1. Introduction

Professional or non professional library workers working in academic libraries of Ethiopia were leaving the library for different reasons. The study conducted by Lesley stated that, problems of accelerated staff turnover by looking in retrospect at the staffing phases that the University of Zimbabwe Library went through. Between 1991 and 1993, staff turnover culminated in a loss of over 55% of the professional staff from an establishment of 25 (professional staff). The paper discussed three categories of problems and situations that led to the accelerated staff turnover and the turnover's impact on the library service. Staff retention strategies discussed includes among others, human resources planning and development, staff motivation, organizational redesign, and competitive remuneration packages [1].

1.1. Statement of the Problem

The academic libraries in public and private Ethiopian Universities are not only facing with lack of professional library staff, training and development but a turnover pattern with lack of retention of these staff in the systems. This posed the need for this nationwide cross-sectional survey on what are the contributory factors to staff turnover pattern and retention in academic libraries in Ethiopia. If staff turnover and retention is dependent on some understanding of a profession, skills or behavior as the desired outcome of staff development and training, then, what are the factors that influence the turnover pattern and retention among library staff of academic libraries in public and private Universities of Ethiopia?

1.2. Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to investigate and establish the factors that lead to library staff turnover pattern and retention and how systematic did it cut across the academic libraries of the Ethiopian public and private Universities workforce. The specific objectives were:

● To indentify factors that influenced the turnover pattern and retention of library staff in the public and private academic libraries of universities in Ethiopia

● To identify the relationship on turnover pattern and retention of library staff (both professional librarians and non-professional staff) in the public and private academic libraries in Ethiopia universities were considered.

1.3. Scope and Limitation of the Study

The scope of the study was nationwide but limited to contributory factors for staff turnover pattern and retention in academic libraries in Ethiopian public and private universities. However, it was limited to seven universities comprising of four (4) public and three (3) private, with 700 subjects that were 658 library staff and 42 policy makers. But due to logistic reasons the researchers had to delimit the scope to 6 universities, comprising of 4 public and 2 privates, with 600 subjects from which 564 were library staff and 36 policy makers.

2. Literature Review

The study was conceptually based on contributory factors that force staff turnover pattern and retention in academic libraries of Ethiopian public and private universities. In order for universities to be effective, there is need to have an organized, and well coordinated library service aimed at supporting educational activities through the provision of timely, accurate, and reliable information resources [2].

A study by Bakewell revealed that low salary, routine work, absence of the staff training and development compounded with limited avenues for promotion were the causes of job dissatisfaction. Turner did a similar study on job satisfaction among library paraprofessionals and the results showed that insufficient participation in organizational communication channels and few contingent rewards, particularly in form of sincere and positive feedback, constituted a source of job dissatisfaction for the paraprofessionals. He concluded his investigation by stating that paraprofessionals expressed satisfaction with intrinsic rewards like the physical and intellectual environment of the library, supervision and the working relationship with patrons [3, 4].

Tella et. al., surveyed factors affecting organizational commitment among employees and found that job satisfaction was so important in that its absence led to lethargy and reduced organizational commitment. The authors further observed that lack of job satisfaction was a major predictor of quitting a job [5]. Ombima also observed that sometimes workers may quit from public to the private sector or vice-versa depending on their levels of job satisfaction in that organization. He argues that at times the movement was from one profession to another that was considered greener pasture [6]. Feldman and Khademain also observed that this kind of movement was mainly common in countries with grappling and dwindling economies coupled with poor conditions of service and late payment of salaries. He further pointed that in such countries, people migrate to better and consistently paying jobs [7].

A study by Antwi and Bello on factors affecting organizational commitment among employees revealed that lack of job satisfaction, interesting work, co-workers relationship, organizational dependency, age, education, and employment alternatives were the key variables leading to workers commitment to work [8]. Similarly, Senyah found that workers commitment in an organization was determined by number of factors that include personal and organizational factors. Personal factors included age, tenure in the organization, disposition, internal or external control attributions; whereas organizational factors included job design, leadership styles by supervisors [9].

Fedias also reported on the study found that job satisfaction of academic librarians as it related to the faculty status. It showed that librarians with an academic rank were more satisfied than non-faculty groups [2]. Predictors of job satisfaction included perceptions of participation and the salary components. Similarly, Aziagba found evidence on the relationship between motivation and occupational as well as educational levels of the respondents [10]. Their findings showed that managers and professionals were significantly more motivated compared to lower level employees. They argued that high level of satisfaction stemmed from a greater sense of achievement and the respect they received from their subordinates.

The study conducted by Morin reported a significant correlation between the levels of job satisfaction and the nature of the library. It was reported that librarians in public libraries showed greater job satisfaction due to availability of job security. These include compensation and benefits, advancement opportunities, and the technological changes. The results showed that salaries and benefits were related to the job satisfaction of the librarians [11].

According to the study conducted by Kenneth and Elizabeth revealed that a meaningful relationship between job satisfaction and wages, management policies, working conditions, possibilities for promotion, gaining respect, the size of the library organization, achievement and self advancement [12]. Similarly, the survey result of the career attitudes of master level librarians found a close relationship between job satisfaction and career identity. It was further reported that overtime; librarians become happy with their profession and more committed to the line of work [13].

A study conducted by Poornima also revealed that staff tended to be dissatisfied with opportunities for promotion and liked more training and development. The research findings further indicated that libraries that allowed its paraprofessional staff to engage in further education stood a better chance of gaining in the long run. These workers performed at a better rate and their morale up-lifted. Their performance always showed a difference as they tried to apply the techniques and knowledge they acquired. The major area where the effect of such training was visibly demonstrated was the area of information technology. The authors argued that it was easier to train paraprofessional staff to learn information technology needed for library operations. They concluded by recommending that paraprofessional staff should not just be employed but properly integrated into the library system through training and retraining [14].

Similarly, Borteye and Ahenkorah-Marfo conducted a survey of Knust Library staff to ascertain the benefits of training and development programme. The findings revealed that majority (71.3%) of the respondents indicated having benefited from the staff development programme. The study further indicated that staff development programme was considered as a motivating factor especially to subordinate Knust library staff. The study concluded by indicating that library staff should be encouraged to pursue further education to enhance their career prospects and to make them display more commitment and devotion to duty [15].

Musonda discussed that employees in an organization do not need to be told about their system from outside; otherwise they feel neglected and unimportant. They would want to know about themselves before other people. The authors further argued that employees would be motivated if supervisors and the library management intimate with their subordinates with decisions taken either within or from outside the organization. Issues such as people getting promoted, internal advertisements and recreational facilities available should be properly communicated to them via appropriate medium of information transfer such as the notice boards, staff mail boxes, staff bulletins and hand outs. By so doing, this would likely motivate the workers in that they would believe to have confidence in their supervisors and management and would again lead to greater performance [16].

Different researches covered in the literature reviewed employed different methodologies in their studies. But most researchers used survey method and the surveys were cross sectional. Researchers also, used questionnaires that were either mailed to respondents or self administered by the researchers and /or some interviews to collect data on a sample of respondents at a point in time. In some studies, questionnaires were used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. In this study cross sectional survey research method and self administered questionnaire, semi structured interview and document analysis were used. It also focused on the contributory factors on library staff turnover pattern and retention in academic libraries of public and private universities in Ethiopia.

3. Methodology

3.1. Research Method

The research method used for the study was cross sectional survey method with documentary analysis to establish the staff turn-over rate among professional librarians and non-professional library staff in the academic libraries of the Ethiopian Universities. The document analytic design established the extent of professional librarian and non-professional library staff loss and the retention in the concerned universities based on the available records in the Universities and the Federal Ministry of Education as the case may be.

3.2. Population, Sample Size and Sampling Techniques

All the 142 public and private universities and colleges that existed in Ethiopia as on November 29, 2010 formed the target population for the study. Of the 142 public and private universities and colleges; 47 were public universities and colleges, while 95 were private universities and colleges. Of the 47 public universities and colleges; 22 were public universities and 25 public colleges. On the other hand, there were 8 private universities and 87 private colleges. This brought all the universities to 30 public and private universities with 102 public and private colleges. However, the accessible population of Universities and colleges consisted of those institutions that had been in existence for more than five years by the time of the study [17].

Of the 30 public and private universities with 102 public and private colleges, the researchers selected their sample from the 30 public and private Universities’ academic libraries and excluded the 102 colleges in Ethiopia. The population of respondents from each university was 100, which brought the total respondents therefore to 3,000 subjects drawn from the 30 public and private universities involved in the study.

However, the sample size for the study was seven (7) public and private academic libraries in Ethiopian universities, which in-turn brought the sample size of respondents to 700. Of this sample, four (4) of the academic libraries were from public Universities and three (3) from private universities in the country. Of the 700 respondents, each academic library had 100 respondents involved in the study as follows: six (6) each of the respondents were policy makers (higher officials and Library administrators of the Universities) While the remaining 94 respondents were professional librarians and non-professional library staffs respectively.

The criteria for selection of universities was through equal representation of universities’ clusters (i.e. public and private universities) country wide, while subjects, who were key informants were selected based on the fact that they were staff of libraries, top management staff of universities and human resource management managers and library administrators.

The sampling technique applied was proportional and purposive sampling techniques with particular reference to quota sampling techniques in the case of the sample sizes of both concerned seven (7) universities/academic libraries and the subjects involved in the study. The involved institutions were proportionally selected from the clustered 22 public and 8 private institutions respectively. Furthermore, the individual universities were selected purposively. Seven (i.e. 4 and 3 academic libraries respectively from public and private universities in Ethiopia) and 700 respondents (with 100 each from the seven institutions involved in the study). The involvement of public and private universities was for purposes of comparison on the ownership of institutions and considered a pertinent variable in the study.

3.3. Data Collection

The survey nature of the study involved the use of questionnaires, interviews, observations and documentary sources as instruments for data collection. With the instruments employed for the study, quantitative, qualitative and documentary approaches for data analysis were used.

3.3.1. Questionnaires

The questionnaires were administered on the professional librarians, non-professional library staff, the University librarians or equivalent of the library.

Two sets of questionnaires were developed with one having 10 items; seeking information from library staff (comprising of professional librarians and non-professional library staff). The second set of questionnaire having 22 items; was for policy makers of libraries and universities in Ethiopia. The questionnaires had both open and closed-ended questions.

3.3.2. Interview Schedules

Three sets of interview schedules were developed. One schedule was for non-professional library staff, the second schedule had 7 questions and was for professional library staff and the third schedule had 7 questions addressed to the policy makers on the survey for staff development and staff training on turnover pattern and retention in academic libraries of Ethiopia universities.

3.3.3. Documentary Sources and Observation Instruments

Documentary sources were observed for brief historical development, organizational structure, services, staffing, collections and library strategic plans; with review of reports, policy documents of institutions that included Senate legislations, proclamations and statistical records on the influences of staff turnover, retention and recruitments.

3.3.4. Establishing the Validity and Reliability

The drafts for the two sets of questionnaires and the three sets of interview schedules were first sent to experts in the area of research and evaluation within Jimma University, who read and made necessary changes before the instruments were pre-tested at Jimma University, being one of the universities involved in the study population. The drafts were then pre-tested on 2 professional librarians, 5 non-professional library staff and 1 top management staff. The pre-test groups were completely different from the actual group members used in the main study.

3.4. Data Collection Procedure

Letters for permission to administer questionnaires and interview by the researchers were written by the Vice President for Academic Research and Student Affairs of Jimma University to all Vice Presidents for Academic Research and Students Affairs of universities involved in the study.

In each institution, the two sets of questionnaire were administered to ninety-four (94) library staff and six (6) policy makers respectively. This brought the sampled subjects to 100 respondents in each academic library of the Universities as the case may be. However, most respondents from the universities were as in table 1 below.

Table 1. Institutions and subjects involved in the study

3.5. Data Analysis Procedure

3.5.1. Quantitative Analysis

Data collected using questionnaires were edited, reduced to quantitative data, summarized, coded and entered in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software Version16.0 and later analyzed. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, cross-tabulations, and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to display data and later in writing the study results.

3.5.2. Qualitative Analysis

The study employed the qualitative and quantitative components to assess the stakeholders’ understanding of the staff development and staff training on turnover pattern and retention of staff in the academic libraries of Ethiopia Universities.

3.5.3. Documented Sources and Observational Data

Structural analyses were employed in the analysis of documented information and qualitative data collected during the study. The information generated by interviews and observational data were described and summarized. Furthermore, the relationship was sought between information and specific research questions. Implications for policy or practice were derived from the data and interpretation provided.

3.6. Data Presentation

The data presentation in the study report used tables and figures to form the basis for results and discussions.

4. Data Presentation, Analysis, Results and Discussions

This section presents the statistical data analysis on the study. It was organized using headings and subheadings under response rate and statistical analysis.

4.1. Response Rate

4.1.1. Institutions and Subjects of the Study

Of the 7 (100%) institutions (AAU library system, AU library system, AUC library system, JU library system, HU library system, SMUC library system and Unity University library system) and 700 subjects involved in the study. Unity University (UUC) library system (a private university) was withdrawn by the researchers in the study; due to the schedule time for the study was wasted waiting for the policy makers, who were on official assignments. Hence, the researchers delimited the study by withdrawing the involvement of UUC library system and its subjects from the data collection strategy. This delimitation brought the number of the universities and/or academic libraries to 6 (95.6%).

However, with the withdrawal of one university in the study, the researchers considered the 6 (100%) of the participating universities and/or academic libraries and 600 subjects as sample population for the study. Nonetheless, only 315 (52.5%) subjects responded to the questionnaires distributed and collected. This figure comprised of 294(93.3%) library staff and 21(6.7%) policy makers as in table 1 on institutions and subjects involved in the study. It is important to note that the actual respondents’ were supposed to be professional librarians, non-professional library staff and policy makers but most libraries did not have professional librarians and some had fewer library workers as opposed to the estimated figure of 100 subjects required from each academic library to complete the questionnaires. Considering the proportional involvement of the institutions (public and private universities) and the sample size that was based on the sampling techniques highlighted in the methodology for the nationwide study, the researchers still considered the 315 (52.5%) respondents as representative and reasonable enough to continue with the nationwide study for generalization in the country.

4.2. Factors That Influence Turnover Pattern and Retention among Library Staff of Academic Libraries in Ethiopia Public and Private Universities

While there are drivers for why people seek employments in organizations, same are factors that warrant leaving the jobs sort by the individuals. One of the major research questions for the survey was to find out from professional librarians and other library staff the factors that may contribute to staff turnover in Ethiopia academic libraries owned by government and the private Universities.

The items in table 2a were measured on a five point scale, using an equal interval of 0.80, thus the guideline below was used for interpreting the attitude scores of respondents on factors that contribute to library staff turnover in Ethiopian academic libraries. A mean score was considered strongly disagreed (SD), if it falls within the range of 1.00 - 1.80; a mean score within the range 1.80 - 2.60 was taken as Disagreed (DA); a mean within the range 2.60 - 3.40 was considered undecided (UD), while a mean score within the range 3.40 - 4.20 was taken as Agreed (A); and a mean score within the range 4.20 - 5.00 was considered strongly Agreed (SA) for positive items.

Table 2a. Factors that contribute to staff turnover in Ethiopia academic libraries

The above table 2a shows 3 items were responded “strongly agreed” with mean between 4.20-5.00 and 17 items were responded “agreed” with mean between 3.40 - 4.20; an indication that majority factors (20) could contribute to library staff turnover and retention among the academic libraries owned by government and private universities in Ethiopia. Only five of the factors were responded “undecided” by the respondents. The variations on the ratings of the factors could be as a result of the categories of the respondents, who are professional librarians and library clerks or attendants; as well as the groups of academic libraries that are public or private.

The implication of these contributory factors to the library staff turnover and retention is on the development of academic environment, which include activities that range from research, study, learning and meeting the national principles for establishing the government and private universities for educating citizens for national development. It is when there is a favorable and conducive environment that inputs and outcomes from service providers that organizations would think of meeting their desired objectives.

However, table 2b below shows a one-way ANOVA test, carried out to see the significant mean differences in the ratings among different groups of respondents based on their academic libraries owned by government and private universities in Ethiopia. The result showed significant differences among fourteen (14) of the factors that could influence staff turnover patterns and retention among library staff of academic libraries owned by public and private universities in Ethiopia at alpha 0.05. The table also showed no significant differences on nine (9) of the factors. This implies similarities on most of the factors that could influence library staff turnover and retention of academic libraries owned by public and private universities in Ethiopia.

Table 2b. ANOVA test on factors that influence staff turnover patterns and retention among library staff of academic libraries owned by public and private universities in Ethiopia

The interview responses from the management staff or policy makers of the public and private universities that include: the University President, V/President Academic, V/President Administration, University Librarian, Human Resource Manager, Library Administrator, professional librarians and other library staff; affirmed that there were library staff turnover and retention. The reasons adduced were lack of providing permanent staffing for the library staff payroll but they were on Contract and temporary appointments respectively. The interview also showed that the turnover pattern was significant among academic libraries of public universities as compared to privately owned universities as portrayed by policy makers and library staff responses.

Going by the classical theory of management, which is largely concerned with the anatomy of the formal organization and managerial practices; Mahmood and Basharat assumed that “Workers were seen as motivated by economic rewards”; that, if you motivate library staff and they are very happy, they can put in that much of their ability [18]. But if motivation is low, employees’ performance will be lowered as if ability for their performance were low. For these reasons, motivating is an extremely important function of management, as staff development is a kind of motivation, which allows workers take the center stage of being knowledge accumulators, deliverers, sharers and disseminators’ in their work environments. It becomes paramount for organizations to develop and equip them with the knowledge, which might not just be for the jobs to avoid turnover but for retention and serving as a lifelong learning.

5. Conclusions

This study on the investigation of factors that influence library staff turnover pattern and retention in academic libraries of the Ethiopian public and private universities workforce concludes that there were factors that could influence library staff turnover pattern and retention in academic libraries of the Ethiopian public and private Universities. Such factors include: poor incentives, lack of job challenge, unfair or unequal treatment, poor supervision, unsatisfactory salary, lack of career staff development for library clerks/staff, lack of staff training or continuing professional education for librarians, lack of promotion to the next level after professional training, disparity in salary between library staff and their counterparts in other jobs, lack of recognition that training motivates staff to perform better and lack of acknowledgement of better staff on the job. While the factors are viewed to be instrumental to staff turnover and retention in public and private universities in Ethiopia academic libraries, the factors differ significantly among the public and private universities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We acknowledge Jimma University for financing the study and the authors thank Addis Ababa University, Adama University, Alpha University College, Jimma University, Hawassa University and St. Mary’s University College Universities for their participation, assistance in data collection and responses by their staff during the research. We most sincerely thank Dr. Taye Tolemariam the Vice President of Academic and student Affairs and Dr. Berhanu Belay the Senior Director for, CBE & Post Graduate Studies.