Continental J.

Information Technology 8 (1): 29 - 36, 2014

Wilolud Journals, 2014
Printed in Nigeria

ISSN: 2141 - 4033

http://www.wiloludjournal.com
doi:10.5707/cjit.2014.8.1.29.36

PERSONAL VARIABLES OF REFERENCE LIBRARIANS IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN

CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA
Olu Olat Lawal and Christopher Offem
Department of Library and Information Science, University of Calabar. Calabar.
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the influence of personal variables of Reference Librarians as correlates
for effective service delivery in academic libraries in Cross River State. Five hypotheses were
formulated to guide the study. A sample of three hundred (300) library staff and professionals
were randomly selected for the study. The hypotheses were tested using independent t-test and
one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings indicate that, gender, educational
qualification, age and marital status significantly influenced Reference services. The result also
revealed that, years of experience in librarianship positively influence librarians service
delivery effectiveness as instrumented by motivational strategies, job satisfaction and
compensation.
KEYWORDS: Reference Librarians, Attitudinal Factors, Service Delivery
Received for Publication: 13/02/14
Corresponding author:

Accepted for Publication: 16/05/14

INTRODUCTION
Much of library services have to do with human activities. It is labour intensive in nature. It is concerned with
service to people, and any evaluation needs to deal relatively with uncharted aspect of human behaviour. Even in the
technological age, a Librarian by definition is one who has the care of a library and its contents, selecting the
resources which make up its stock, and providing information and loan services to meet the needs of its users.
Specifically, the Reference Librarian in theory, is a librarian in charge of knowledge dispensation and an effective
manager of quick information resources. The Reference Librarian possesses mastery of identifying local content of
sources available in the stock and takes custody of current information.
A reference service is one of those functions that defies meaningful quick definition and universally recognized
evaluation measures. It is often the same services that provide the major proportion and actual user interaction with
professional librarians and libraries. The organizational position and the component parts within the service, varies
among libraries.
As distinct from other library activities or services, reference service is characterized by a high degree of personal
interaction between library staff and users. The information needs of users are known at the point of the reference
interview. By its nature, reference service is therefore librarys commitment to reach out to users and non users,
rather than expecting them to reach out to the library. The library is made to adapt to the needs of the users rather
than the needs of the library.
This paper attempts to investigate the personal variables of librarians as correlates for effective reference service in
academic libraries. Reference services in libraries are assumed as direct personal assistance to readers seeking
information. As the three common core of library services are the acquisition, organization and dissemination of
information, then reference service is directed profoundly to the custodial and dissemination function.

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29

Olu Olat Lawal and Christopher Offem: Continental J. Information Technology 8 (1): 29 - 36, 2014
The last decade of the 19th century and the new millennium had witnessed gradual acceptance of the reference
function in academic libraries. Along with Samuel Green (1876), the leading advocates at that time were Poole
(1882) Winsor (1890) and Dewey (1855) among others. In 1883, the first full-time reference position was
established at the Boston Public Library and in 1891 the term Reference work appeared in the index to library
journal. However, this is in historical terms.
It became evident that the first significance for both the academic and the public librarian was the obvious need to
instruct students in the use of library collections. Indeed, Rothstein (1960) has written that interpreting the catalogue
and assisting undergraduate students were the chief responsibilities of the reference worker in the American college
of the 1890s. Closely related to the concept of assistance to users was the emerging notion of the role of the library
as a potentially active participant in the educational institution, a peoples University has been central to the
philosophy of public library service in the United States from the onset.
Among the important changes in the function of libraries that have influenced the nature of reference service,
include the trend towards subject departmentalization of libraries advent of information technology and software for
the storage and communication of information; the improvement of the mechanisms of bibliographical control and
the adaptation of the computer and related electronic technologies for the organization, storage and dissemination of
information function.
A Literature Review
The reference departments in academic libraries are characteristically busy areas for the clientele and library staff.
This situation demands astuteness and knowledge of the collection on the part of the Reference Librarian and the
subordinate staff.
In productivity terms, the strongest predictor is the extent and level of interpersonal contact reference librarians with
researchers utilizing primary and secondary sources of information (Lawal, 1995; Edem and Lawal, 1999; Lawal,
et.al. 2008). The index of personal and impersonal contacts through use of journals, reprints, other published and
unpublished sources and bibliographic services had been assessed in satisfied/non-satisfied/referred enquiries
sequences (Lawal, 1989). The factors of communication in knowledge associated with productivity as they affect the
Reference Librarian are part of a study in publication output of Librarians in Nigeria (Edem and Lawal, 1999).
In a seminal work, Line (1969p.9), has stressed the importance of including individual variables in studies of
information gathering and seeking behaviours. He enumerates fifteen characteristics that may influence information
requirements and needs:
age
experience in research, in a particular job
background, qualification
seniority
whether solitary or team workers
persistence
thoroughness
orderliness
motivation
independence, willingness to accept help from others
breadth of approach
a measure of information threshold which may be limited by factors of absolute capacity and rate of
absorption
awareness of sources of published information
awareness of non-literary media of communication or means of storage

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Olu Olat Lawal and Christopher Offem: Continental J. Information Technology 8 (1): 29 - 36, 2014

languages understood.

As Line points out this list does not exhaust the individual and personality variables that may influence information
needs or uses. Line suggests that some of these variables may be related to existing theories about the structure of
personality. For example, that persistence, thoroughness, and orderliness may be related to the
introversion/extraversion dimension or the neuroticism/stability dimension; breadth of approach to the
convergence/divergence dimension; and the capacity to absorb information to intelligence.
It is therefore against this background of divergent information needs of library clientele and the consequent stress
on the part of the reference librarian and staff to render effective reference services that will meet the needs of all.
The Researcher was attracted into an investigation of the personal variables of a librarian as correlates for effective
reference service in academic libraries in Cross River State of Nigeria. It is hoped that the issues raised in this paper
would provide the necessary avenue for reducing service delivery problems.
Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were generated for the study;
1.
There is no significant difference in reference service effectiveness between male and female librarians.
2.
There is no significant influence of educational qualification on effectiveness of librarians in reference
service.
3.
There is no significant influence of experience on effectiveness of librarians in reference service.
4.
There is no significant influence of age on effectiveness of librarians in reference service.
5.
There is no significant influence of marital status on effectiveness of librarians in reference service.
Variable Factors
a)
Education:
In terms of professional education, Shera (1972) advocates a substantive knowledge of the intellectual
content of graphic records and their bibliographic organization for effective access. The writers views are
substantiated by Ifidon (1997) who argued that certain competencies must be demanded of the people that
manage reference collections such as possession of subject knowledge based on academic and professional
qualifications in the discipline.
b)
Age:
Some studies such as Bitts and Raun and Anidon and Kean (cited in Ekanem (2005), have reported a
significant influence of age in the interaction pattern of students and librarians. Salami (1979) found that
age has a significant influence on withdrawal cognition of teachers, which can equally be inferred of the
librarian in the age bracket of 20-30 years. This group had greater tendency to withdraw from the library
profession into customs and immigration services among others, than librarian between the ages of 30-40
years and above. This means that older librarians have fewer tendencies to withdraw from librarianship
than younger ones. Withdrawal cognition is tied to dissatisfaction, this implies that younger librarians are
likely to be more dissatisfied with librarianship and so look for other jobs. It is pertinent that, a dissatisfied
reference librarian would naturally be influenced to show negative attitude towards library services.
However, it may be stated that overall, good or positive characteristics of a librarian may have no age limit.
c)
Work Experience:
In conditions of service for employment, cognate experience or the number of years a person had worked in
similar positions plays a very significant role in his employment. Glatthom (1997) postulates experience as
professional growth that takes place in the educator as a result of continued stay, study on the job and other
related process.
Druva and Anderson (1983) in their study observed that teacher Reference Librarians experience generally
had been shown to be positively related to students achievement. When other variables are statistically
controlled more experienced librarians produce high students achievement than less experienced

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31

Olu Olat Lawal and Christopher Offem: Continental J. Information Technology 8 (1): 29 - 36, 2014

librarians. Berliner (1987) submits that experienced reference librarians operate from a deeper and more
sophisticated knowledge base. Accordingly, Librarians should make the library environment to be
conducive, free from threats, safe and orderly. It is believed that where the atmosphere is conducive,
effective service delivery would be enhanced and a positive job attitude develop.
A librarian who exhibits positive attitude on the job helps users obtain relevant materials on their areas of
study. Thus by ensuring that users are satisfied in their enquiries rich experience is generated which in turn
enhances the librarians service delivery.
METHODOLOGY
The University of Calabar, Cross River State University of Science and Technology and Federal College of
Education, Obudu were used as case studies. These three institutions were chosen because they constitute
major libraries in Cross River State. Data for the study were gathered through the instrument of
questionnaire. The study population comprised all the 32 professional librarians and 268 student librarians
from the three institutions. A total of 300 respondents staff and students made up the sample size for this
study. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fishers Least Significant
Difference (LSD) Multiple Comparison analysis.
Data Analysis
Hypotheses One
Reference librarians gender has no significant influence on their service effectiveness. The independent
variable in this hypothesis is gender, while the dependent variable is their service effectiveness. To test this
hypotheses the service effectiveness of male/female librarians were compared using independent t-test
analysis the result it as presented in Table 1.
Table1: Table showing the Independent t-test Analysis of Service Effectiveness of Male and Female
Librarians (N = 300)
Gender
N
X
SD
t-value
Male
186
32.66
.97
Significant at .05 level, critical t = 1.96, df = 2.98
Female
114
32.18
1.16
3.89
The result in the table shows that the calculated t-value of 3.89 is higher than the critical t-value of 1.96 at
.05 level of significance with 2.98 degrees of freedom. With this result the null hypotheses was rejected.
This result therefore implies that reference librarians gender significantly influence their service
effectiveness.
Table 2:
Table showing one-way analysis of the influence of educational
reference librarians service effectiveness (N = 300)
2.1

Educational qualification
First Degree
Masters
Total
2.2
Source of variation
Between group
Within group
Total
Significant at .05 level, critical F = 3.02, df = 2,297

N
69
134
300
SS df
20.510
324.3
344.837

qualification on

X
32.16
32.76
32.31
Ms
2
297
299

SD
.99
.97
1.18
F-ratio
10.255
1.092

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Olu Olat Lawal and Christopher Offem: Continental J. Information Technology 8 (1): 29 - 36, 2014

The independent variable in this hypotheses is educational qualification with three dimensions (First degree,
Masters and Ph.D), while the dependent variable is service effectiveness.
Hypotheses Two
References Librarians educational qualification has no significant influence on their service effectiveness. To
test this hypothesis, the service effectiveness of the three categories of the reference librarians were compared
using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The result of the analysis reveals that the calculated F-ratio of
9.391 is higher than the critical F-ratio of 3.02 at .05 level of significance with 2 and 297 degrees of freedom.
With the result of the analysis, the null hypothesis was rejected. The result hypothesis was rejected. This result
therefore means that reference librarian educational qualification significantly influenced their service
effectiveness. Since educational qualification has a significant influence on their service effectiveness, a
further pattern of the influence was explored using the fishers Least Significant Difference (LSD) multiple
comparison analysis. See table
Table 3: Fishers Least significant Difference (LSD) Multiple Comparison Analysis of the influence of
Reference Librarian Educational Qualification on Service Effectiveness.
Educational qualification
N
First degree
Masters
Ph.D

First degree
69
69
134
97
Msw = 1.092

Masters
134

Ph.D
97

Significant at .05, critical t = 1.96, df = 298

a
b
c
*

-Group means are placed along the diagonal

-Difference between group means are placed above the diagonal
-Fishers t-values are placed below the diagonal
-significant at 0.05 level (critical = 1.96)

The result of the analysis shows that the significant t-value of -3.77 indicate that, the service effectiveness of
librarians when their educational qualification is first degree (mean = 32.16 is significant different from their
service effectiveness when the qualification is master (mean = 32.76).
The non-significant t-value of 0.82 indicate that the service effectiveness of librarians where their
qualification is Ph.D (mean = 32.31). The significant t-value of 3.23 indicates that the service effectiveness of
librarians whose their qualification is Ph.D is significantly different from when their qualifications master
(mean = 32.76).
Hypothesis Three
Reference librarians years of experience has no significant influence on their service effectiveness. The
independent variable in this hypothesis is years of experience which is categorized into three (below 5 years, 610 years and 11 and above); while the dependent variable is their service effectiveness. To test this hypothesis,
service effectiveness of the three dimensions of reference librarians years of experience was compared using
one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The result of the analysis is presented in the table.

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33

Olu Olat Lawal and Christopher Offem: Continental J. Information Technology 8 (1): 29 - 36, 2014

Table 4: One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the influence of years of Experience on Reference
Librarians Service Effectiveness (N = 300)
Years of Experience
Below 5 years

N
16
173
111
300

X
32
32
32
32

SS
.929
343.908
344.837

df
2
297
299

5 10
11 and above
Total
Source of variation
Between group
Within group
Total
Significant at .05 level, critical F = 3.02, df = 2,297

SD
65.51
511.16
41.99
481.07
MS
.464
1.15

F-values
401

The result in the table shows that the calculated F-ratio of 0.041 is less than the critical F-ratio of 3.02 at .05
level of significance with 2 and 297 degrees of freedom. With this result the null hypothesis was not rejected,
this result therefore means that reference librarians years of experience do not significantly influence their
service effectiveness.
Hypothesis Four
Reference librarians age has no significant influence on their service effectiveness. The independent variable
in this hypothesis is age which is categorized into three (18 25 years, 26 32 years, 33 45 years and above)
while the dependent variable is their service effectiveness. To test this hypothesis, service effectiveness of the
three categories of age of reference librarians were compared using one-way analysis of (ANOVA). The result
of the analysis is presented in table.
The result in table indicates that the calculated F-ratio of 61.061 is higher than the critical F-ratio of 3.02 at .05
level of significance with 2 and 2.97 degrees of freedom. With this result the null hypothesis was rejected.
Table 5: One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the influence of age on Reference Librarians Service
Effectiveness (N = 300)
Age
18 25 years
26 32 years
33 years and above
Total
Source of variation
Between group
Within group
Total
Significant at .05 level, critical F = 3.02, df = 2,297

N
15
-150
135
300

X
30.00
32.50
32.73
32.48

SS
100.477
244.359
344.837

df
2
297
299

SD
.0000
.8651
.9957
1.07
MS
50.239
.823

F-values
61.061

The result therefore means that age of reference librarians significantly influence their service effectiveness.
The pattern of influence is further explored using Fishers Least Significant Difference (LSD) multiple
comparison analysis. The result is presented in table 6. The significant fishers t-value of 10.02 and -10.89
indicates that, the service effectiveness of reference librarians when their age is 18 26 (means = 30.00) and

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Olu Olat Lawal and Christopher Offem: Continental J. Information Technology 8 (1): 29 - 36, 2014
age 26 32 (means = 32.73) are significantly different and higher from librarians whose ages are 33 and
above. The significant effectiveness of librarians when their age is 33 and above is significantly lower than
those whose ages are 26 32 (means = 32.73).
Table 6: Fishers Least Significant Difference (LSD) multiple comparison analysis of age on service
Effectiveness of reference Librarians
Age
N
18 25 years
15
26 32 years
150
33 years and above
135
*Significant at .05. critical t-value 1.96, df = 298
a
b
c
*

18 25
15
30.00
-10.02
-10.89

26 32
150
-247
32.50
-2.13

33 and above
135
-2.7
-0.23
32.73

-Group means are placed along the diagonal

-Difference between group means are placed above the diagonal
-Fishers t-values are placed below the diagonal
-significant at 0.05 level (critical = 1.96)

CONCLUSION
Based on the findings in this paper, the following conclusions are made; there was a substantial significant
influence of gender on Reference Librarians Service effectiveness, thus the null hypothesis was rejected. This
implies that sex plays a very significant role on Reference Services therefore Effectiveness of Reference
Services is determined by sex and the quality of Personnel.
Reference Librarian Educational qualification shows great significant influence on service delivery. For
instance, it can be observed that from the one-way analysis of variance and the fishers least significant
difference (LSD) there is proof that, the more the Reference librarian is educated, the better services he
renders.
Furthermore it was found that there was no significant influence of the years of experience of the Reference
Librarian on his service delivery. This was proven as the null hypothesis was retained. It shows that, for
experience to matter, other factors must interact such as, recognition of the individuals contributions to the
job; motivation and other incentives. It can be argued that if these incentives are added to experience there will
be better delivery of service. Another significant factor was the influence of age on the effectiveness of
Librarians Reference Service delivery. The age factor has important role to play in service effectiveness, thus
the null hypothesis was totally rejected. For effective service delivery therefore, the profession needs young,
dynamic and vibrant personnel in that Department of the Library.
Finally, it was found that, there was significant influence of marital status on service effectiveness of
Reference Librarians. With these findings, it can be inferred that marital status greatly influence service
effectiveness. For example, there was evidence that some married female Reference Librarians take out time
meant for services to solving marital problems most at times at peak periods when services are most needed.
Similarly, married women are out on maternity leave or relocated to meet their husbands at their new duty
stations.

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Olu Olat Lawal and Christopher Offem: Continental J. Information Technology 8 (1): 29 - 36, 2014

APPENDIX 1
The sample population of 300 consists of library professionals working in the following Institutions:
Institution
1) University of Calabar
2) Cross River University of Technology
3) College of Education Obudu
Total =

Percentage
50.00
34.00
16.00
100.00

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