Relevance Of ICT In Modern Library Setting Of Information And Communication Technology Facilities In Academic

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Information technology has been evolving rapidly during the last of the 20th century particularly since the 1968 and 1970’. It has revolutionaries the media and modes of computing storing and communication information. The changes in the processing and distribution of information made with enthusing and by necessity have affected society in many ways. The use of information and communication technologies in libraries has tremendously increased because it provide enhanced user satisfaction cost effectiveness, faster and simpler programmes the rapid responses and easier operational procedures. Generally the use of ICT in libraries includes online access to library collection, the use of bibliographic databases, online literature searching and the use of personal computers.
Information technology has been defined as |the application of computers and other technology to the acquisition, organization, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information”. (American library Association 1983). This definition implies that ICT is restricted to system dependent upon a micro-electronics based combination of computing and communication technology.
Information and communication technology in information by means of computers, office machine and telecommunication, (Ehikhame, F.A. 1993). In other words, computers provides the processing, storage and retrieval capabilities while telecommunication provides the capabilities for the transfer and or communication of data from one work workstation to another.
Information and communication technology is a term which encompasses the notion of the application of technologies in information handling, generation, storage, processing, retrieval, dissemination etc… (Marghaani M.A. 1987) in an increasing competitive environment the concern of managers of library and information services must be only with the survival of our library and information services, but also with their development within a clear and coherent framework of policy. Just as in any other sector of the economy, library services can only services if they continue to develop, there needs to be a clear view of the direction that development should take to best meet the developing needs of users. A confident expectation that the profession can continue to do tomorrow just what has been done today will lead to a gradual decline in the perceived value of library and information services because users are fast becoming aware that information are available from other sources.
The new information age has permeated all aspects of human existence (spies, 198). It was brought certain challenges to academics the world over (pinfiel), 2001). In Nigeria, this challenge is even more critical today. It is apparent that any attempt to have meaningful academic communication can only be successful through the information and communication technology, which is the application technology, which is the application of computer and its peripherals in communication data within the shortest available time and over geographical spaces.
The study is based on the availability and relevance of the facilities used in libraries, since the library is the crux of the matter; it is seen as “an instrument of social change, public enlightment and national progress. (Aboyabe, B.O. 1982). It serves as repository of information and knowledge that have provided the vital under pining for socio-economic, political and cultural sphere. In relating this function of libraries to information technologies, (Tamuno O.G. 1997) comments that it is one thing to generate as much information as possible, it is quite another thing however to make such information accessible an available when need, which requires proper storage, processing accessibility and retrieval. The relevance of information technologies in libraries is in activities concerned with information storage and retrieval and in those activities concern with in-house keeping routines such as acquisition, cataloguing serials control, circulation, of library materials and the collection of management statistics.
In libraries, information network have the potential for relieving human kind of many of its burdens. Net working refers to a broad system of computers, terminates video display units, telephones etc. which are used for data communication services. Therefore to network in the library parlance involves the interconnection of computer terminals etc. the heart of information net working or connectivity is the issue of telecommunication linking together libraries, librarians, users in Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Areas Network (WAN). They endeavor to eliminate many of the repetitive and boring tasks related to the processing and communication of information.
The volume and rate of the generation of information as well as the demand for it has made its conservation and storage and manipulation by electronic means imperative in an information conscious society. Advances in modern technology have naturally led to the de-emphazing of the traditional method of attaining various information processing and transfer objectives, hence the introduction of computer and other modern information technologies in the libraries.

1.1 THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE LIBRARIES.
Some people may question the need for libraries to make use of an advanced technology for information processing and house keeping operations. The real question is not whether this technology should be used but whether or not this technology is appropriate. When we speak of appropriated technology we usually imply that there is a wide range of available technologies to choose from, and the choice of a technology which suits a particular circumstance would be the appropriate technology.
Information technology is at the core of competitive strategies of any successful organization such as libraries. It can be utilized to functional restructure the value chain of an organization by combining and rearranging certain activities and processes. Introducing information technologies into libraries system, the libraries in Nigeria with special reference to the two stated case studies noted that the acceptance of the users of this system is paramount and this is often related to such parameters as convenience, comprehension and cost thus at these libraries information technology as a new system is more convenient than the old system though it is capital intensive.

The information technologies found in libraries today can be group into.
COMPUTER MEDIA: The central processing unit (CPU) of the computer has definite amount of data capacity. Additional storage media such as magnetic disk, audiotapes etc, enhanced its performance.
TELECOMMUNICATIION: It facilitates the transfer or communication of data and information. However, only limited applications of theses technologies appear to have taken are modified from the old ones. They include CDROM searching, Networking, internets.
CD ROM SEARCH: The compact dise-read only memory is an information technology with great potential for academic libraries. It potential lies in storage capacity portability etc.

1.2 ICT AND HOUSE KEEPING FUNCTION IN LIBRARY.
Library house keeping function in academic libraries can be group into 4 sub-system.
ACQUISITION: This section is concerned with the selection and acquisition of book etc. by purchase, gift, exchanges etc. most task of the unit is repetitive, with the use of ICT such problems are eliminated.
CATALOGUING: One of the most important library operation is cataloguing. It is the traditionally most time assuming technical operation in the libraries.
CIRCULATION: The use of ICT in the circulation section eliminate some of the repetitive nature of manual work such as charging and discharging, writing to over dues, recording of times etc.
SERIAL: This section handle publication issued in successive part as regular or irregular internals. Maintaining this operation in a manual environment is cumbersome, but different in a fully automated system with ICT the following are enhanced subscription control, information storage and retrieval which entails selective dissemination of information (SDI).

1.3 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AREA OF STUDY FEDERAL UNIVERESITY OF TECHNOLOGY LIBRARY
FUTO library was established in 1986 as the first of the university major academic support unit. The library is situated in a purpose built facilities. The library is housed in two building.

i. The library phase one building
ii. Pilot plant building both of which are IKM apart.
The federal university is technology, Owerri (FUTO) library was initially sited at late Nwaebere campus whilst the permanent campus was under construction in Ihiagwe. The F.U.T.O) library at the fullness of time finally move to its permanent site at Ihiagwa. Preparatory work for the library began in June 1981 with Mr. J.C. Anefulu as the pioneer university libraries.
The pilot plant library was left with the serious section comprising bound and unbound periodicals, magazines and newspapers, the technical services section for cataloguing and classification; the acquisition section for the book acquisition. The information technology unit for I.T facilities and the document and archives section. The pilot plant library is regarded as a reference library as no borrowing is done there. It seats a little over 100 readers.

1.4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVE
 To determine the available information and communication technology facilities in the selected libraries.
 To establish avenue in which ICT facilities can be made available.
 To find out the ICT service available in these libraries.
 To determine the degree of usefulness this facilities in service delivery
 To determine the problem faced by this libraries in the utilization of ICT

1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY
This study is basically on the availability and relevance of information and communication technology in academic libraries, the study will reflect on the progress of ICT facilities in these libraries and to have an in-depth study of the technologies available for the library operation