academic Staff in the Utilisation of Information Retrieval Devices in Polytechnic Libraries in Kaduna State, Nigeria

This study was carried out to assess the information retrieval skills and competencies required by academic staff in the use of domiciled Information Retrieval Devices (IRD) in Polytechnic Libraries in Kaduna State. The main objective of this study was to identify the types and IRDs available; ascertain the means of information retrieval skills acquisition for effective utilisation of IRDs, and determine the constraints militating against the effective use of the IRDs by academics staff in the Polytechnics studied in Kaduna State. The survey research method was adopted for the study. A total number of 1700 of academic staff from the two selected polytechnic libraries formed the subject of the study. The questionnaire and observation were the instruments used to collect data. Descriptive statistics was used and analysed the data collected. The findings revealed that the types of IRDs available were manual library catalogue, index, and abstract. The results also showed that the trial and error approach was the primary way of retrieving information resources. One of the challenges encountered by the respondents was the lack of knowledge on how to use the IRDs in retrieving information resources. The study concluded that information retrieval skill was lacking; hence, there was no satisfaction derived from the use of IRDs by the acade mic staff of the institutions surveyed. Based on the findings of this study, some reco mmendations were made among which are: the polytechnic librarians should have a policy for training both existing and newly recruited academic staff for effective and efficient utilisation of information retrieval devices to retrieve information resources with ease.