Purpose: The study was carried out to investigate the level of awareness and utilisation of online subscription databases, and challenges to effective utilization of online subscription databases among the Postgraduate Students in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was adopted for the study with a total population of 8,376 postgraduate students. A sample of 400 students was selected for the study using proportionate stratified sampling and simple random sampling techniques. The data collected were analysed using percentages, frequency, mean, and OneWay MANOVA.
Findings: The study discovered that postgraduate students in ABU Zaria are only aware of Science Direct, JSTOR and EBSCOHOST databases out of the 12 databases investigated. The level of utilisation of online subscription databases by postgraduate students in ABU Zaria is low. The result of the hypotheses showed significant differences in the awareness and utilization of online subscription databases among PhD, Masters and PGD postgraduate students Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Lastly, lack of training and orientation on how to use databases, lack of online guide on how to use online subscription databases, lack of ICT and computer literacy skills, non-functioning links to some of the databases, and the inability to locate relevant information resources from the databases were the major challenges impeding effective utilization of online subscription databases.
Originality/value: The study showed that the differences that exist in the utilization level of online subscription databases among different categories of postgraduate students is largely occasioned by the awareness factor.