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This study examined availability and use of digital reference tools in private university libraries in south-east Nigeria. It is designed to ascertain the extent of use of DRS tools by Librarians in effective service delivery to users. Survey design was used for the study and 46 respondents comprising of Librarians and Library Staff who directly provide reference services in the private university libraries participated in the study. An observation checklist and a structured questionnaire were administered to the respondents. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study found that email services, text based/instant messaging, online pathfinders and mobile reference service were the most popular digital tools available in the private university libraries. It found that while some tools are being utilized to a very high extent and high extent, other are utilized at a low extent and not used at all. It also found paucity of funds among others as some of the challenges encountered in proving DRS. It shows that provision of funds, regular power supply are some of the strategies that can be adopted at effective provision of DRS. The study concludes by recommending adequate provision of DRS tools in the university libraries for effective service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries exist to meet its user's basic needs for information by acquiring and organizing information resources, creating enabling environment and providing adequate services to users. Once users' needs, future trends and resources available have been established, the librarian is in a position to plan the marketing objectives, the resources to be used, the place and the time scale of the operation and the strategies required in achieving them. Information professionals must therefore understand that it is essential to actively advocate and market their services. Library advocacy and marketing is critical for any information professional in order to spread the word about their library. They need to draw attention to their library, their services, their worth to their community, their administration, their staff, and their users. This paper takes a look at library and information services to disadvantaged groups, the place of advocacy and marketing in promoting library services to disadvantaged groups and strategies for promoting library services to disadvantaged groups. Conclusion was made by recommending that there is need to build collaborative ventures with stakeholder saddled with information dissemination in order to create awareness for the use of library services by disadvantaged group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]