TECHNOLOGIES AS DETERMINANTS FOR INOFRMATION SERVICE DELIVERY: COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE, BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY IN PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

A survey investigating technologies as determinants for information service delivery, was
carried out in October 2019 at the College of Health Science, Benue State University. The
purpose was to identify technologies in use for information service delivery in the medical
library; determine the competencies of medical librarian and library staff in the use of the
modern technologies and identify challenges associated with technologies as determinants
for information service delivery. This study applied descriptive survey methods to a
population ofl5inclusive of a medical librarian and other professional staff. Instruments
for the study were an observation check list which had about 24 technological items and a
structured questionnaire titled "Modern Technologies as Determinants for Information
Service Delivery” (MOTDISD) which captured demographic details of medical librarian
and other staff of the medical library. Fourteen were returned valid for data analysis
representing a return rate of 93%, The data collected were analyzed using descriptive
statistics (Mean and standard deviation). We found that: Benue State Medical Library to
some extent has a few forms of modern technologies for health information service delivery.
The challenges were inadequacies in modern technologies, inadequate Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructures and inadequate training on use of ICT
for the medical library staff. Recommendations were provision of adequate number of
modern technologies for easy accessibility, improvement in networking area radius that
enhance access and retrieval of information; and training and retraining of the medical
library personnel for optimum information service delivery.
Keywords: Modern Technologies, Determinants, Information, Service Delivery and
College of Health Sciences