Emotional lntelligence as a Predictor of Research Productivity among Academic Librarians in North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

Research productivity remains a major indicator of academic performance, professional relevance, and scholarly contribution within higher education institutions. Academic librarians, as members of the academic community, are increasingly expected to contribute to knowledge production through active participation in research and publication activities. However, research engagement among librarians is influenced not only by institutional factors but also by psychological and interpersonal competencies such as emotional intelligence. This study examined emotional intelligence as a determinant of research productivity among academic librarians in federal university libraries in North-Central Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey and correlational research design. The population comprised 130 academic librarians in federal university libraries within the North-Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria, while 119 valid responses were used for the analysis. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed to measure emotional intelligence competencies, particularly self-awareness, empathy, and social skills. Descriptive statistics comprising mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research objectives, while Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC) was employed to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence and research productivity. The findings revealed that academic librarians possessed a high level of emotional intelligence and demonstrated a relatively high level of research productivity. The study further established that self-awareness, empathy, and social skills exerted positive influence on research productivity. In addition, a strong positive relationship was found between emotional intelligence and research productivity among academic librarians (r = 0.721, p 0.05). The study concludes that emotional intelligence is a significant psychological factor that enhances librarians’ research engagement, collaboration, and scholarly productivity. The study recommends regular emotional intelligence development programmes, mentorship initiatives, and supportive institutional research policies aimed at improving research productivity among academic librarians.