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Technostress, Library Staff and Productivity: Ray on Landmark University Library Sola Owolabi1, Ayooluwa Aregbesola2 & Oluwasina Oyesola2 Centre for Learning Resources, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, , Nigeria1,2. Tai Solarin University of Education Library, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State3. [email protected]; [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Abstract Purpose: This study focused on identifying causes of technostress among library staff in Landmark University, Omu-Aran and proffering solutions. It examined the level of awareness, sources and causes of technostress among library staff and possible ways in which it can be controlled. Design/Methodology: Survey method was used. Twenty (20) library staff were purposively selected. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Findings: The paper revealed that all the library staff are aware of technostress most of whom have experienced it. The study also revealed that sitting in front of computer for long period is the most commonly cause of tehnostress. Further results showed that though some of the library staff have experienced technostress, they opined that reverting to the traditional system was not a possible amelioration. Other findings revealed that regular training, good office furniture, regular breaks and implementation of better ergornomic practice among other reasons will go a better way at reducing technostress. It was also found out that technostress moderately affected job productivity. Originality/value: Credited to the findings from this study, majority of librarians and library assistants experience technostress and certain degrees of negative influence on their productivity. Keywords: Developing Countries’ Libraries; Information and Telecommunication Technologies; Landmark University; ; Technostress; Productivity of Librarians Paper type: Empirical

workplace stress. An earlier observer of Introduction technostress, Bichteler (1987) who observed that Milestone achievements credited to Information ‘accompanying the successful and exciting high and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the tech revolution in libraries has been the 21st century has been allegedly tinted with gloom occurrence of a number of physical, due to consequent effects of ICT on users psychological and social problems among staff especially librarians who mandatorily and patrons’. (inevitably) succumb to its application in their It is unequivocally accepted that library and day-to-day official duties. Harper (2000) information services delivery has improved to a protested that in the process of adapting to the large extent as a result of the use of technology increasingly complex technologies, more users for library activities such as acquisition, and staff have been experiencing physical and cataloguing, circulation, reference, and serials emotional stress. control (Ahmad, 2009). Melchionda (2007) also This has resulted in higher levels of absenteeism affirmed that the development of internet and and turnover, higher cost of retraining new staff electronic network resources encouraged the and increase in litigation costs related to 9 | P a g e Journal of Applied Information Science and Technology, 8 (1) (2015)

Technostress, Library Staff and Productivity: Ray on Landmark University Library

focused on identifying causes of technostress development of new services such as digital and proffering solutions. libraries, he however pointed out that it might pose a great challenge since the internet was also Objectives of the Study seen as a threat and as it created a lot of The objectives of this study are to: uncertainty. Aramide and Bolarinwa (2010) asserted that productivity is impeded when staff 1. Know the level of awareness of library experience stress associated with technology. staff (librarians and library assistants) The essence of ICT should be to boost on technostress productivity but if the stress hinder its use, there 2. Identify the sources and causes of is likely to be a downward trend in productivity technostress among library staff of librarians and their assistants. 3. Identify to what extent technostress affects the level of job productivity The major objective of the Library is to make 4. Identify possible ways in which available and accessible diverse information technostress among librarians can be resources and services to enhance the quality of controlled teaching, learning and research. It acquires, organizes, stores and disseminates information Literature Review in various formats. These include print and Technostress is a specific type of stress related electronic formats. to the use of ICT, mostly resulting from the high The library has been automated since inception speed at which technological change takes place using a library management software (LMS) (Sahin & Coklar, 2009). Wang, Shu, and Tu called Alexandria. It is an integrated web-based (2008) defined technostress as a ‘‘reflection of library management software developed by one’s discomposure, fear, tenseness and anxiety Companion Corporation, United States in 1987. when one is learning and using computer Apart from managing all the library operations, technology directly or indirectly that ultimately it is a fully integrated computer system that ends in psychological and emotional repulsion includes various modules. These modules are and prevents one from further learning or using acquisitions, cataloguing, indexing, patrons’ computer technology.’’ Salanova, Llorens, Cifre registration, circulation, report generation, and Nogareda (2007) proposed a definition of Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) and the technostress experience at work as a Web Public Access Catalogue (WebPAC). ‘‘negative psychological state associated with the use or threat of ICTs use in the future. Statement of the Problem Agbonlahor (2006) observed that the adoption, Indisputably, conspicuous revolution has been rapid diffusion and utilization of ICTs in witnessed in the field of information acquisition, librarianship and other related information processing and dissemination. Traditional science professions have brought about a approach has been jettisoned in favor of number of demands and challenges such as electronic devices which obviously are technostress and job burnout into workplace. advantageous to providers and users of Studies have been carried out establishing the information. Melchionda (2008) also attested to fact that ICTs deployment in libraries comes this fact. It has however been noticed that there along with varing challenges. Such studies exists evil in the good that ICTs has got to offer include Popoola and Majinson (2001), Tiamiyu, as librarians and library assistant have “tales of Ajayi and Olatokun (2002), Adekunle, Omoba woes” resulting from the use of technologies and Tella (2007), Uwaifo (2008), Olanrewaju, deployed to improve their daily routines. Marisa, Ayodele and Abubakar (2011) and Sivakumaren, Susana & Eva (2013) in their work also queried Geetha and Jeyaprakash (2011). Ragu-Nathan et that if modern technology was designed to al. (2008) indicated techno-complexity, techno- empower us, to set us free, and to leave us insecurity, techno-overload, techno-invasion, satisfied, why do we often feel (techno-) stressed and techno-uncertainty as correlates of job due to the use of this technology? Why does dissatisfaction. Thus, employees suffering from using email or the Internet sometimes lead to technostress have low productivity and job discomfort, anxiety and physical troubles? If the satisfaction (Sinha, 2012). daily routine of librarians and their assistants has been intricately linked with ICTs, how do we Pors (2003) articulated that there is strong ameliorate their distress? This study is therefore correlation between librarians' job satisfaction

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Sola Owolabi, Ayooluwa Aregbesola & Oluwasina Oyesola and level of stress due to technology and other Data Analysis demographic characteristics. Majority of Analysis of data was based on returned copies of librarians revealed that technological questionnaire. Responses from the questionnaire innovations have developed technostress were coded and Statistical Package for Social (Kupersmith, 2000). Science (SPSS) software was used for the Khan, Rehman and Shafiq-ur-Rehman (2013) analysis. Demographic data of the respondents, reasoned that a satisfied librarian is needed in level of awareness of technostress, its sources university libraries for effective performance. It and causes, possible ways to control tehnostress is deduced that a stressful and unhappy librarian as well as the extent of technostress as it affects will not be productive. This will not only bring a the level of job productivity were described. depressing image of librarianship but will lessen Results the role of university libraries as service oriented programme in any academic institution. Demographic Characteristics of the Ayyagari (2008) identified a negative correlation Respondents between technostress and job satisfaction and A total of 17 copies (85%) of the questionnaire further elaborated that technology uncertainty is were responded to and returned; 3 copies of the a strong predictor of job dissatisfaction among questionnaire were unusable because of either employees. incompleteness of responses, illegible or Methods unintelligible responses. The analyzed data from the questionnaire shows that female are (52.9%) Study Area and male (47.1%) having the following The population of study comprised all librarians qualifications; Masters Degree (41.2%), and library assistants of Landmark University Bachelor degree/HND (5.1%), and OND/NCE Library Omu-Aran, Nigeria. The study (52.9%). Library staff in the age group of 25- population, though small, is an ideal case study 34years was the largest in number (58.8%) and for newly established academic libraries. most of them were library assistants (52.9%). Landmark University Library is known as Most of the respondents (76.5%) had between 1 Centre for Learning Resources (CLR). and 5years experience in the librarianship profession, 23.5% have been in the profession Research Instrument, Sample and Sampling for over 5 years. Procedure Level of Awareness and Experience of This study used a questionnaire-based survey Technostress by Library Staff method, as many similar studies conducted earlier have also used this method for data Most of the respondents (82.4%) agreed that collection such as (Isiakpona and Adebayo, library operations carried out in the library are 2011; Olanrewaju, Ayodele and Abubakar, automated; all the library staff noted that they 2011; Dunmade, Adegoke and Agboola, 2014). make use of Information Technology/ICT tools All the seven (7) librarians, one (1) library in carrying out their daily routines. On a officer and twelve (12) library assistants in dichotomous scale, inquiries about awareness Landmark University Library which constitute a and experiencing of technostress were guided by size of twenty (20) were used for this study. two questions namely: “Are you aware of stress associated with the use of computer and other For face validity, the questionnaire was ICTs tools?” and “Have you experienced stress circulated to ten experts in the fields of associated with the use of computer and other sociology, information science and computer ICTs?” All the respondents reported they are science for their comment and observations. aware of stress associated with the use of Their observations were considered in designing computer and other ICT tools while as much as the final copy of the questionnaire before they (94.1%) have experienced the same while were personally administered in December, carrying out their duties. 2014. Table 1 shows the population of library staff that

have experienced technostress.

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Technostress, Library Staff and Productivity: Ray on Landmark University Library

Table 1: Population of Library Staff that have Experienced Technostress

Frequency Percentage (%) Yes 16 94.1 No 1 5.9 Total 17 100.0 Table 2: Technostress Experienced by the Library Staff Yes No Technostress Frequency Frequency (%) (%) Inability to concentrate on a task when using computer 5(29.4) 12(70.6) Irritated when using computer 3(17.6) 14(82.4) Isolated when using computer 2(11.8) 15(88.2) Increased heart beats when working with computer 2(11.8) 15(88.2) Redness of eye resulting from long computer usage 14(82.4) 3(17.6) Frustrated by quick successive changes in ICTs 5(29.4) 12(70.6) Headache resulting from ICTs usage 7(41.2) 10(58.8) Back and neck pain when working with computer/ICTs tools 12(70.6) 5(29.4) Ashamed to admit inadequate knowledge of computer/other ICTs 2(11.8) 15(88.2) tools ‘redness of eyes resulting from long computer Furthermore, the results in table 2 shows that usage as well as back and neck pain when library staff experience stress in carrying out working with computer/ICTs tools ’ (82.4% and their duties. Specifically, both librarians and 70.6%) respectively. library assistants reported to have experienced Causes of Technostress among Library Staff

Table 3: Causes of Technostress among Library Staff Causes of Technostress Agree Disagree Do not know Frequency (%) Frequency (%) Frequency (%) Slow network/internet access speed 11 64.7 5 29.4 1 5.9 Inadequate training 8 47.1 7 41.2 2 11.8 Faulty equipment 11 64.7 4 23.5 2 11.8 Irregular power supply 11 64.7 5 29.4 1 5.9 Change in library software 9 52.9 7 41.2 1 5.9 Use of outdated technology 8 47.1 7 41.2 2 11.8 Sitting in front of computer for long 14 82.4 3 17.6 0 00.0 Poor technical support 11 64.7 5 29.4 1 5.9 Poorly designed workstations and 10 58.8 5 29.4 2 11.8 other ICTs tools Poor sitting positions 10 58.8 5 29.4 2 11.8 Poor computer proficiency skills 9 52.9 5 29.4 3 17.6 Fear of new technology 10 58.8 6 35.3 1 5.9 Phobia for computer and other ICT 7 41.2 7 41.2 3 17.6 tools speed, faulty equipment, irregular power supply, Table 3 shows the frequency distribution of the poor technical support were causes of causes of technostress among library staff, technostress to as much as 11(64.7%) of the indicating that sitting in front of computer for respondents. Poorly designed workstations and long period 14(82.4%) was the major causes of other ICTs tools 10(58.8%), poor sitting technostress among library staff, while phobia positions 10(58.8%), fear of new technology for computer and other ICT tools was the least 10(58.8%), change in library software 9(52.9%) 7(41.2%). Slow network and internet access

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Sola Owolabi, Ayooluwa Aregbesola & Oluwasina Oyesola and poor computer proficiency skills 9(52.9%) Also, less than half of the respondents agreed reported to have been causes of technostress that inadequate training 8(47.1%), use of among library staff. outdated technology 8(47.1%) and phobia for computer and other ICT tools 7(41.2%) were causes of tehnostress among library staff. Possible ways to control Technostress among Library staff Table 4: Possible ways to control Technostress among Library staff Ways to control Technostress Agree Disagree Do not know Frequency (%) Frequency (%) Frequency (%) Efficient and friendly computer 15 88.2 2 11.8 0 00.0 network system Regular trainings 15 88.2 2 11.8 0 00.0 Regular breaks during working hours 12 70.6 4 23.5 1 5.9 Revert to manual systems of library 4 23.5 10 58.8 3 17.6 operations Maintain the use of old technologies 6 35.3 9 52.9 2 11.8 and equipment Use of good office furniture 14 82.4 3 17.6 0 00.0 Better ergonomics practice 14 82.4 2 11.8 1 5.9 Reliable technical support 16 94.1 1 5.9 0 00.0 technical support were solution to technostress. Table 4 shows that 15(88.2%) of the respondents Another possible way in which technostress agreed that efficient and friendly computer could be controlled is through better practice of network system to carry out library operations ergonomics. 14 (82.4%) library staff noted that could go a long way to reduce the level of with the implementation of better ergonomic technostress being experienced by library staff. practice technostress will be brought to the It also shows that 14 (82.4%) and 15(88.2%) of barest minimum, while most 10(58.8%) and the library staff indicate that use of good office about half 9(52.9%) of the library staff were of furniture and regular trainings are possible ways the opinion that reverting to manual systems of to control technostress respectively. library operations and maintaining the use of To a large extent, regular breaks during working old technologies were not solutions to hours 12 (70.6%) while almost all the library technostress. staff 16(94.1%) were of the opinion that reliable To what extent does technostress affects job productivity?

Table 4: Technostress and job productivity SCALE Frequency Percentage Low 3 17.6 Moderate 11 64.7 High 3 17.6 Total 17 100 Table 5 shows that to various extent technostress Discussion affects job productivity of library staff. Most of The survey has brought to the fore the reality of the respondents 11(64.7%) indicate that technostress which undeniably taints the technostress moderately affects their job superlative benefits accruable from the use of productivity. 3(17.6%) are of the opinion that ICT. All respondents attested to awareness of technostress could highly affect their job technostress and the resultant influence on their productivity, while the same percentage of the productivity, however at various degrees. This respondents 3(17.6%) noted that technostress research has been able to establish through affects their job productivity to some extent. questionnaire administered to librarians and library assistants that sitting in front of computer 13 | P a g e Journal of Applied Information Science and Technology, 8 (1) (2015)

Technostress, Library Staff and Productivity: Ray on Landmark University Library for long period among other reasons (82.4% of Agbonlahor, R. O. 2006. Motivation for use of respondents affirmed) constitutes technostress. information technology by university faculty: a Poor technical support was also identified as a developing country perspective: Information stressor. Other asserted reasons include but not Development, 22:4 – 263 – 277. limited to slow network and internet access Ahmad, U.N.U (2009). The Impact of Technostress speed, faulty equipment, irregular power supply on Organizational Commitment among etc. However, phobia for computer and other Malaysian Academic Librarians. Singapore ICT tools rated least. Journal of Library & Information Management Volume 38 Comparatively, ICT despite the resultant tehnostress experienced, most respondents Aramide K. A., Bolarinwa O. M. 2010. Availability and use of audiovisual and electronic resources opined that reverting to the traditional system by distance learning students in Nigerian was not a possible amelioration. They affirmed universities: a case study of National Open that regular training, good office furniture, (NOUN), Ibadan study regular breaks and implementation of better centre library philosophy and practice, Retrieved ergornomic practice among other reasons will go July 7, 2010 from a better way to reducing technostress. It was also http://unilib.un/.edu/LPP/aramide.htm . found out that most respondents attested to the Ayyagari, S. (2011). Technostress: Technological fact that technostress moderately affected their antecedents and implications. MIS Quarterly, productivity. 35(4), 1-10. Conclusion and Recommendations Bichteler, J. (1987). Technostress in libraries: Causes, Effects and Solutions. Electronic Library, 5 (5), Form the foregoing, it is evident that 282-287. technostress has come to stay with the 21st Century and likewise its benefits are immense Dunmade, E. O., Adegoke, J. F. and Agboola, A. A. that one has got to device coping mechanism or 2014. Assessment of ergonomic hazards and amelioration methods to maximally benefit from techno-stress among the workers of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, ICTs. Credited to the findings from this study, it Nigeria. Australian Journal of Business and can be concluded that majority of librarians and Management Research, 4 (1), 27-34. library assistants experience technostress and certain degrees of negative influence on their Harper, S. (2000). Managing techno stress in UK productivity. Since it has been established that Libraries: A realistic guide. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from ICTs has unprecedented advantage over the http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue25/technostress/in traditional system, the onus lies on the library tro.html. management team to ensure constant developmental approach as cushion effect on Isiakpona, C. and Adebayo, O. 2011. The Impact of technostress. Technostress on Librarians: A Survey of Library. The Information It is inevitable for library staff to understand the Manager, 11 (1&2), 56-61. changing environment through the use of ICTs Khan, Rehman and Shafiq-ur-Rehman (2013) . An and align properly by being proactive and live in Empirical Analysis of Correlation Between readiness to measure up to challenges resulting Technostress and Job Satisfaction: A Case of from emerging technologies. Periodic KPK, Pakistan PJLIS, Vol. 14 trainings/seminars and intervention programmes Melchionda, M. G. (2007). Librarians in the age of to cushion the effect of technostress on library the Internet: Their attitudes and roles. New staff become paramount. Introduction of Library World, 108 (3/4), 123-140. ergonomic devices and facilities for ease of use and healthy approach to work also become Marisa S., Susana L. & Eva C. (2013). The dark side paramount to enjoy highly motivated and of technologies: Technostress among users of information and communication technologies. productive library personnel. International Journal of Psychology, 48.3 Reference Olanrewaju A, Ayodele, A. E. and Abubakar U. Adekunle, P.A, Omoba, R. O. and Tella, A. 2007. 2011. Application of information technology to Attitudes of librarians in selected Nigerian library services at federal university of universities towards the use of ICT. Library technology, Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice 1 – 8. philosophy and practice 10 (1), Retrieved March 29, from http://unlib.un/.edu/LPPl.

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