perceived effect of mental health on service delivery of librarians in academic libraries in edo state, nigeria

Introduction: by the nature of their work, library professionals are exposed to situations and events affecting their mental health. this could adversely affect their performance in service delivery. however, a paucity of social science literature examines this issue, specifically in developing countries like nigeria. this study aims to investigate the perceived effect of mental health and its impact on the service delivery of librarians in academic libraries in edo state.methods: a descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study with a population of 115 library professionals across six academic libraries in edo state, nigeria. a structured questionnaire was used to elicit responses from the professionals. of the 115 copies distributed, 92 were retrieved constituting a 77% response rate. descriptive statistics was used for data analysis, including mean and standard deviation, with the aid of ibm spss version 25.0results: the present study found that the library personnel’s awareness of mental health issues was slightly high. the library personnel faced several mental health challenges ranging from frustrations at the workplace, professional challenges/work conflict, anger and confusion to personal challenges. besides, the study found that mental health issues will significantly influence the service delivery of the library personnel. strategies for curbing mental health challenges among the personnel were increased awareness, quick response to treatment, enlightenment on self-management, stress management and time management for work-life balance.conclusion: the mental well-being of library staff, encompassing emotional, cognitive, and behavioral aspects, plays a substantial role in their workplace performance. consequently, it directly impacts the quality of service they provide. therefore, the mental health of library professionals is critical to realizing the library’s objectives.