Abstract

Objective: This study examines the impact of audio-visual tools (print and non-print media) on enhancing service delivery in public libraries across South-West Nigeria, focusing on user engagement and awareness. Theoretical Framework: The study was anchored on the Goal Attainment Model, emphasizing goal-setting and measurable outcomes in library service optimization. Methodology: A correlational research design was employed, with data collected from 144 library staff across six states in South-West Nigeria using the "Public Relation Tools Scale (PRTS)." The study utilized census sampling and analyzed relationships between variables through t-tests at a 0.05 significance level. Key Findings: Print Media Tools: A moderate positive relationship was found between print media tools (e.g., posters, bulletins, exhibitions) and effective library services (t = 6.610, p < 0.05). Their timely use improved user engagement and service quality. Non-Print Media Tools: Similarly, non-print tools (e.g., CDs, DVDs, digital projectors) showed a significant positive correlation with service delivery (t = 6.956, p < 0.05), enhancing accessibility and user satisfaction. Implications: The findings underscore the need for public libraries to integrate diverse media tools to modernize services, improve user satisfaction, and bridge awareness gaps. Staff training and resource allocation are critical for maximizing these tools' potential. Conclusion: Audio-visual tools play a pivotal role in transforming public library services, fostering inclusivity, and meeting community information needs. Recommendations: Increase investment in print and non-print media resources and Train library staff to leverage these tools effectively for service improvement.

Keywords

Audio-Visual Tools Public Libraries Service Delivery South-West Nigeria Print and Non-Print Media.

Introduction

Public libraries establish their financial basis through grants from both government institutions and local organizations. Public institutions deliver educational content combined with access to information and leisure services which support all aspects of public life. Under civil servant regulations librarians together with paraprofessionals provide management services to operate these libraries [28]. Public libraries operate through five core principles starting with tax-supported funding and continuing with board supervision of spaces available without mandatory use. Public libraries offer all users complete free access to their services regardless of usage requirements. Public libraries serve as information centers that provide different forms of knowledge to users in both domestic and foreign communities according to [1].

Worldwide populations recognize public libraries as essential facilities that boost education and literacy efforts for the public. Public libraries serve the information needs of the entire population except school institutions and specialist domains [23]. The library offers free educational preschool programs featuring story telling and operates two zones for quiet studies that serve students and professionals and runs reading clubs to help adults develop their literary comprehension. Stejskal and Hajek (2015) establish that public libraries operate as platforms which allow users to maximize service advantages. Public library services need efficient usage by the general public for information research and user satisfaction rates influence the entire service delivery.

Public library patrons must achieve maximum usage of their resources through effective research and information gathering to fulfill their requirements. User engagements with public library services directly relate to the satisfaction rates they obtain from existing services. Public libraries must deliver effective services to attract potential users. Public libraries need to provide their users both resource access alongside the capability to utilize those resources. Public libraries serve users by delivering services that achieve needs satisfaction through information that is relevant and accurate and easy to utilize. When providers do not fulfill user requirements for information it signifies unacceptable standards of practical library service delivery. The public libraries must provide services that users find satisfactory combined with timely information deliveries formatted to match user preferences. Public libraries that function in the twenty-first century must base their core operations on needs assessment and complaint handling as core principles (Joy & Idowu, 2014). Users determine the quality of received services by evaluating their experience at the point of service delivery during the service satisfaction assessment. Library service satisfaction reveals positive emotions users develop through their library interactions. Public libraries must execute a robust public relations program for providing satisfactory service experiences to their patrons. Library personnel need to move toward their users directly with appropriate information in order to attract them to the library per Kwawal (2015). User awareness about public library services remains low because the institutions fail to utilize proper public relation and publicity tools for awareness creation. Public relations tools serve as critical fundamental tools for delivering public library services to all members of the general public.

Public relations combines artistic skill with scientific methods to manage organizational relations with their publics. Organizations (commercial and non-commercial) establish beneficial relationships with their stakeholders and the public according to [2]. Library service execution depends on the specialized tools public relations specialists use. Public relations toolboxes contain every instrument and technology needed to execute successful public relations programs. Library public relations programs employ basic manual tools in combination with complex electronic equipment. Public library services organize their public relations tools through equipment and devices that support both the execution of public relations programs and the delivery of library services for neighborhood and remote communities [20].

Public libraries must provide accessible physical and digital infrastructure which enables their community to perform research tasks and obtain information. User satisfaction defines how extensively people use library services. A public library must provide efficient services to attract users for its continued relevance within the information sector. Public libraries serve their communities by sharing resources and establishing programs that maximize resource advantages. The mission of a public library involves providing high-quality information services that address user needs through timely relevant accurate and user-friendly information which resolves information problems. The effective delivery of service quality depends on a library's ability to serve the requirements of its users. Users of public libraries should interpret their service experience as satisfactory since these services must convey appropriate information when needed. According to Joy & Idowu (2014) the contemporary public library system requires both user need satisfaction and responsive feedback to succeed in library operations. The level of happiness with gained services determines user satisfaction when individuals visit a particular establishment. User satisfaction with library services drives their sense of fulfillment. Effective public relations between libraries and their users remain essential for public libraries to provide satisfactory service delivery. Member of the library staff must proactively provide essential information to users before users require assistance to draw them into library spaces (Kwawal, 2015).

Public library services use four primary public relations tools including print resources and non-print audio-visual resources [20]. Akanwa and Udo-Anyanwu (2017) outline different library types where books function as print media tools with non-books serving as audio-visual multimedia resources and electronic resources integrate electronic media tools and internet resources. The research examines electronic resources alongside electronic media tools and social media tools. Social media platforms act as "social networks" or "social software" and "social computing" tools that use electronic platforms to send electronic information across global audiences through electronic information superhighways connecting all geographic locations. Public libraries can provide improved outcomes to their users through these modern digital tools. InoReader, Feedly, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Myspace, Flickr, WeChat, RSS, Limo, and WhatsApp represent significant social media instruments within this category. Developed platform features utilize their purpose to establish social interactions between members of the community [19]. This research examines how traditional print resources relate to contemporary non-print resources for developing library services in both print and digital formats.

Hypotheses

The research evaluated the null hypotheses at a significance level of 0.05.

The relationship between print media tools and library services in public libraries within South-West Nigeria does not demonstrate statistical significance according to H01.

The statistical correlation between non-print media tools and public library services in South-West, Nigeria is not significant according to the data analysis.

Literature Review

Stakeholders and libraries establish better understanding through continuous public relations practices which put the user populations first. Public library initiatives form integrated programs with two purposes: image improvement and program and asset promotion. Public relations serves as a core element for public libraries because its practical impacts remain crucial. Publications within the professional field documented the fundamental importance of public relations instruments for quality library administration starting from 1958. In the early 1970s numerous public libraries implemented various public relations tools to strengthen connections with residents and municipal authorities alongside patrons (UNESCO, 2014). The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) established the principles of community library service delivery and communication effectiveness to identify public relations tools (2014).

Any product created through mechanical or electronic systems belongs to the group known as print media tools. Through information access programs public libraries let users obtain diverse texts and documents created by processing resources. Public relations officers in libraries start their outreach by promoting printed materials such as books to their user community. Public libraries utilize print media to provide fast service to all their users. According to Adomi (2009) public relations officers using print media tools must select reference books alongside dictionaries and biographical sources and textbooks alongside periodicals and light reading materials and reports. The set of media relation tools features print media that includes journals along with brochures while the third set combines press conferences alongside press briefings and press tours.

Non- print Media Tools (Audio-Visual Tools)

The public encounters library services by engaging with materials from the non-print sector which public relations specialists manage. The library maintains non-print resources which incorporate microfilm readers and computers alongside video players and CD players with graphic materials including DVDs and CD-ROMs and DIVX players. The Public Relations Society of America (2014) guides library public relations specialists to utilize these tools that create enhanced service quality for their user groups. Public relations specialists follow a systematic operation to determine core elements of the film starting with mission decision-making and content and duration planning and moving through the sequence of format decision-making and background selection and audience prerequisites after procuring a producer. Video content fulfills various functions within training and consumer education while handling community relations and safety procedures and achievement presentations and documenting events (Public Relations Society of America, 2014).

Movie studios predominantly produce videos instead of theatrical releases only for films intended for theatrical debut. Video tape established a modern way to share entertainment content thus transforming both educational shows and communication procedures in the industry. The playback of visual components with audio tracks is made possible through video technology as explained by Public Relations Society of America (2014). Video does not require post-production processing solutions since it enables producers to reshoot initial takes that did not meet quality standards. All video recorders possess synchronized audio capability which allows users to insert multiple audio tracks enabling language or dialect modifications. Videos allow users to substitute particular shots within a program while continuing to display the remainder of the sequence. The production of video results in superior cost-efficiency than traditional film technology and requires reduced production duration (Public Relations Society of America, 2014).

Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored on one theory namely: Goal Attainment Model

Goal Attainment Model

The Goal Attainment Model appeared through the publication of Van House, McClure, Zweizig, and Rodger in 1987. Rational Goal Model represents the same model as the Goal-Oriented Model and the Rational Systems Model. Organizations utilizing this framework must set their goals alongside creating targets that let them measure their results effectively. The organization sets its goals and objectives through identifying its community responsibilities within its operational area. Managers in organizations must jointly pick upcoming targets that are practical for measurement purposes. The theory directly supports this study because public libraries can achieve goal completion through planned execution of public relations tools which results in improved productivity.

Research Methods

The study applied a correlational research design to analyze existing connections between various variables. Research measures variable correlations using correlation coefficients as analytical tools. This research investigated 144 professional and para-professional staff who worked at libraries across six states within South West Nigeria. These libraries employ staff as librarians to serve inhabitants accessing library services in urban centers and rural areas across Nigerian states. All 144 employees form part of the study population because the number of staff members remains small. This research utilized census sampling which enabled researchers to include every member from the target population.

The assessment instrument "Public Relation Tools Scale (PRTS)" consists of 37 items. A four-level rating scale was implemented for assessing these specific items. Cluster A and B users can earn points according to four categories with Very High Extent (VHE) receiving 4 points followed by High Extent (HE) worth 3 points and Low Extent (LE) worth 2 points and Very Low Extent (VLE) worth 1 point in each category. Two research assistants and the researcher at each study site collected questionnaires through personal distribution. The research assistants received thorough training to distribute questionnaires while maintaining complete confidentiality and explaining the research target. During this distribution period the researcher journeyed across South West Nigeria states for two weeks to deliver the instruments to research participants.

Results

Hypothesis 1

Ho1:The coefficient of relationship between print media tools and library services in public libraries in South-West, Nigeria is not significant.

Table 1: Summaries of statistics involved in the t-test of significance of the simple linear coefficient of relationship between print media tools and library services in public libraries in South-West, Nigeria
V N βˆ‘ R Ξ± df tcal ttab Decision
X 144 5542
0.485 0.05 142 6.610 1.96 Reject Ho1
Y 144 8845

Variables (V), Sample Size (n), Summation (βˆ‘), Coefficient of Relationship (r), Alpha Level (Ξ±), Degree of Freedom (df) and t-test of Significance of Simple Linear Correlation between two Variables

Table 1 presents the significance test for the relationship between print media tools and effective library services in public libraries located in South-West, Nigeria. The findings indicate that the degree of freedom is 142, with a t-ratio value of 6.610 and a t-tabulated value of 1.96. It is clear that the t-calculated value exceeds the t-tabulated value, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. This suggests that there is a significant relationship between print media tools and library services in public libraries in South-West, Nigeria.

Hypothesis 2

Ho2:The coefficient of relationship between non-print media tools and effective library services in public libraries in South-West, Nigeria is not significant.

Table 2: Summaries of statistics involved in the t-test of significance of the simple linear coefficient of relationship between non-print media tools and effective library services in public libraries in South-West, Nigeria
V n βˆ‘ R Ξ± df tcal ttab Decision
X 144 8611
0.504 0.05 142 6.956 1.96 Reject Ho2
Y 144 8845

Variables (V), Sample Size (n), Summation (βˆ‘), Coefficient of Relationship (r), Alpha Level (Ξ±), Degree of Freedom (df) and t-test of Significance of Simple Linear Correlation between two Variables

Table 2 provides an analysis of the significance of the relationship coefficient between non-print media tools and the delivery of effective library services in public libraries in South-West Nigeria. The results show that the degrees of freedom total 142, with a calculated t-value of 6.956 and a tabulated t-value of 1.96. Since the calculated t-value is greater than the tabulated t-value, we reject the null hypothesis. This indicates a significant relationship between non-print media tools and library services in the public libraries of South-West Nigeria.

Findings

Relationship between Print Media Tools and Library Services in Public Libraries in South-West, Nigeria

The study demonstrates a moderate positive and significant bond exists between print media tools and library services in South-West public libraries of Nigeria. The positive sign demonstrates that an increase in one variable will result in proportional growth of the other variable (print media tools alongside effective library services). The timely nature of public library print media operations produces improved library services because their users actively employ these tools. Librarians who utilize the full suite of print media tools which includes posters and handbills and notice boards and bulletin boards alongside displays and exhibitions and book fairs and exhibition reports and periodical indices can expect superior effectiveness in their library services. School library user services including lending and seating areas and study spaces and education programs produce similar findings (Ozioko and Usman 2019). School libraries throughout the state employ readers' services in combination with library displays and exhibitions and book talks and library notice board usage for public relations activities. The services exhibit a strong connection with print media usage. The study results by Bala and Asabe (2018) confirmed that library signage and exhibitions and bulletin boards function as primary public relations methods affecting service delivery within the facility. The research conducted by Anyalebechi and Udo-Anyanwu (2016) demonstrates that public library users mostly need information alongside educational materials and reference documents and social resources and government publications and serials/journals and textbooks to fulfill service goals. Similar statistical findings in these reports might stem from the shared use of correlation statistics.

Relationship between Non-Print Media Tools and Library Services in Public Libraries in South-West, Nigeria

The research found a significant moderate positive relationship between public libraries in South-West Nigeria and their non-print media tools based services. The positive value indicates that variable changes in either non-print media tools or library services produces parallel changes in the other variable thus establishing an interdependent connection between these two elements. Non-print media tools exhibit a moderate impact that generates positive effects on public library service quality. The non-print media tools that affect positive library service delivery include Audio CD, Video CD player, Film, Compact disc read only memory, Talking books CD, book club in radio programs, Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), Radio/Television, Divx, Photographs, Digital voice recorder, Projectors, Diagrams and Maps. John and Halliru (2020) reached a similar conclusion to studies which demonstrated that public relations practice needs continuous development to build positive relationships between organizations and their public audiences. The establishment of public relation services stands vital for every organization and the library in particular although any library interaction can be considered public relations unless it damages the institution's public reputation.

Educational Implication of the Finding

The researcher identifies public libraries as important global institutions that serve as key establishments for literacy development in education sectors of communities. A moderate positive relationship exists between print media tools and library services in public libraries of South-West Nigeria. The research indicates that library staff can provide effective library services when they utilize print media tools in their work.

Research findings demonstrated that non-print media tools establish a moderate yet powerful link which supports effective library services within South-West Nigerian public libraries. A library where librarians and staff use non-print media tools appropriately often becomes proficient with these tools which helps them provide better service to their library customers.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Public libraries prioritize serving their entire community with information needs while avoiding specialized or demographic target groups like schools or facilities. Available for all members of the public community at large these libraries provide universal benefits to people of different ages and backgrounds. The investigation focuses on analyzing the various public relations strategies employed by Nigeria's public library services. This study utilizes two fundamental hypotheses as its basis while reviewing relevant research in its field of study. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that:

1.The library management must ensure libraries function with sufficient print media resources because they deliver effective library services.

2.Public library staff should deploy non-print media effectively as part of their service improvement initiatives.

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