Influence of lobbying and advocacy on public relations in Nasarawa State Polytechnic Library

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate influence of lobbying and advocacy on public relations in Nasarawa State Polytechnic Lafia, Nigeria. The descriptive case study research design was adopted for this study. Five objectives, five research questions and two hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. A sample size of three hundred and sixty six (366) students formed the sample for the study which was determined using Taro Yemen. To assign the sample size of 366 to the respondents, the researchers employed the Bourley’s proportional allocation. Instruments for data collection included a well-structured questionnaire. Three hundred and sixty six copies of questionnaire were distributed to students with a return rate of 92.9%. The study used frequency counts, mean and standard deviation for data analysis while the hypotheses were tested using linear regression. The results revealed that library staff amongst others are the personnel involved in library advocates; lobbying has significant relationship on public relations; advocacy has significant relationship on public relations; Magazine amongst others are techniques used in carrying out lobbying and advocacy; limited access to policy makers amongst others are factors affecting the effective usage of lobbying and advocacy in Nasarawa state Polytechnic library.

Suggested strategies to effective usage of lobbying and advocacy in Nasarawa state Polytechnic library included Librarians should be given access to legislators and policy makers; Librarians should be involved in politics; Legislators should develop strategies to reinforce existing laws in library; Polytechnic library management should take urgent steps to address the problems affecting effectiveness of public relations practices in libraries.

It was recommended that Librarians should be given access to legislator and policy makers; Librarians should be involved in politics; Legislator should develop strategies to reinforce existing laws in library; Polytechnic library management should take urgent steps to address the problems affecting effectiveness of public relations practices in libraries; Polytechnic libraries should take into consideration the strategies considered appropriate for enhancing effective public relations in their libraries.

Keywords: Influence, Lobbying, Advocacy, Public Relations