Effect of insecurity on library services in selected universities in Nigeria

Abstract

In this study, the researchers focus on the effect of insecurity on library services in selected universities in Nigeria. The objectives are to ascertain the causes of insecurity, identify the effects of insecurity and to determine the measures used to reduce the effects of insecurity on library services in the selected universities in Nigeria. The study adopted a quantitative methodology with a descriptive survey research design. Three (3) Universities were selected to represent the population for the study and a stratified random sampling technique was adopted to subdivide the universities into samples. The sample from each university was randomly selected made up of ninety (90) staff drawn. The instrument for the study is an Online Structured Questionnaire (OSQ). Some of the findings indicated that community crisis and feud among the people within the university community causes insecurity (X=3.91), Terrorism threat around the university community causes insecurity (X=3.86) and insurgency causes insecurity around the university community (X=3.63). In addition insecurity affect regular opening and closure time of library (X=3.67), insecurity affect regular user patronage to the library (X=3.41) and the universities should collaborate with government and other security agencies for assistance in reducing the effect of insecurity in the library (X=3.91), improve number of physical security personnel in the library to reduce the negative effect of insecurity (X=3.84) and finally increase number of electronic security system in the library to reduce the negative effect of insecurity (X=3.53).