ABSTRACT
The study investigated access and use of online information services among academics in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, using six research questions and three hypotheses that were formulated and answered. A survey research design was employed for the study. Out of the 2,433 academics in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, a sample size of 355 was drawn which represented 13.77% using Krejcie and Morgan table (1973). Instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire called Academics Online Information Access and Use (AOIAU, 2013) developed by the researcher. The study tried to find out the availability of facilities (infrastructures) for online information services. The extent or level of access and use of online information services, how academics accessed online information services, types of online databases, web portals accessed and used by academics, what academics use online information services for and the challenges of accessing and using online information services in the university. The hypothesis sought to know the significant difference that exists on access and use of online information services among academics in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. The study discovered that there are available facilities for online information services which reflected high on fibre optics and computer sets. However, there is low availability of telephone lines connection and CPT Cable connections. Academics accessed selective dissemination using email high and accessed every time and almost every time respectively. Also academics in the university have low access to online feeds (RSS feeds) and of those who access it every time and almost every time respectively. Academics mostly access online information services through the university's portal, with only few using the library's portal. On the use of online information services the study revealed that academics used selective dissemination using email and for those who use it every time and almost every time respectively. The least used online information services are on virtual library (MTN) and for those who use it every time and almost every time respectively. The formulated hypothesis revealed that there is significant difference between access and use of online in formation services among academics in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. Generally, the study discovered that there are important online information services that academics do not access nor use. This study creates awareness on most of the online information services made available for access and use among academics.