Users Attitude towards the Use of ICT And Services in B School Libraries

Introduction             Under the lure of technology, drastic changes from different paths of human endeavor occurred. Sometimes we are even caught off-guard with these changes and passively take them in into our own rules and norms of lifestyle. In any cases, the endearment of movers and creators of these technological innovations create magical spiels that have various effects. The main rulers of advocating technological changes come from the business sector and in whatever ways and means it is the main culprit. Yet, let us take this in balance to the global equilibrium of human endeavor. The technological structure may have produce intense friction or tension between the two primordial opposing principles of positive and negative neutrons, yet it still stand on its own ground because of people's wholehearted acceptance. The gate of integration of technology to human lifestyle and culture is widely open and even the presence of its guardians is non-existing. This metaphorical articulations only points to man's inactive movement towards its confrontation with technology. Additionally, his passivity is so deep that it hinders the reactive neurons to strive to control and temper it.             Many of our scholars have done multifarious studies about the effect and the lone-term impact of technology to business, education, lifestyle, politics, and culture. New technology is still a fertile ground for discussion and excavation of new resources to further extend the horizon of our knowledge. Although,  most of its aspects was already exploited for academic purposes and socio-economic interests, we cannot still deny the fact that the encompassing nature of technology still offers new thoughts and aspects wherein still being reserved for new study and analysis.             This paper seeks to identify and qualify the effects of ICT to the users' attitudinal framework. If such case is granted, it then posits an idea that ICT is powerful enough to deter the psychological make-up of its end-users. However, there is another issue to take into account that whether the effects of ICT to users' attitude are positive or negative. This then is the task of the paper. Users' Attitude, ICT and Libraries' services Nowadays, due to the emergence of new technology, libraries all over the world are now continuing to integrate technology in its operations as an academic repository of information and knowledge. One of the most celebrated symbols of drastic change in the library systems of the 20th century was because of advent of digitization, internet and the ability of technology to access library and research materials from remote locations. From the manual use system to digitization of library systems, technology plays the primary role of taking a drastic shift from a primitive style to a more sophisticated and efficient library system: information retrieval, CD-ROM databases, automated cataloguing, and electronic document delivery. The development of the library system is to offer a more conducive and easy research access for students to information and knowledge they needed for their study. However, several studies noted that in the implementation of technology in particular information communication technology to libraries would primarily depend on the receptive mode of elemental bodies that composed the management of library system.  Central to this case are the librarians who played the head of the library. In connection with this, Ramzan (2004) observes that elemental to the changes of the new millennium are interactive Web interfaces, expert systems, virtual collections, wireless networks, virtual reference services, and personal Web portals. Alongside with the emergence of these technologies are the superseding studies purposively to understand its role to human life and human endeavor at large.   Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) explore the role of attitude in their Theory of Reasoned Action which looks at the relationship between ICT and attitudes and norms and their influence on behavior. Attitude here maybe construed differently depending on to what definition we are operating into. Taiwo (1998) and Allport (1935) offered two different perspectives on the concept of attitude. For Taiwo (1998), an attitude is "inclinations and feelings, prejudices or bias, preconceived notions, ideas, fears and convictions about any specific topic". Meanwhile, Allport (1935) had a different view yet most of the scholars adhere, "is a mental and neutral state of readiness organized through experience exerting a directive or dynamic influences upon individual's response to all objects or situations with which it is associated". However, there are various case studies quite related to the subject matter. In the research made by Adelkunle, Omoba & Tella (2007) entitled Attitudes of Librarians in Selected Nigerian Universities toward the Use of ICT, the results of their study revealed generally the positive attitude of Librarians in Nigeria toward the use and implementation of ICT in their libraries. Further, the results revealed that librarian training and knowledge of ICT influence their attitudes toward it. On the other hand, Gay, Mahon, Alleyne, and Devonish (n.d), conducted an exploratory study about management undergraduate students' attitudes towards ICT. The sampling frame comprised of 166 students utilizing a descriptive survey method. The study found that management students were generally favorable to ICT in an academic setting. Based on gender differences, more males were favorable towards the use of computers as replacements to other teaching activities. In Jegede, Ojerinde, and Ilori research paper Relationships between ICT competence and attitude among some Nigerian Tertiary Institution Lecturers, investigates the relationship between ICT competence and attitude as well as attitudinal constructs of teachers. The investigation was made through a sampling frame of 467 teachers selected randomly from 10 academic institutions. They states that, "attitude bears significant relationship with and also predicts competence. It was further obtained that two of the five attitude constructs predict competence. It was observed that as teachers perceived computers to be useful in their pedagogical enterprise, the interests become aroused which in turn help their computer skills." However, there notable studies emerging that opposed to the general positive effect to the attitudinal behavior of users. In the work of Youssef and Dahmani (2008), they made a study on the impact of ICT on students' performance and found out that based on the gathered information from different sources; there are no clear direct effects of ICT to students' performance as well as to their attitude, quoting several scholars who contested about the direct effects of ICT to students' performance and behavior patterns. Indeed, ICT has a considerable effect to human endeavors in particular to specific human dimensions like users' attitude towards it in the context of library services. In this regard the effect of ICT to users' attitude may vary depending on the individual level. Yet, some study pursued the idea that in consensus, ICT has a positive effect to the users' attitudinal formation in particular to the context of utilizing the library system services. However, we can even say in different context that it has brought a negative impact to users' attitude yet, it needs for another kind of a study. Here, the task is already complete and quite clear that in majority, the use and integration of ICT to library system contribute positively to the attitudinal framework of users especially towards the behavior on academic works. The library becomes the hub of information and repository of knowledge in which the need to magnate the attention of students is important. Hence, the implementation and integration of new technology should be use and every librarian should have an attitude that enables them to avail the advantages of ICT for the development of knowledge formation of students. Moreover, the result of the knowledge formation of a student will reflect the type of attitude one has in terms of its use of ICT. Hence, if one successful achieved a knowledge formation, it can be followed to have him a good effect of ICT.