Indices of Job Stress and Job Satisfaction among Academic Librarians in Selected Federal Universities in South West Nigeria

Abstract

Librarians around the world like other professionals experience stress caused by different factors highlighted in the study. The study examined the relationship between job stress and job satisfaction among a population of 87 librarians. Descriptive survey research method was used. Job stress levels were assessed using the Job Stress Scale (JSS) adapted from Stress Indicators Scale (2007) and job satisfaction levels were measured using the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire of Linz, (2002) and graded by Likert scale with degree of agreement range between low to high (1-5). This research was designed for the librarians employed in the libraries in South West Nigeria. Data were collected through the questionnaire designed and were subjected to statistical analysis using simple percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test statistics and Scheffe post-hoc analysis. The study revealed that the mean scores for satisfaction were low for workplace characteristics. Female librarians had significantly lower job satisfaction (mean job satisfaction score difference = 12.2; 50.5%, p>0.05), as compared to their male counterparts (mean job satisfaction score difference 21.0: 49.5%, p<0.05); and a positive correlation was found between job satisfaction and librarians’ job stress (r = 0.69, α < 0.05). The findings also revealed that majority of the librarians had low job satisfaction level and higher levels of job stress. These results have implications for addressing job stress and job satisfaction in academic libraries.