LIBRARY INFRASTRUCTURE, ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND MENTORING AS PREDICTORS OF TURNOVER INTENTIONS OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIANS IN SOUTH-SOUTH AND SOUTH-EAST, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

Library infrastructure contributes to the development of the University libraries and librarians. Organizational culture and mentoring engender career development and commitment. Most academic libraries in Nigeria are faced with the problem of library infrastructure, organizational culture and mentoring affecting library processes and human capital development. Such problems have degenerated into turnover intentions and job quitting of librarians. The incessant loss of skilful workforce from the information science field in Nigeria to other professions is capable of obstructing the goals and objectives of the profession. This study investigated the influence of library infrastructure, organizational culture and mentoring on turnover intentions of librarians in South-South and South-East geo-political zones of Nigeria.

A descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. The population comprised of 400 academic librarians from universities in South-South and South-East of Nigeria. Total enumeration was used. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Instrument validation and reliability tests reported the following Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients:  turnover intentions = 0.95, infrastructure = 0.82, organizational culture = 0.81 and mentoring = 0.97. A response rate of 83.5 percent was recorded. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression analyses.

Findings revealed a positive relationship between library infrastructure and turnover intentions (r = 0.647, p < 0.05). Organizational culture had a significant negative relationship with turnover intentions (r = -0.344, p < 0.05) while a significant negative relationship existed between mentoring and turnover intentions (r = -0.325, p < 0.05). There was a positive relationship between organizational culture and mentoring (r = 0.387, p < 0.05) while mentoring and turnover intentions (r = -0.325, p < 0.05), turnover intentions and organizational culture (r = -0.344, p < 0.05) had negative relationships. The regression analysis results revealed that the individual effects of the explanatory variables were mixed. Library infrastructure had a significant positive effect on turnover intentions (t-stat. 13.547; p<0.05); organizational culture reported significant negative influence (t-stat. = -3.952; p<0.05) and mentoring exerted significant negative effect (t-stat. -2.227; p<0.05). However, the joint effect of the explanatory variables on turnover intentions was significant and positive (Adj. R² = 0.464, F-stat. 93.458; p<0.05).

Library infrastructure, organizational culture and mentoring predicted turnover intentions of academic librarians in the two zones. The study therefore recommended that universities in South-South and South-East zones of Nigeria should develop their library infrastructure. The University Librarians in each library should introduce mentoring programmes and inaugurate a committee that will oversee the mentoring of librarians as well as adopt a flexible organizational culture. Likewise, the Library Committee should advocate for improved welfare package and increased salaries to reduce turnover intentions of librarians.

Keywords: Library-infrastructure, Organizational culture, Mentoring, Turnover intentions, Academic libraries