Mugera, Lucy Wanene2019-10-182019-10-182019-04http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/19842A Research Project Submitted to the School of Education in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement of the Degree of Master of Library and Information Sciences of Kenyatta University, April, 2019The ICT literacy skills have enhanced the quality of e-resources retrieval through digital technologies and skills. Users of these skills graduate with the essential decisive ICT skills, understanding plus capabilities to be effective library users. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Information Communication Technology (ICT) literacy skills on utilization of e-resources by fourth year undergraduate students at Karatina University Town Branch library. The study was guided by the following objectives: to establish adequacy of available ICT facilities, determine the types of e-resources, establish the strategies employed to enhance ICT literacy skills and to examine the challenges in the utilization of e-resources. The study was based on adaptive structuration theory that put into perspective how the users of new technology and ICT literacy skills holds high spirit for their possibility to change individual users for betterment of self. Descriptive survey design was adopted in carrying out the research. The target population was made up of 76 fourth year undergraduate regular students and four librarians. The Sloven formula was used to determine the sample size of the fourth year undergraduate students which yielded 64 respondents. The study adapted systematic random sampling technique to sample population of the students. The University librarian and library staff were purposively selected and included in the study. Self-administered questionnaires and interview schedules were used for data collection from the respondents. The reliability and validity of the instruments was tested through pilot study which was done at Dedan Kimathi University Nyeri where nine questionnaires were distributed to the fourth year undergraduate students and one librarian. The data was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics with the help of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SSPS) package version 20.0. The findings were presented in form of tables and figures. The study established the following findings: that the ICT facilities were available and functional but they were inadequate hence ICT literacy skills not effectively utilized. The e-resources were not enough and others not current and updated. ICT policy was not update. There was no adequate funds hence applying to donors or fundraising to collect money and poor internet connection leading to a lot of time used trying to download. Consequently, the study drew the following conclusions: Most of the students utilize the e-resources fully. Certain individual students have varying information needs which depends on the level of knowledge on how to use ICT literacy skills within the library. The content available in the e-resources was insufficient to cater for students intending to acquire knowledge and also inaccessible due to slowness in downloads. The study recommended that ICT department of the University establishes a way of improving internet accessibility which in turn will improve on the uses of ICT literacy skills in the process of e-resources retrieval. Allocation of sufficient funds for acquiring the ICT facilities and have the policy revised regularly and made elaborate for the users. It should also be made available in other alternative formats such as softcopy, CD, VCD, OR DVD. The study also recommended that the CUE should come up with guidelines on the content for delivering ICT literacy skills by universities and their libraries. Karatina University should also consider increasing ICT facilities and eresources in order to enhance effectiveness of ICT literacy skills use by students.enThesis