Training needs of paraprofessional library staff in university libraries in South-East Nigeria
| Pages | 482-495 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-03-2016-0019 |
| Date | 14 November 2016 |
| Published date | 14 November 2016 |
| Author | Ijeoma Ibegbulam,Jacintha U. Eze |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries,Library strategy,Library promotion |
Training needs of paraprofessional
library staff in university libraries
in South-East Nigeria
Ijeoma Ibegbulam
University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria, and
Jacintha U. Eze
Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to investigate the training needs of paraprofessional library
staff in university libraries in South-East Nigeria with the objective to find out their training needs, the
training programmes available to them, their utilization of training opportunities, hindrances to their
training and strategies for enhancing training for them.
Design/methodology/approach –The descriptive survey design and total enumeration technique
were used for the study. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire. The collected data were
analysed using frequency counts and percentagesand are presented in tables for clarity. The population of
the study was comprised of all the paraprofessional staff of the university libraries in South-East Nigeria.
Findings –Major findings showed that paraprofessional staff had a variety of training needs.
The findings also showed that training opportunities available for them were very limited and that
staff based their utilization on availability rather than need. Factors such as inadequate training
facilities and lack of fund hindered training. Strategies that can enhance training were also indicated.
Practical implications –This study has practical implication as it is an empirical study conducted
among paraprofessional library staff to identify their training needs, training opportunities available,
utilization of training opportunities, hindrances to their training and strategies that can effectively
enhance training for them.
Originality/value –Looking at the objectives of the study and the fact that most researches are
focussed on librarians not the support staff (paraprofessionals), it will be useful to library
administrators, the library professional field and planners of training programmes.
Keywords Nigeria, Academic libraries, Training needs, Needs analysis, Paraprofessionals,
Support staff
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Libraries are established in universities to support the teaching, research and
community service functions of the parent institution. To this end, they are responsible
for identifying, selecting, organizing, processing and providing access to information
resources in various formats that are required for academic work. Gates cited in
Chaudhary (2001) rightly observes that the worth of an academic library is measured
by the extent to which its resources and services meet the needs of the academic
community where it is established.
This implies that both information and human resources are required if libraries
are to meet the needs of their academic community. However, beyond possession of
information resources, an academic library must have competent human resources
whose responsibility is to ensure that the information resources and other services
provided by the library are made accessible to users. This is why Varlejs (2008) aptly
describes library staff as the intermediaries between library resources and users.
Library Management
Vol. 37 No. 8/9, 2016
pp. 482-495
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-03-2016-0019
Received 24 March 2016
Revised 24 May 2016
Accepted 29 September 2016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
482
LM
37,8/9
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