Public libraries in danger: an investigation into disaster management readiness among public libraries in North West Nigeria

Abstract

Objective. The destructive activities of man have become obvious in the Northern parts of Nigeria where a terrorist group known as Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen have engaged in destructive activities like burning down of churches, schools as well as destruction of lives and property in some of the higher institutions in Northern Nigeria. Libraries and their resources have also been affected at some points. Method. Based on the expository nature of this study the use of qualitative and quantitative research methodology was employed. The population of the study consists of all the librarians and library officer categories of personnel of the public libraries in North-west Nigeria. However, only 74 of these personnel that were accessible at the headquarters of the six public libraries were selected for the study by means of purposive sampling techniques. This sampling method is largely limited to exploratory research. Results. The reliability is as follows: Disaster Incident Experience= .551; Disaster Risk Management=.603; Disaster Management Facilities/equip=.775; Staff opinion= .533. Based on the above mentioned, it is noteworthy to say that it is only Disaster management facility that has higher score of reliability while others are satisfactorily reliable. Conclusions. It will therefore be proper for these libraries to be conscious of the adverse effects of disaster The overall findings have demonstrated that public libraries in the North have experienced disasters at one point in time or the other. However, they are not quite prepared to manage disaster as seen in the responses.

Keywords

• disaster
• disaster management
• north west nigeria
• public libraries
• readinessdisaster
• disaster management
• north west nigeria
• public libraries
• readiness