The Human Resources Development Challenges and its Effects on Library Services in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions

Abstract

The study investigated the Human Resources Development programmes offered to staff; challenges to HRD programmes, and the effects of those challenges on academic library services in Nigeria. Three specific objectives with corresponding research questions were formulated to capture the types of HRD programmes, challenges and effects on library service delivery. The study adopted descriptive survey design with population of 437 academic libraries (universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education) across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique (stratified, proportionate stratified and random) was used to select 27% of the population i.e. 118 academic libraries. Open-ended questionnaire was designed and 118 copies of the questionnaire was administered on selected libraries/librarians with one copy per librarian in each of the sample academic libraries. Simple tabulation, frequency counts and percentages were used in data analysis and results arranged/organized by ranked order. Results showed that study fellowship, and orientation programme for newly employ staff were first and second in rank order as well as funding top the list and  were discovered to be the major HRD programme and /serious challenges to HRD programmes respectively in the studied academic libraries in Nigeria. Results further revealed that ‘‘decline in library services and lack of staff motivation were the serious negative effects of the HRD challenges. The study concluded that decline in library service and other negative effects can further/in turn lead library and the entire parent institutions to loose recognition and can fail accreditation exercises conducted by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). The study recommend that government at state and federal level as well as proprietors to universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria to commit adequate funds to academic libraries for regular staff development.

Keywords: Academic Libraries, Human Resources Development, Staff development, Challenges, Effects, Nigeria