Okeoghene Mayowa-Adebara and Rosaline Oluremi Opeke
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of leadership style (LS) on employee commitment (EC) in university libraries in South-West, Nigeria.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of leadership style (LS) on employee commitment (EC) in university libraries in South-West, Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a survey research design. The population of the study consisted of 684 librarians from 43 universities in the six states of South-West, Nigeria. A validated questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Findings
Findings showed that the level of EC in university libraries in South-West, Nigeria was fairly high (M=2.64 on a four-point scale). LS had a significant influence on EC in university libraries in South-West, Nigeria (β=0.245, R2=0.276, p<0.05). However, transformational LS (β=0.383, p<0.05) relatively contributed more to EC than transactional LS (β=0.183, p<0.05).
Research limitations/implications
A limitation of the study was that the study was done in all the university libraries in South-Western region of Nigeria which may affect the inference of the study results to other university libraries outside this region.
Practical implications
The findings of the study will be of benefit to academic institutions, library management and librarians on planning and decision making regarding personnel management.
Originality/value
The study therefore recommends that administrators, library managers should adopt transformational LS.
Details
Keywords
Chukwuma Clement Okeji and Okeoghene Mayowa-Adebara
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the library school’s curriculum in Nigeria with the aim of comparing it with international and national library and information science…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the library school’s curriculum in Nigeria with the aim of comparing it with international and national library and information science (LIS) guidelines regarding provision of “digital libraries” course.
Design/methodology/approach
This study covered 31 universities offering LIS approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC). The main instrument for data collection for the study was analysis of departmental documents containing the LIS curriculum. Second, some library and information science educators from universities that were yet to integrate the course digital libraries in their LIS curriculum were interviewed.
Findings
This study revealed that majority of the library schools offer the course “digital libraries” or related areas as core course in their curricula. However, only few library schools have computer laboratories for students to enhance digital library skills. Some LIS educators in the library schools identified challenges such as lack of qualified information and communication technology (ICT) staff to handle the course coupled with lack of computer laboratories equipped with modern computers with stable internet facilities in the LIS departments in Nigeria.
Practical implications
The findings from this study may inform curriculum revision and updating efforts to make it more relevant by incorporating a stand-alone course on “digital libraries” and provision of computer laboratories in the LIS departments to produce future ICT/digital librarians.
Originality/value
If university administrators, decision-making body in the departments and LIS educators understand the factors that are currently standing in the way of integrating a course on digital libraries, then those barriers can be removed or lowered. If the enabling factors are appreciated, then actions can be taken to stimulate the implementation of the Librarians’ Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN)/NUC recommendations in all library schools in Nigerian universities.