Homophily-heterophily and Availability of Information Resources as Correlate of Effective Reference Services in University Libraries of North Central, Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose: The study seeks to find out the correlation that exists between Homophily- heterophily compliance and Availability of Information Resources on Effective Reference Services to Undergraduates in the University Libraries of North Central- Nigeria. Methodology : Descriptive design of correlational type was adopted. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to stratify the universities into federal, state and private universities. Subsequently, random sampling technique was used to select four states from which four (federal) Federal University of Technology Minna, University of Abuja, University of Ilorin, University of Jos) and four state (Benue State University, Ibrahim Badamasi University Lapai, Nassarawa State Unversity, and Kogi State University Ayigba) were randomly selected. Furthermore, purposive sampling technique was used to select one privately owned university (Nigerian Turkish Nile University). Proportionate sampling technique was used to select 1,500 (1.21%) of undergraduates out of 123,950 undergraduates across faculties of Arts, Agriculture, Social Sciences, and Science and Technology. The self developed instruments used were: Effective reference Services (r = 0.95), Homophily- Heterophily (r = 0.91), Staff quality (r = 0.94), Information literacy (r= 0.86) and availability of Information resources (r = 0.96) questionnaires. Data were analysed using Pearson’s product moment correlation and Multiple regression at 0.05 level of significance. Findings :The study also found out that reference services to the undergraduate students in the universities of North Central Nigeria could partly be occasionally effective, grossly inadequate and far from being satisfactory, while majority of the respondents said reference services were not effective at all. The study revealed that non practice or unconsciousness of the homophily –heterophily concept engenders ineffective reference services delivery to the university undergraduates. The study revealed that there is insufficient availability of information resources, which engenders ineffective reference services. The study revealed that there is significant positive relationship between homophily – heterophily and effective reference services. .The findings revealed that there was significant positive relationship between availability of information resources and effective reference services to the undergraduates in North Central Nigeria.The findings revealed that the composite effect of all the independent variables (put together) have significant positive relationship to effective reference services. Furthermore, the findings reveal that the two independent variables of homophily- heterophily, and availability of information resources all have relative significant positive relative influence on effective reference services. Implications: The study shows that all the independent variables namely homophily-heterophily, and availability of information resources showed strong positive and significant relationships both individually(relatively) and collectively ( jointly or compositely) to the dependent variable which is effective reference services. Therefore for effective reference services in university libraries all the independent variables need to be taken into consideration, that is they need to be in existence for effective reference services. Originality: There is need to sensitize the library workers both professional and non professional cadres on the importance of effective and satisfactory reference services. For effective reference services, there should be deliberate consciousness of the homophily- heterophily concept in communication and reference transactions as it engenders effectiveness in reference transactions.