1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background to the Study
A leader is one who influences his followers to achieve group objectives in a given situation. Leadership is therefore, a management ability to accomplish group goals by working with the people. It is the ability of a superior to influence the behaviour of the subordinate. The key concept behind leadership is the ability to influence other people so that they will be willing to strive towards a common achievement for the group. The interesting thing about this ability is that it is not limited to the managers of an organization. Every person in any given situation can exhibit the ability to influence other people.
Leadership is the dynamic process of influencing staff so that they will willingly and enthusiastically work with zeal and confidence towards the accomplishment of the library's objectives. It implies the ability to successfully blend all resources and variable faith with a view to striking the best balance among them. They are teaching, learning and research resources, staff- finances and physical items (building, furniture and equipment). The variable factors are the leader himself, the staff, the library's objectives and the environment or situation. They continually pursue and evaluate innovations, they driect the staff towards the accomplishment of the library's objectives, they also inspire the staff to apply their full capabilities to work.
Since a library is a service organization, staff would appear to be the most valuable of these resources. For without them, library and information services cannot be rendered. Leadership is obviously an important ingredient in the achievement of organizational goal and objectives to an establishment.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Leadership on its own respect is the life wire of the library and it has been widely used and acknowledged, inspite of it, there is still lack of leadership expertise in the library.
Moreover, a lot of problems have been encountered these includes;
- Environmental Problems: no matter how effective a leader is, if he operates only in the present and ignores long-run economic. Political, social and technological changes, he will certainly run into avoidable problems.
- Leaders of these libraries do not give free hand to the library staff to whom they have delegated authority to take decision.
- Leaders of these libraries do not have concern about staff productivity.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
Guided by the statement of the problem, the following have been formulated as the objectives of the study.
- To ascertain whether leaders of the libraries have concern on staff productivity of the library.
- To determine if the leaders of the libraries provide extension services to its staffs.
- To highlight the importance of staff productivity in the fedpoly library and ABSU.
- To ascertain thee role a leader in creating and enhancing the image of staff productivity. Its resources and services utilization.
- To identify the problems (inhibiting factors) to leadership and staff productivity in libraries.
1.4 Research Questions
Guided by both the statement of the problem and objectives of the study, the following are formulated as the basis research questions that would guide the process of data collections for the study?
- Do leaders of the libraries have concern on staff productivity of the library?
- Do management of the libraries provide extension services to its staffs?
- Do library managers ensure the sustenance of effective channels of communication as well as realizing the importance of staff productivity?
- What is the image of staff productivity, its enhancing the mage of staff productivity, its resources and service utilization?
- What are the problems (inhibiting factors) confronting the leaders of Fedpoly and ABSU libraries?
1.5 Significance of the Study
Proper evolution of comparative study on leadership style and staff productivity in the libraries and findings result from the efforts shall undoubtedly, provide basic improvement of staff productivity and helps the staffs to achieve their goals.
With the findings and recommendation of the study, library managers would be able to envolve and implement leadership style and staff productivity for their libraries which enable them to achieve an all-round result for their libraries.
Finally, with it's suggested areas for further study, the study will serves as a reference tool when analyzing other issues related to this.
1.6 Scope of the Study
Owing to the specific requirement of this research work, the study is focusing on comparative study on leadership style and staff productivity in Federal Polytachnic Nekede, and Abia Sate University Uturu Libraries.
The study will identify the problems contorting leaders of the libraries and proffer solution to them.
The study also, in its literature review will cover a good number of opinion based on the availabity of current primary, Secondary and of course on line information sources.
1.7 Historical Background of the Study (Federal Polytechnic Nekede and Abia State Uturu).
The federal polytechnic, Nekede Library, and then collage of technology Owerri (COLTECH) started at the premises of government trade centre (GTC) Owerri. The first set of the library staff assumed duty with the appointment of Mr Mgbechi Oji as the pioneers of the polytechnic librarian (then Chief librarian).
The library had lived a nomadic life and on its nomadic life, the library shuttered destitution while trying to perform its legitimate responsibility of helping the polytechnic to achieve the purpose in which it was established. There is a silver living in the sky, particularly, with the timely intervention of education Trust Fund (ETF), Book Aid international, the building of a new library, the chang the leadership of the college recently and the constitution of a library committee by the administration.
FEDPOLYNEK and Its Library
Library Movement (1) – 1978-1980)
For three years, between 1978 – 1980, the federal polytechnic library operated in a classroom block at the government trade centre (GTC) along Mabise Road, Owerri. It started with a few hundred of books selected and ordered for, by the Chief librarian and donation from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). This volume formed the nucleus of what could be seen as the collections of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede Library Owerri today.
Skeletal services, like cataloging and classification and readers services went on. The accommodation was inadequate for effective and efficient library services. By 1979, the student's enrolment was about 1,000. The library ought to have a sitting accommodation for 250 readers, but what was provided for, were crowded in a very small area which further hampered services and output.
Library Movement (2) – 1980 – 1983
The Federal polytechnic library was relocated to another temporary accommodation. It was located at the school of workshops with the Bursar Division. The accommodation was the most uncomfortable place for library services. The building was poorly ventilated, the lighting was not too good, and readers were unable to remain in the reading area for too long. Besides, the building was designed to suit engineering services and not for library services only.
The collection had increased with declining manpower to serve the readers. The library had 6,000 titles in its holdings. It subscribed to some 100 learned and professional journals. Also had a number of local newspapers and magazines. The classification scheme in use was library of congress classification scheme. The library was plagued by an acute shortage of staff at all levels the library that paraded 5 professional staff and 20 supporting staff suddenly was left with one professional staff and 9 other supporting staffs. It had lost its staffs to transfer, job mobility and relocation of some others within the college system without replacements.
The shortfall in staff position of the library between 1989 and 1999 affected services and output of the library, as junior staff were saddled with the responsibilities of overseeing the activities. This is a generous procurement of selected local newspapers and few magazines. The staff strength stood at 40, then against projected 80. The staff depleted considerably. It was less than 21 staff on all. The students' enrolment then, was 5,000 while expected population is about 15,000 today; the library has not met the recommendation of NBTE.
Between 1994 and 1999, the library suffered great setback in terms of collection development and the procurement of the library equipment and accessories. Not much was added to the collection. It was with the greater difficulty that the library was allowed to renew subscriptions. The process of getting approval for the purchase of equipment was difficult and trusting. The number of selected titles increased, mostly from 2001, following the grant made by ETF to the institution for the year 2001.
Polytechnic Librarian (1978 – 2003)
- Mr M. Oji – 1978 – 1995
- Mr .J. U Obasi – 1995 – 2007
- Mr Ifeanyichukwu Oti – 2007 –Date
Purpose of Building The Library
The foundation of the Federal polytechnic Nekede library was laid by Engineer Dr. A.T Adullahi, Executive secretary of NBTE and on 13th August, 1998. it was built under the following:
- Rector – Dr. C. I. Osuoji
- Engineer – CAD consultant.
- Contractors – B.N. Amaechi and partners LTD 13 Wetheral Road Owerri.
The library lacked enough reading tables for reading.
It had only 25 reading tables capable of sitting. It was expected that provision for not less than 500 readers be made considering the population of the students then, which stood at slightly above 2000. The library operated without a committee. Why? No provision was made for library committee in the edict establishing the college. Again, there were not many special problems that need to be handled by such a committee.
Library Movement (3) – 1985 – 2000)
In 1985, the library moved into yet another temporary accommodation. it was located at the classroom complex which consisted of what were supposed to have been a lecture hall. Four classrooms and six small offices. This accommodation was grossly inadequate in terms of size, fittings, furniture facilities, bookstocks, periodical holdings and locations.
The accreditation team of the National Board for technical Education (NBTE) made their first official visit to the college in 1985. They made observations on the library suggested some expectations from the library by year 2003AD where the polytechnic must have attained optimum growth. In 1985, the library had 5,000 volumes. The NBTE projected 36,000 volumes by 2003AD. What is available now, are 8,600 volumes, including the titles procured with the 2001 (ETP) Grant. The library was subscribing to 120 journals against a projected 500 journals. Today, no subscription at all to foreign journals. The library is being supported with donations from individuals and co-operate bodies. With all these in place, there is a future development in the federal polytechnic library.
Historical Background of Abia State University, Uturu,
Abia State University, Uturu was founded in 1981 as Imo state university. It was created based on the Imo state university law number 4 of 1981 and number 21 of 1985 as amended by the Imo state University (amendment edict number 5 of 1991).
The creation of states by Babangida administration in 1991 gave birth to Abia state as she was created out from the old Imo State. Abia State inherited the Imo State University during the sharing of assets between these two sister States. Based on the provisions of Abia State University edict of 1995, the name of the university was changed formally to Abia State University, Uturu.
Absu and Its Library
Academic library is the heart of every academic institution and this makes it so imperative that every academic institution must have a well established library. in the light of the above, Abia state university came in force with the parents institution. From1981 to 1986, Abia University have two libraries as a result of its campus system. The campuses were the Etiti campus and the Aba campus. The Etiti campus served as the main campus whose library served the colleges (now facilities) of humanities and social sciences, biological and physical sciences and social sciences, and school of Architecture.
The Aba campus library served the colleges of Business Administration and legal studies. In 1987, the university relocated to its permanent site at Uturu and the campus libraries were merged into a single university library.
Presently, Abia State University has five (5) departmental libraries, the Faculty of Legal studies, library and information science, the foreign language and Translation Studies (FLATS). Language Centre, (French), Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba and Faculty of Agriculture Ventinary Medicine, Umudike have their own libraries different from the central university headed by a professional librarian, the other faculties or departmental libraries are manned by paraprofessionals.
The library has estimate stock of over 5,500 book volumes and 8,400 serial volumes presently. Available statistics of users as at May 2007 shows that Abia State University Uturu, library has a total registered number of students (users) of 4,500
Services
Abia state university Uturu library renders a lot of services to its users. The readers, services Abia State University, uturu, library are carried out in three units- the reference unit, the circulation unit and the serial section
I. Reference Services Section
This unit of reader's services is headed by Prince Ulu O.Ulu. The section is located besides the main library building. The unit gives direct reference assistance to the users. Other sub-services in this unit are:
- User – education on the use of reference materials like encyclopedia;
- Advisory roles on research works;
- Photocopying of parts of information materials and long essay and dissertations in the case of research projects, only photocopy of chapters 1, 2 and references
- Answering of user queries;
- Guides and notes;
- Quick referencing and long range referencing the reference units of the library houses books and reference materials like encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, long essays and dissatation etc.
Ii Circulation Services Unit
Circulation unit of Abia State University, Uturu, Library is headed by Chineyere Osueke (MRS). The services that are carried out in this unit include the following:
- Charging and discharging book loans.
- Statistics of users and books consulted and returned, to daily basis;
- Shelving and reshelving
- Clearance of users;
- Registration of users; and running of closed – shelve (reserve bookroom)
Ii. Serial Unit
Mr. Uzoma David A. heads the serial unit of the readers' services of Abia State University, Uturu, Library. The major activity of this unit is to give users direct assistance to the use of the serial materials in the unit.
