LIBRARIANS’ EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND PROFICIENCY AS CORRELATES OF ELECTRONIC COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT IN UNIVERSITIES IN NORTH-CENTRAL, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined librarians’ emotional intelligence and proficiency as correlate of electronic resources collection development (ERCD) in universities in North-central, Nigeria. The objectives considered were to: find out the relationship between librarians’ proficiency and ERCD in university libraries in North-central, Nigeria; and determine librarians’ emotional intelligence and ERCD in these university libraries. Correlational research design was used. The total population for study was 400 librarians. Multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted to stratify the university into Federal, State and Private Universities. Questionnaire was used to collect data. SPSS was used for the quantitative analysis and result were presented using frequency, mean, and standard deviation. The result of the study showed that proficiency skills in database, social media, online public access catalogue, e-document and e-book delivery, data management, storage of electronic resources, e-processing, and e-ordering by librarians has a relationship on electronic resources collection development in university libraries. The findings also revealed that librarians possessed self-awareness skills, self-regulatory skills, motivational skills, empathy skills, and social skills, and it has influenced the ERCD in the studied university libraries. The study concluded that addressing the identified deficiencies in proficiency, and emotional intelligence can lead to a more effective and efficient electronic resources collection development, thereby improving the overall academic and research experience for library users. Therefore, the study recommended that training that will boost the emotional intelligent of librarians by the management should be done regularly.