E-LIBRARY

This study investigated the impact of e-library and students’ academic performance in public senior secondary school in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The objectives were to assess the availability of e-library facilities, frequency and types of e-library resources used, challenges encountered by students, and the relationship between e-library usage and academic performance with five research questions. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. A sample of 200 students was drawn from five randomly selected public senior secondary schools in the area; however, only 100 properly completed questionnaires were retrieved and analysed. Data were analysed using a combination of mean ((x), standard deviation (SD), simple percentage, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The findings revealed that the availability of e-library facilities in public schools was generally low, and student usage of existing e-library resources was infrequent. The types of e-library tools accessible were limited, with most students lacking access to academic databases, reference tools, and other digital learning platforms. Major challenges identified included power outages, limited ICT skills, and poor alignment of e-library content with the school curriculum. Despite these constraints, a low but statistically significant positive relationship was found between e-library usage and academic performance. Based on the findings, it was recommended that government and school authorities invest in digital infrastructure, provide relevant training, and integrate e-library usage into the curriculum to enhance educational outcomes.

While traditional libraries face limitations in accessibility and scale, web-based elibraries have emerged as indispensable platforms for delivering vast digital content. They come with benefits such as the prevalent one of offering 24/7 access to digital resources from any device with internet accessibility. This project proposes the design of a web-based elibrary system using HTML, CSS and Javascript programming, specifically engineered to address the real-world problems of fragmented user experiences; which require the use of multiple tools for interacting with different file types, limited search functionalities within digital documents, especially Portable Document Format (PDF) files, inconsistent search capabilities, and over-reliance on external viewing applications. The core innovation lies in the integration of a robust, searchable PDF viewer directly within the platform, enabling users to perform full-text searches not only across document metadata but also within the content of uploaded PDF files. The system will feature a centralized, intuitive interface for managing and accessing a wide range of digital materials, including books, journals, and research papers, regardless of their original format. Furthermore, the proposed e-library will prioritize user accessibility through features such as responsive design and clear navigation. By providing an integrated, highly searchable, and user-friendly platform, the success of this project aims to significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of digital information access, thereby fostering a more productive learning and research environment.