Impact of Librarians’ Digital Literacy Skills on Inclusive Library Services Delivery for Undergraduate Students with Disabilities in the Faculty of Education: A Case Study of Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Ni

Abstract

This study examined the impact of librarians’ digital literacy skills on inclusive library services
delivery for undergraduate students with disabilities in the faculty of education: a case study of
Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. The
study employed a descriptive survey research method. A total of 37 librarians those who possessed
a degree in Librarianship among Library Officers, were included in the study, working in Hezekiah
Oluwasanmi Library. Questionnaire was used for data collection, and 37 self-constructed
questionnaires were distributed and received (100%) and equally used for analysing data. The
findings revealed that librarians generally possess moderate to high levels of digital literacy skills,
such as curating inclusive digital resources, using e-resources, providing digital reference services
and troubleshooting ICT issues, but competence in the use of assistive technologies was found to
be very low. However, the availability of digital tools and assistive technologies was very low,
with only databases and e-learning platforms, while tools such as screen readers, captioning
software, Braille translators and adaptive devices were not available. It was recommended that
prioritising the acquisition and maintenance of essential assistive tools such as screen readers,
magnifiers, Braille translation software and adaptive keyboards to enhance equitable accessibility
and inclusivity in the use of libraries is necessary for people with disabilities. Adequate budgetary
allocations should be made to support the procurement of digital resources, ICT infrastructure and
accessibility tools for inclusive library service delivery. Also, Awareness campaigns and user
education programs should be conducted for both librarians and students.