Effects of the role of Librarians in Managing New Media Resources in University Libraries in Nigeria as a panacea for poverty reduction in Abdulkadir Kure University Minna.

Abstract

This study investigates how librarians’ roles in managing new media resources influence poverty reduction outcomes in Abdulkadir Kure University, Minna (AKUM). Framed by information-for-development and metaliteracy perspectives, the study posit that integration of new media resources into higher education has reshaped access to information, teaching, and research. University librarians now serve as digital literacy trainers and e-resource managers in addition to traditional roles. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, with 240 questionnaires distributed and 214 validly returned (response rate = 89.2%), complemented by data from eight professional librarians. Validity was established via expert review and factor analysis, reliability via Cronbach’s alpha (≥0.70). Findings revealed that availability of new media resources (M = 3.42, SD = 0.81) significantly influenced their utilization (M = 3.28, SD = 0.76), with a positive correlation (r = 0.512, p < 0.001). Librarians’ awareness creation (β = 0.342, t = 5.11, p < 0.001) and training (β = 0.291, t = 4.73, p < 0.001) accounted for 36.7% of the variance in students’ effective use (R² = 0.367, F(2, 211) = 48.78, p < 0.001). Major challenges—including technical problems (M = 3.54, t = 12.88, p < 0.001), funding constraints (M = 3.47, t = 11.26, p < 0.001), and inadequate infrastructure (M = 3.61, t = 13.45, p < 0.001)—were found to significantly hinder management of resources. Regression analysis further revealed that students’ use of new media resources significantly predicted academic productivity (β = 0.411, t = 7.98, p < 0.001), ICT skills (β = 0.368, t = 6.77, p < 0.001), and entrepreneurial potential (β = 0.297, t = 5.43, p < 0.001), explaining 42.1% of variance (R² = 0.421). Similarly, librarians’ management of new media resources contributed significantly to poverty reduction outcomes, including academic success (β = 0.392, p < 0.001), employability (β = 0.378, p < 0.001), and empowerment (β = 0.344, p < 0.001), with R² = 0.439. The study concludes that effective management of new media resources by librarians enhances academic performance, digital competence, and socio-economic empowerment. It recommends sustained funding, improved ICT infrastructure, intensified awareness and training, and strategic collaborations to position academic libraries as key drivers of educational advancement and poverty reduction in Nigeria.