EFFECT OF STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT ON THE USER EXPERIENCE AMONG POLYTECHNIC LIBRARIANS IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

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EFFECT OF STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT ON THE USER EXPERIENCE AMONG POLYTECHNIC LIBRARIANS IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

(A Case Study of Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa)

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       Introduction

Changes in libraries in recent years have resulted in the need for new or expanded skills, abilities and knowledge of librarians. These changes include the implementation of new technologies such as computer-based cataloging, automated circulation systems, online access to machine-readable bibliographic databases, and the development and formalization of personnel policies and procedures. Hence, the awareness of the library professionals of the need for continuous training, because of the increasing variety of information formats and library services (Dawha, 2014). 

Khan and Bhatti (2012) emphasized that due to changing needs of library users, the libraries also need to be changed. A dynamic environment like academic library requires librarians and library staff to have strong abilities in library services delivery for all types of print and electronic information retrieval. Fitzgibbons (2012) posits that computer skills are requisite for library work in general while the librarians and library assistants must have a high enough level of knowledge to troubleshoot and assist clients in all areas of service need.

The knowledge needed can be acquired through regular training and development. However, Fitzgibbons (2012) reiterates that lack of adequate training for required tasks particularly in regard to technology has been identified as one of the causes of workplace stress in academic libraries.

1.1       Background of the Study

Staff training and development constitutes one aspect of the human resource management processes in any organization. It is the most powerful tool of any organization’s success. The Concise Oxford Dictionary (2009) defines training as “bringing a person to a desired state of efficiency by instruction and practice”. Development is also defined by the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2010) as “change that makes a product, plan, idea etc. better”. Training and development of an employee is therefore regarded as one of the most important functions of effective resource management and service delivery. According to Rowley (2015) training and development is necessary for the maintenance of the human resource base of the organization and must be viewed as an integral part of the core organizational strategy. Casteleyn (2012) Opined that all libraries aim to have efficient staff in order to provide a good library service to the public they hope to serve, whether that readership is using a Public, University, School or Private library.

Adeniji, Babalola, & Adeniji (2012) explains that library buildings and large collections without skilled professionals can be described as glorified warehouses. Training, therefore, is of the utmost importance in the library field, although each library organization must decide for itself what it means by a desired state of efficiency, as requirements will differ from library to library and country to country. However, the training should be designed to ensure efficient performance to the dual benefit of the library system and the users. To further emphasize the need for training, Nzotta (2013) postulates that librarianship is indeed a labour intensive profession, to be able to provide effective and efficient service requires a lot of skills and well trained staff.

According to Word Quotient (2014), training is a joint and an ongoing process between the employee and the organization aimed at overall development of the individual and in turn the organization. Furthermore, training can be understood as the process of teaching employees new skills that are essential to perform their jobs. Training is usually applied immediately after recruitment, but in some organizations, employees undergo training on a periodic basis that can be understood as “developmental training.”

Training, therefore, is a systematic development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required by employees to perform adequately on a given task or job (Al-Ajlouni, Athamneh, & Jaradat, 2010; Olaniyan & Ojo, 2012). According to  Management studyguide.com (2012), training is the process of enhancing the skills, capabilities and knowledge of employees for doing a particular job. Fitzgibbons (2012) further opines that training of librarians and library assistants can provide the confidence that limits mental techno stress.

Oke and Oguntuase (2010) affirm that training and development of library staff in any academic library contributes significantly to productivity because trained staff are motivated and better equipped to utilize their knowledge, skills, and abilities. However, training and development of library assistants seem not to be considered as important despite the fact that it focuses on the current employee needs and competency. Therefore, it is pertinent for librarians to train library assistants as a means of empowering them for future assignments and responsibilities.

Cole and Kelly (2011) affirmed library users want efficient and effective service delivery. They do not want to read complicated manuals, study the complexities of databases, or know about complicated search mechanisms or strategies. To deal with this situation, librarians or information professionals have a strong culture of responding to the new opportunities in professional development to ensure that their skills meet the continuing changing environment in which they work. Being able to keep up with today’s constant changes and innovative world is a challenging task. Information professionals must be trained to be able to operate successfully. Some reasons that call for the need for constant training and development of libraries are: The introduction of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in libraries, the sophisticated and complex nature of the library user, the vast increase and growth of knowledge, the era of information overload, challenging trends in library services.

The readers must be able to feel confidence in the member of library assistant who may be dealing with them. This confidence means that readers will return again and ask for information from the library assistant. Here the knowledge of the individual assistant member plays an important part, for the staff, even if they have only basic education, must be knowledgeable about the tasks they perform on a daily basis and must have a sound understanding of the organization in which they are working. Training will enable them to participate more intelligently in the work of the Library. They must know why they are asked to operate certain procedures and what will happen if they make mistakes. Libraries must continually strive to improve usage and readership levels and this will not occur when staff themselves are disinterested or uninformed. In effect the staff, by their attitudes, can be a critical feature in either encouraging or discouraging library users. Good, well-trained staff, at whatever level, will serve to enhance the reputation of the library service. Training and development, therefore, must be an integral part of the library management’s plans. It is no good to have a well-stocked library that remains underexploited because of poorly trained staff.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

Every staff in an organization need professional training and development. It is however the responsibility of the University management to train and develop the library staff to deliver existing and future services to users. In the quest to develop the library staff, there should be regular training programmes to help them understand, improve on their skills and perform their work better.

Modern management techniques have shown that all levels of staff should benefit from training programs. In most academic libraries, librarians are found to carry out task of shelving books and routine circulation desk activities among others. However, researches have shown that professional librarians are usually given better opportunities while the library assistants who also need training are often neglected or are denied such opportunities through rigid bureaucratic processes. Training of library staff is very necessary because they are involved in the day-to-day processing and organization of materials in the library. They also work on desks or computer terminals entering data, compile bibliographic records, and help patrons find library resources that require training because of changes in library services. This study therefore tends to investigate how training of library assistants can enhance library services, improve their performance and productivity, and enable them support the librarians beyond usual library activities.

However, it appears that there is a lack of training and development of staff in libraries and if there are, they are not enough and also do not address the specific needs of staff. The research therefore is intended to examine staff needs for training and development and whether the two Universities provide regular training for its staff. It will also examine other areas where staff development may be necessary.

1.3       Objective of the Study

The general objective of this study was to examine the impact of training and development of library assistants in Academic libraries. The Specific objectives are to

1. Examine the different types of training made available to library staff
2. Know the types of training programs that were attended by the library staff
3. Ascertain the need to train library staff in academic library for effective performance and productivity.

1.4       Research Questions

To achieve the set objectives, the study was guided by three research questions as follows.

1. What are the types of training made available to library staff?
2. What are the types of training programs attended by the library staff?
3. How can training of library staff in academic library enhance their performance and productivity?

1.5       Significance of the study

This study is meant to inform and educate the board of directors of Nigerian tertiary institutions, government and policy makers on how the importance of staff training on library development.

It is meant to recommend staff training to those institutions that are not practicing it, most especially when it comes to library development.

This study seeks to inform the government that when allocating funds to institutions, special funds should be allocated to train and maintain the libraries staff and libraries respectively.

However, this study is relevant to policy makers as they could include staff training as being compulsory for all universities members of staff.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this topic and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other work or study.

1.6       Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study is restricted on assessing the training need of Librarians in Polytechnic Libraries in Nasarawa State.

Limitations of study

Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

 1.7      Definition of terms

Staff: All the people employed by a particular organization.

Training: The action of teaching a person or animal a particular skill or type of behaviour.

Staff training: This is training to improve the performance or knowledge of the employees or workforce of a company, etc.

Library development: Library Development provides leadership, grants, and other assistance to libraries, archives, and literacy communities to improve services for the academic community.

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