Mentoring of para-professional staff in Federal University Libraries in North Central, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated mentoring of para-professional staff in federal university libraries in North-Central Nigeria. This research determined the extent of mentoring and factors militating against mentoring of para-professional staff. The study adopts descriptive Survey research design and content analysis. The population of the study comprised of 161 para-professional staff in federal university libraries in North-Central Nigeria. Total enumeration was used because the population size was small and manageable. Questionnaire was adopted and designed as a survey instrument for data collection. Out of 161 copies of questionnaire distributed, 132 (82%) copies were properly filled, returned and used for the analysis. Data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation. The findings of the study revealed that: extent of mentoring of para-professional staff is high with , mentees becoming too much dependent on the mentor for all decisions and inadequate professional orientation were the major factors identified militating against mentoring of para-professional staff among others. To effectively prevent future problems the study therefore, recommended that concerted effort should be made to sensitize both the mentors and the mentees, orientation programme on mentoring and its benefits should be frequently organized by libraries and professional associations.