Staff seminars and publications productivity: a study of academic librarians in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of staff seminars on the publications productivity of Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in academic libraries in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

To elicit the necessary information, a two‐part questionnaire was sent to 41 LIS professionals in the seven academic libraries in Ogun state during the 2002/2003 session. Of this number, 34 (82.3 percent) were returned and found usable.

Findings

Analysis of the returned questionnaires showed that the majority of respondents' libraries hold seminars, though only occasionally (70.8 percent). Participation is largely restricted to academic librarians (62.5 percent), although some libraries (37.5 percent) allowed participation by their para‐professional staff. While presentation of papers is largely optional (66.7 percent), some libraries (33.3 percent) made it obligatory for their staff. Most of the respondents were of the opinion that staff seminars positively affected their publication output in terms of quality and quantity. A total of 66 out of the total of 79 manuscripts submitted for publication after they have been criticized by their peers at seminars were published. This constitutes 83.5 percent success. The study recommends that staff seminars should be taken more seriously in university libraries so as to improve on the quality and increase the publication output of librarians as well as to justify their academic status.

Originality/value

This study provides useful information for those interested in the effect of staff seminars on the publications productivity of LIS professionals in academic libraries.

Citation

Agboola, A.T. and Oduwole, A.A. (2005), "Staff seminars and publications productivity: a study of academic librarians in Ogun State, Nigeria", Library Management, Vol. 26 No. 8/9, pp. 478-486. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120510631765