PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICES AVAILABLE IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN PLATEAU AND NASARAWA STATES

Abstract

ABSTRACT

 The study investigated the “Public relations practices available in federal university libraries in Plateau and Nasarawa States.” The study adopted descriptive survey research design anchored on two objectives, two research questions; and two hypotheses. The population of the study was 168 library staff drawn from the university libraries under study. The entire population was adopted as sample because it was manageable. Questionnaire tagged Public Relations Practice Available in Federal University Libraries in Plateau and Nasarawa States Questionnaire (PRPAFULPNSQ) was used for data collection .The instrument was subjected to content validity by two experts from the Department of Library and Information Science and one expert in Test and Measurement unit of the Department of Educational Foundations, the instrument was also tested for reliability, The average cronbach alpha value for the reliability test of the study was 0.82. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used to analyze data and answer research questions. The study revealed that library staff in federal university libraries under study rendered services that facilitated good public relations practice such as weekly monitoring of readers services, advertising library display and exhibitions, educating users through directional guides while Lack of ICT skills, cost of sponsorship, low awareness of public relations, poor appreciation of the profession among public and private organization leaders, absence of specific media platform, financial constraints, infrastructural limitations, poor usage of social media, lack of specialization in the profession among others were found to be problems that hinder effective public relations in university libraries. The study recommended that the need for library staff to improve competencies better in the areas of public relations and more funds and adequate facilities should be provided to accommodate large volumes of reference activities