LIBRARIAN’S ADVOCACY SKILLS AND PATRONAGE OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN AKWA IBOM STATE

Abstract

This study examined the influence of librarians’ advocacy skills on patronage of public libraries in Akwa Ibom State. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study consisted of 883 users of public libraries across Akwa Ibom State, which includes Uyo, Eket, Ikot Ekpene, Abak, and Etinan. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 88 respondents from the population. Data for this study were collected using researcher’s developed questionnaire titled: Librarians’ Advocacy Skills and Patronage of Public Libraries Questionnaire (LASPPLQ). The instrument was face validated by three experts. The reliability instrument was determined using the internal consistency reliability method. The data obtained was subjected to Cronbach’s Alpha Statistical Analysis, which yielded a 0.879 reliability coefficient. Means and standard deviation were used in answering research questions, while the independent t-test was used in testing the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that librarians’ advocacy skills have a significant influence on patronage of public libraries in Akwa Ibom State. It was recommended that librarians in public libraries in Akwa Ibom State should adequately use different methods of advocacy, such as marketing concepts, mass media, conducive environment, social media and information and communication technologies and resources like the internet, etc., to advocate for support and users' patronage of library resources and services.