1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
The hallmark of every organization is its human factor. The effectiveness of academic libraries depends on the efficiency of their staff development programme.
However, the term staff development covers a broad range of activities designed to provide staff with knowledge and skills that are directly related to their role and responsibilities in the library just as in state polytechnic, their staff undergo as a process of impacting the knowledge which they use, in carrying out the activities of the library effectively. In other words, the academic library requires competent staff that enable them to render services to the clientele.
According to Corto (1986), training seeks to improve and develop the knowledge, skill and attribute of employees. More so, the aspect of the staff will also help in the development of the academic libraries for instance, in the case of Imo state polytechnic library it has been that the staff there are not active or have the knowledge on how to take care of the library or run the library, your will see that the students will be finding it boring to be making use of the library or if the staff running the library are not capable and they are the harsh type, you will see that the students in that school will be finding it difficult or not having the goal to make use of the library.
In that case, you will see that the library will not develop up to the state it is now. In this, the staff development incorporate the skill development of the entire staff both the professional and non-professionals.
Similarly, the now employee need some educational training that will help to implicate their power factor while the order staff required training to keep them alert to the demands of the clientele.
Furthermore, it is necessary that the new employees that are employ in the library (i.e. The academic especially Imo state polytechnic library staff) should have intensive training on how to make use of the library and how to be police to the students so that it will be easy for them and the students to interact well and have a smooth work in the library.
The essence of staff development in the academic libraries is to ensure that the maximum potentials are tapped from the employees. This yield specialization in a situation whereby the materials resources of the library are in abundance there is need to have capable staff to manage these resources effectively the achievement of the organizational goal of Imo state polytechnic library fundamentally depends on the effective development, training of staff and the proper use of its human resource. More so, human resources managers in Imo state polytechnic library must systematically identify the component required by library personnel in the information communication technology (ICT) age and plant according to it.
Furthermore the introduction of information communication technologies becomes an indisputable tool in development of staff. It is indeed, an indisputable fact that libraries have metamorphosed from conventional libraries to electronic library (e-library). Therefore, all libraries are now embracing on how to apply information communication technology on daily basis.
As well, balanced development programme formularize an employee with basic information and routines of the library operators, will prepare staff for the challenges of complex modern technology which requires an integration of activities, persons of diverse and specialized competence.
1.2 Statement of Problems
The issue of staff development in academic libraries has been a major source of problem. Most academic libraries today have not recognized the importance of staff development. The inability of the academic library management of perceives the importance of staff development has led to low productivity among the staff.
In other words staff from being competence. Inadequate funding seems to be a bane of staff development. This hamper management from conducting and organizing the programme and order staff from attending workshops, seminars and conferences.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
- To identify staff development programme that are carried out in Imo state polytechnic library.
- To investigate if staff development programme in Imo state polytechnic library is effective and consistent.
- To find out the strategies adopted by the academic library under study in improving their staff development programme.
- To find out factors affecting staff development programmesin academic libraries.
- To make recommendations on how staff development in Imo state polytechnic library can be improved.
1.4 Research Questions
- What is the rate effectiveness and consistence of staff development programmes?
- What are the strategies adopted in impacting staff development in academic library?
- How often the libraries undergo staff development?
- What are the measures taken to tackle the situation?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study of staff development in academic libraries is important because the result of the research work till of immense benefit to the staff in academic libraries. It will enable the staff to understand the importance which tends to investigate the method of staff development in the academic library and suggesting ways to improve it. It will also be a guide to library administrators for proper management of human resource.
In addition to the above, this work will go a long way to help other organizations like government parastatals in which development of their own staff hence staff development despite the area because there must be a similarities between Imo state polytechnic staff and those working in the ministry.
In concluding out significance, scholars, researchers will be in position to consult this project when they are writing on a topic that a related to this.
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study
The emphasis in this study is staff development in academic libraries with Abia state polytechnic library as the case study. A research work will cover the name and problems militating against staff development programmes. It also focuses on the importance affects overall performance of staff in the library.
