Work environment, staff development and personal variables as contributors to job performance of library personnel in public universities in South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

Job performance of library personnel is one of the essential requirements for achievement of library goals and objectives in public universities. The study was carried out to investigate work environment, staff development and personal variables as contributors to job performance of library personnel in public universities. The survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consists of 762 library personnel, notably librarians, para-professionals and library assistants working in the 13 public universities in South-South, Nigeria. A total enumeration was adopted as the sampling technique. The instrument used to collect data for analysis was questionnaire. The research instrument was validated, to consider its suitability for the study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, simple percentage and Regression analysis. The hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that work environment, staff development and personal variables relatively contribute to job performance of library personnel. Furthermore, the variables do not equally contribute to job performance of library personnel. Work environment (β = 0.248) made highest contribution, followed by staff development (β = 0.204) and the next is personal variables (educational qualifications (β = 0.177); work experience (β = 0.155). The paper concluded that, work environment, staff development, as well as personal variables relatively contributed to job performance of library personnel in public universities in South-South, Nigeria. The paper recommended among others that library management should take cognisance of variables such as work environment, staff development and personal variables to improve and sustain the level of job performance of library personnel in public universities in South-South, Nigeria.