Assessment of Online Usage Patterns of Subscribed HINARI Database amongst Lecturers: A Window into the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the online usage patterns of HINARI database among the Pharmaceutical Sciences lecturers at the University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria. The research was guided by six objectives. A survey research design was adopted in the investigation. The target population for this research was all the (60) lecturers in the faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Jos. Since the population of the lecturers (60) was manageable, all the lecturers were adopted in the research. Therefore, there was no sampling (complete census). The instrument used in this investigation was self-designed questionnaire. The data collected through the instrument were analyzed with the aid of frequency counts and percentages and tables were produced where necessary. The findings of the investigation revealed among others that the lecturers were not aware of the existence of the HINARI database on campus. Hence its use was greatly limited. The lecturers also admitted that internet access was very slow.  In view of the empirical evidence, the study proffers as recommendations that the University management should conduct more sensitization on the availability and usefulness of the HINARI database for teaching and research; the University management should also increase the size of the Internet bandwidth on campus. This will reduce the amount of time used in accessing the database; the management of the University should also acquire standby generators to power the Internet facilities. This will help the lectures to access the database at any time. The research, therefore, concludes that the HINARI database subscribed to academic activities on campus is very useful. But its use was limited due to unawareness of the existence of the database amongst the lectures on campus.