Work–life balance of librarians at the Kenneth Dike library in Nigeria. Implications for the provision of library services
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-06-2019-0035 |
| Date | 18 March 2020 |
| Pages | 79-90 |
| Published date | 18 March 2020 |
| Author | Oluwole O. Durodolu,Philomena A. Mamudu |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries,Library strategy,Library promotion |
Work–life balance of librarians at
the Kenneth Dike library in Nigeria
Implications for the provision of
library services
Oluwole O. Durodolu
Department of Information Science, University of South Africa,
Pretoria, South Africa and
University of Lagos Library, Lagos, Nigeria, and
Philomena A. Mamudu
Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Abstract
Purpose –This study examined the interceding influence of work–life balance (WLB) among library staff at
the Kenneth Dike Library and its implication for the provision of information. The research sought to respond
to the following questions:the effect of demographic variables on the WLB of librarians and their perceptions of
WLB within the intimate environment.
Design/methodology/approach –This study adopted a positivist research paradigm because the nature of
the research revealed a single social reality which can be measured quantitatively, using a reliable instrument
such as a questionnaire. The total sampling technique was used to zero in on the staff of the library, in which the
entire library population was included in the study.
Findings –The findings suggest that male librarians enjoy a better WLB than their female counterparts. Also,
the results indicate that librarians, irrespective of their marital status, focused on job-related activities minding
their marital status and therefore, marital status could influence the WLB of librarians. Similarly, priority is not
being given to their work, to the detriment of caring for the family.
Research limitations/implications –The study suggests that age causes the WLB to change, the
implication being that an ageing workforce has an impact on adaptation, output and innovation.
Originality/value –This paper sheds light on the WLB among librarians at the Kenneth Dike Library (KDL);
therefore, information acquired from this study is imaginative and valuable to understand better how
information professionals react to official and personal engagement.
Keywords Information provision, Kenneth Dike library, Librarian, Library services, Work-life balance
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Work–life balance (WLB) is a concept that has been extensively discussed in the area of
organizational behaviour; it is a topical issue that has also attracted the attention of many
organizations because of persistent changes in economic, political and cultural value system
leading to increase in workload, acquisition of multiple skills, protracted working hours and
use of technology and how it has multiplied challenges faced by modern library environment.
All these challenges have implication for managing work and family effectively in order to
improve workers’productivity and increase their job satisfaction (Shaikh et al., 2019, p. 44).
Professional and family life are mutually crucial to the survival of individual and both require
proper balance and stability (De Cieri and Dowling, 2006). However, the percentage of
professional women has improved in the last couple of years; therefore, gender gap in
workplace is closing substantially (Bhowon, 2013). This has repercussion for the stability of
the family when childcare is left to the management of househelps who often are children
themselves, and this has become standard features in Nigeria and other African countries.
According to World Development Report (2012) in sub-Saharan Africa countries, there has
Work–life
balance of
librarians
79
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0143-5124.htm
Received 13 June 2019
Revised 13 November 2019
Accepted 14 January 2020
Library Management
Vol. 41 No. 2/3, 2020
pp. 79-90
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-06-2019-0035
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