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 Library staff, challenges to HRD programmes, and the effects of those challenges on academic library services in Nigeria. Three objectives with corresponding research questions were formulated to examine the types of HRD programmes, challenges, and their effects on library service delivery. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, the population consists of 437 academic libraries (universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education) across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique (stratified, proportionate stratified, and random) was used to select 27% of the population i.e. 118 academic libraries. An open-ended questionnaire was designed and 118 copies of the questionnaire were administered to 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 were arranged/organized by ranked order. Results showed that study fellowship and orientation programme for newly employed staff were first and second in rank order, as well as founding which top the list and were discovered to be the major HRD programme and serious challenge to HRD programmes in 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 a decline in library service and other negative effects can further lead libraries and the entire parent institutions to lose recognition and fail accreditation exercises conducted by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). The study recommends that government at state and federal levels, as well as proprietors of universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in Nigeria, should commit adequate funds to academic libraries for regular staff development.