SOURCE:

Faculty: Education
Department: Library And Information Science

CONTRIBUTORS:

Chukwusa, J.
Nwosu, O.

ABSTRACT:

In Nigerian Library Association (NLA) organized conferences, workshops and seminars, there was always a general complaint regarding the work attitude of staff in libraries. What could be responsible for the observed negative work attitude? Was it poor work environment, inadequate facilities, poor remuneration or leadership styles employed by chief librarians? The researcher opted for one of the probable reasons, which is, to investigate perceived leadership styles of university librarians as correlate of work attitude of library staff in South-East, Nigeria. Seven research questions guided the study and six null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The population of the study was 274 library staff. The whole population was used because it was not too large. A questionnaire titled “Perceived Leadership Styles and Library Staff Work Attitude” (PLSLSWA) was the instrument used for data collection. The questionnaire was validated by 3 experts in the Department of Library and Information Science and Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Also, a trial test was done to ascertain internal consistency of the items in the instrument using 10 library staff from Delta State University, Abraka and Cronbach Alpha statistics used to analyze the data. Out of the 274 copies of questionnaires administered to respondents (library staff), 243 were retrieved and found usable. The research questions were analyzed using Pearson’s product-moment correlation. The significance of relationship between the variables was also tested using Pearson’s product-moment correlation. Among the major findings of the study were that the relationship between perceived autocratic and democratic leadership styles and work attitude was statistically significant, while laissez-faire was not statistically significant; the relationship between male and female staff perceived leadership styles and their work attitude was not statistically significant. The study concluded that the relationship between perceived leadership styles of university librarians and library staff work attitude was statistically significant. Positive work attitude could be guaranteed if university librarians become cognizant of the needs and well-being of staff working under them. It was recommended that greater use of democratic style of leadership should be continually emphasized and sustained by university librarians. This will enable university librarians to get the best from their followers. Also, more conscious effort should be made by university librarians to ensure that library staff are satisfied in their workplaces.