School Libraries as an Effective Instrument for Achieving Academic Excellence a Case Study of Schools in Owerri Town
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The library is a central focus because in every academic institution. The learners and educators achieve this objective through the library which serves as the vehicle of communication or transmission of scholarly knowledge for educational excellence.
School libraries are very indispensable for effective teaching and learning processes. The main aim of this study is the town in relation to their academic performance.
- To know the impact of school library and program on its various patrons
- To find out the impact of reading culture and library skills acquisition on students performance.
- To know the extent to which library collections impact knowledge.
- To examine the service of the school library.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The full educational impact of the school library on the academic behavioral pattern of students is yet to be fully understood. Obviously, communication is very vital in human existence. In the increasingly independent modern world of today, the ability to read and communicate forms one of the basic skills for an individual’s survival in the society.
Communication and reading involve some sort of subsequent resource like book and non-book resource with these school libraries represent a major force for academic excellence.
Libraries and teachers agreed that a meaningful knowledge must be in-depth while theorist and practitioners alike that effective communication must be persuasive.
Harold Demsetz (2006) sees communication thus communication seeks to alter the state of knowledge or the feelings of others so that it implicitly attempts to convince and persuade others, that this information is not worth having. Most studies on school library and academic excellence have tended to focus on reading habits/skills, independent learning and others without focusing attention on the instrument responsible for acquiring them and the relationship with its clienteles.
With this Morgan (2003) describes the school library thus:- Long known as the only educational institution that educates silently, which provides a large collection or wide variety of materials specially selected and evaluated for their teaching value and education.
Gagg also contributes his own quota (2008) in school library activities and how to get good results opined that: the detailed guidance in the library materials will be of utmost value in helping even the least experienced reader to get good results, for he is taken step by step through each lesson.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
These research methodology focuses on Design of the study, Area of the study, Population of the study, Sample and sampling techniques, Instrumentation for data collection, Validation of instrumentation for and Method of data analysis.
DESIGN OF THE STUDY
This study will adopt survey method in investigating the topic:- School librarians as an effective instrument for achieving academic excellent.
AREA OF THE STUDY
Owerri is the capital of Imo State. It is located on the South-East region of Nigeria.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The population for the study includes all the students, principal, teacher librarians and library assistants in the selected secondary schools in Owerri. Consisting of six schools. Three boys secondary school and three girls secondary school. There are many schools in Owerri town, but due to time factor, the research concentrate on six schools (6) which have a total number of 500 people
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
In this chapter, data presentation are systematically analyzed from the questionnaire administered and oral interviews conducted. This will help to determine the relevance of the study. Total of 8 questionnaires were distributed to four schools and 9 questionnaires to two schools. Total of 50 questionnaires but only 30 were correctly filled and returned.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY
The school library provides an opportunity for meaningful change, it is meant to help develop some clear positive motivation for learning and succeeding in school.
The most important discussion, but frequently experience virtue of an education is that it is an excellent confidence by what you know is a good way to gain a positive attitude “knowledge is power”, when you feel confident you can meet difficult situations ahead, but with the self assurance, you will succeed. It is clear that school libraries opens up immeasurable gateway to the acquisition of skills, knowledge and competences which will equip the learner for continuous success in academic pursuits and of immense benefit to himself, family and the society at large. Libraries has indeed transformed the face of the world in knowledge and the school libraries has a major factor in the childhood education and in promoting reading habits.
Therefore, school libraries are the heart of the institution and the apex on which the intellectuals life of the school rests. Also the most important sources of educational information.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that the school libraries in the areas of study do not play their roles effectively due to inherent problems. In view of this, this research prefer solutions to includes:-
- The secondary education management board should as a matter of urgency deploy professional librarians and library assistants to every secondary school especially now our tertiary institutions produce graduates of NCE, HND and BLS in library science. This will increase the functions and improve library services in secondary schools.
- The teacher librarians are to embark on the job training to improve their competence and keep them abreast with the modern trends in school librarianship. Also they should be given the opportunity to attend conferences, participate in seminars, workshops and symposia organized by the Nigerian library association.
- The government should introduce the use of the library as a subject to be taught in Nigeria secondary schools, so as to help these students make use of other libraries.
- The government should provide adequate and fantastic accommodation for school library by erecting a separate building for library. This would provide a conducive atmosphere for users to make room for expansion and for the extension of library opening hours after school.
- The Nigeria library association to make prompt and urgent effort to get the ministry of education to ensure a unified library instruction.
CONCLUSION
The anticipation by parents for the future high status of their children in life means that the hand that would mould them to attain the ultimate goal of their desire should be a model. The guiding hand, that model is the school library. School library is a dynamic instrument of educational excellence. As there is no better way of encouraging students to read other than proper provision and presentation of a wide range of good books which the school librarian by virtue of his profession has the expertise to select, evaluate, acquire, process and promote reading habits in students. Reading is said to be essential for success in all academic subjects and school libraries are indispensable in the formation of good reading habits.
The development of human resources through education, calls for efficiency in reading and learning, hence the society has realized that human development move needs to be controlled and directed.
REFERENCES
- Allan, R.V (2003) The school library media programme: Instructional force excellence New York: Bowker. Pg. 41.
- Awoniyi, Adedeyi (2004) Pre-reading activities and reading readiness in Nigerian schools, issue at state. pg. 15.
- Dike, V.W. (2007) “The school library: An instrument for educational reforms”. pg. 5.
- Gagg, Murry (2008) School and college libraries. London: Oxford University press. pg 28.
- Harold, Demsetz (2006) Harold educational books for infant, primary and secondary school. London: Harold Books. pg.18
