CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH LIBRARY SERVICE DELIVERY IN ABIA STATE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship between staff development through conference attendance and the provision of library service in public university libraries in Abia State, Nigeria. A correlational research design was employed in this study. The population comprised thirty-seven (37) librarians in public university libraries in Abia State and a total enumeration sampling technique was used to select the entire sample size of thirty-seven (37) librarians. Data was collected using a structured instrument titled "Conference Attendance for Staff Development and Service Delivery Questionnaire (CASDSDQ)." Descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) (r) were utilized to analyze research questions 1 and 2 respectively. Regression analysis was used to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance (alpha = 0.05). The study found a significant relationship between conference attendance for staff development and the delivery of library services. The findings underscore the importance of staff development programs through conference attendance in enhancing librarians' skills and service delivery in public university libraries. It is recommended that university management institutionalize comprehensive staff development initiatives, prioritizing regular opportunities for librarians to attend both local and international conferences, providing them with opportunities to explore emerging trends, innovative ideas, and best practices. The knowledge gained will enable librarians to introduce innovative ideas and improvements to library service delivery.