From Techno-Illiterate to Techno-Literate Era: Nigerian Academic Librarians in Perspective
Kabiru Dahiru Abbas

Abstract
The exponential growth of information sources, resources and the continued ICT sophistication of libraries all over the world call for capable and ICT-compliant library staff in Nigerian academic libraries. This empirical study investigates the ICT skills of academic librarians in the eleven institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. Cross-sectional survey method was applied in the study using homogenous purposive sampling technique to draw the sample. Forty four (44) samples were selected comprising of four academic librarians from each institution. The finding uncovered huge gap between the potentials of the ICTs and the actual utilization by the librarians for information resources and services provision in the libraries. It further reveals that the librarians lack the requisite expertise to maneuver the ICT facilities and navigate in to the wealth of information resources available on the Web. Many general and specialized Databases were never utilized such as ScienceDirect, AGRIS, Biosis Biological abstract, American Society of Civil Engineering, Blackwell, Tylor and Francis, Project Muse, etc. by the librarians to deliver, provide and disseminate information to their clientele. The study recommends some steps to turn around the situations viz; Deliberate and coherent policy on ICT training and retraining of staff on continues basis; Procurement of state of the art ICT equipment and facilities in the libraries; Increase in the budgetary allocation to the libraries; there should be an attitudinal change by the librarians so as to imbibe the ICT culture etc.

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