Staff Mentoring and Service Delivery in Academic Libraries: Evidence from Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education and Imo State University, Owerri

This study evaluates staff mentoring programmes and their influence on service delivery in two academic libraries in Owerri, Imo State: Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education (AIFUE) and Imo State University (IMSU). While prior research has examined mentoring and job satisfaction or performance in isolation, a comparative evaluation focused specifically on service delivery outcomes across these two institution types remains absent. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population comprised 87 library staff across both institutions. Total enumeration was used due to the manageable population size. A structured questionnaire was validated by three experts and tested for reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.84). Data were analysed using mean scores, standard deviation, and Pearson correlation at 0.05 significance level. Mentoring availability differed significantly: AIFUE staff reported higher access to formal mentoring structures, while IMSU relied predominantly on informal peer mentoring. Mentoring was positively and significantly correlated with service delivery at both institutions (AIFUE: r = 0.61, p < 0.05; IMSU: r = 0.48, p < 0.05). Key challenges included mentee overdependence, inadequate orientation, and absence of documented mentoring policy. This study provides the first direct comparison of mentoring for service delivery between a federal university of education and a conventional state university library in Imo State, offering context-specific recommendations for policy and practice.