INFLUENCE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICE ON INFORMATION SERVICE DELIVERY AND LIBRARIANS’ IMAGE IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN NORTH-CENTRAL, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the influence of public relations practice on information service delivery and librarians’ image in federal university libraries in North-central, Nigeria. The study was guided by five objectives and five corresponding research questions. Among the objectives of the study were to: determine the information services rendered by federal university libraries in North-central, Nigeria; identify how public relations practice promotes the librarian image among the library users in federal university libraries in North-central, Nigeria, determine the obstacles to effective application of public relations for enhanced information service delivery and librarians image in federal university libraries in North-central, Nigeria to mention but a few. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The total population of the study was one hundred and thirty eight (138) librarians drawn from the university libraries under study. Total enumeration of the subject of study was employed or used because the population was manageable. The questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. Out of the one hundred and thirty eight (138) copies of questionnaire administered, one hundred and twenty-one (121) copies representing 88% were retrieved and used for the analysis. Descriptive statistical tools involving frequency counts, percentages and charts were used to analyse the data. The study revealed that lending services, inter-library loan services, exhibition displays, user education services, library publication, referral service, selective dissemination of information, consultancy services, reference services and others were the services rendered to users in the libraries studied. The study also indicated that public relations practice promotes the librarians’ image among the library users by improving job performance of the librarians, librarians and users interpersonal relationship, creating awareness for the various information services available in the library, increasing library patronage, increasing use of information resources by users, user satisfaction. Furthermore, the study indicated that public relations help identify users’ information needs easily and encourages provision of conducive environment for users. The study revealed further that the obstacles to effective application of public relations on information service delivery and librarians’ image in federal university libraries studied are; use of ambiguous language terms; frustration due to poor working condition; lack of adequate listening skills; lack of funds; lack of passion for public relations activities; lack of good communication skills and lack of interpersonal skills and so on. The study recommended among others that the library management of the universities studied should organise seminars for librarians and training on work etiquettes, good communication skills and interpersonal relations and should also create platforms where users of the library can express their dissatisfaction with the services rendered by the librarians while monitory motivation should be given to librarians so as to get the best out of them.