Abstract

Purpose: The need for Librarians’ job satisfaction is heightened by the conviction that the University library constitutes the powerhouse of knowledge responsible for providing information materials for teaching, learning and research. However, Librarians are dissatisfied with their job due to failure of leadership to reveal organizational vision and goals to subordinates, frustration on the job as a result of poor leadership style. The study therefore investigated how leadership style affects job satisfaction of Librarians in Private Universities in South-East and South-West, Nigeria.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopted the survey research design. The population of the study consisted of one hundred and eighty-one (181) librarians from Private Universities in South-East and South-West, Nigeria. Total enumeration technique was employed for the study. A self-structured and validated questionnaire was used to collect data. The Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient for the variables ranged from .705 to .908. A response rate of 90% was obtained. Analyses of data were carried out using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and multiple regression.

Findings: Findings showed that the combined effect of work environment, leadership style and information sharing on job satisfaction of librarians in South-East and South-West, Nigeria was significant (F (3,178) = 74.673, p<.05, Adj. R2 = .558). The individual effect of leadership style on job satisfaction was also significant (? = .767; t = 8.704; p<.05). Furthermore, the study revealed a strong positive relationship between leadership style and significantly related to job satisfaction (r = .868, p<.05). Inadequate infrastructure and low management commitment to human capacity building and staff welfare were also found to militate against the job satisfaction of librarians.

Practical Implication: Adoption of transformational leadership style in private universities in South-East and South-West, Nigeria tremendously plays significant roles in the achievement, goals and objectives and impacts positively on the job satisfaction of librarians.

Originality/Value: The study concluded that leadership style had significant effect on job satisfaction. The study therefore recommended that the library management should invest in infrastructural and manpower development of the library, as well as the overall welfare of librarians to enhance their job satisfaction. Furthermore, the library management should make provision for the use of high technology laboratories for information sharing.