Information Needs and Library Services Delivery for Students with Visual Impairment in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the information needs and library service delivery to students with visual impairment in Oyo State, Nigeria with a focus on assessing the influence of library 1 services; information needs; media formats availability and accessibility on library use among students with visual impairment in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study established educational information, health information and information on coping with their visual impairment as major information needs of the visually impaired students while circulation service, reference service and screen reading service on computers are found to be the only library services provided for them. Print Books/Magazines, Braille Books and Braille-in-Print were found to be prominent among the few media-formats available for the students while the dearth of media-formats was found to be inadequate in meeting the information needs of students with visual impairment in Oyo State. Lack of ease of accessing the library resources, facilities as well as library staff whenever they need help, poor policy on borrowing privileges, lack of path sounders to guide their movement around the library among others were major accessibility issues confronting the students in enjoying quality library services. The study recommended the need to address the provision of basic facilities that are critical to effective library service delivery to the visually impaired students.