The study investigates the library users’ characteristics in developing economies. A
descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A simple random sampling technique was used to sample the population, which stood at 5,153 respondents. Data collected from the researchers’ developed instrument Users’ Utilization Skills Library Questionnaire (UUSLQ) was tested for reliability using Cronbach Coefficient Alpha formula, which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.66. Weighted mean scores were used for answering research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient independent t-test and Analysis of variance were used for testing the research hypotheses. The results indicate a significant influence of socio-economic and occupational background on the utilization of public library services in the area under study. It was recommended among others that the government should invest in setting up more libraries in the urban as well as in the rural areas of the State and also embark on regular public enlightenment programs on the uses and the applications of library services.

Keywords: Managing, Public Library, Developing Economies

Read Full Article