Scientific Research in Librarianship: A Panacea for Library Development in Nigeria

Introduction Research in librarianship is a core aspect of library education and any library school programme. Day (1997) observes that, "it is a means for students and librarians alike to investigate the cause and effect of phenomenon as it affects the profession and come out with possible solutions". It also allows students try out principles and theories they have learnt in the classroom. Research is the arrival at a dependable solution to a problem through collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. Osuala (1993) says that, "it is the most important tool for advancing knowledge". Ochogwu (2007) states that "research is needed in various operational activities of the library profession, especially into why people do not consult the library. " Research can be pure or basic, which is uses theories to investigate questions and phenomena, and applied research that uses accumulated data and knowledge to investigate a particular problem. Kpeke (1997) states that, "findings of a scientific research are powerful tools in national and curriculum planning". By implication the advancement of a discipline is based on the strength, types, and outcomes of research carried out and how these findings are judiciously put to use. Research in librarianship investigations often discusses theoretical phenomena and findings rather than testing relationships between variables. In line with that, Ochogwu (2007) states that: The library profession is full of assumptions about their services. It is often satisfied with the quality of resources provided. But a lot of studies have shown that these assumptions are very faulty. Meaningful empirical research studies will reveal problem areas with operational activities with a view of finding dependable solutions to them in other to enhance the development process Oduwole and Ikhizana (2007) assert that, "research output in librarianship is poor, as fifty percent of the librarians sampled with up to ten years experience have no publications. " They further argue that the growth and development of any profession depends on extensive research. This does not augur well for librarianship, as the application of scientific findings in formulating strategies and policies is necessary to enhance library service. For research findings to be considered adequate, they must be based on evidence and experimentation. Osuala (1993) says that "experimentation is often confused with the scientific method by laymen who equate experimentation with physical science and further equate physical science with science itself". Despite its scientific rigors, experimentation is only one aspect of the scientific method which itself involves a great number of activities and is widely accepted. Panda (1997) says that "librarian researchers unknowingly are fast becoming laymen in research. " A majority of research in librarianship is pure research. Researchers in the profession shy away from scientific (experimental) research. In same vein Obaseki (2008) states that "out of about 23 students admitted into the Bayero University postgraduate library school for masters in 2004, only about 1% used inferential statistical tools such as Chi Square, t-test, anova, etc., in analyzing data for their studies". The implication is that research findings of 99% of these professional librarians will not be considered an input for reconfiguring policies for libraries. This system impinges on the development of librarianship as a profession and a discipline, in an information age where librarians need to play key roles in preserving abundant knowledge. Factors that Inhibit Research in Librarianship * Dearth of research-minded librarians The fact that most librarians are not inclined toward scientific research hinders the growth of the library profession. Library educators are responsible for the fact that most library students do not delve into scientific research, which stems from fear and ignorance of applied research methods. …