DEVIANT BEHAVIORS IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA: PREVALENCE, CAUSES, IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES

Abstract

This study explores deviant behaviors in academic libraries in Oyo State, Nigeria, focusing on their prevalence, causes, impacts, and potential strategies for mitigation. The descriptive research design of the survey type was adopted for the study. Data were collected from respondents, including students and staff at Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan, and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology library, Ogbomoso. These universities formed the population of the study. Simple random sampling technique was used. 350 copies of questionnaire were distributed across the universities with a retrieval success of 305 copies, representing 87.14% return rate. The study identifies that noise disturbances (57%) and vandalism (33.4%) are the most common deviant behaviors observed in academic libraries in Oyo State. Key causes include high academic stress (66.9%) and lack of supervision (42.6%), while the main impacts are a negative effect on the study environment (62.3%) and financial losses (52.1%). To address these issues, the study recommends enhancing surveillance systems, developing user education programs, increasing community engagement, strengthening enforcement of library rules, and addressing academic stress through support services. These recommendations are supported by examples from successful implementations in other institutions. The findings highlight the importance of a comprehensive approach to managing library environments to foster better learning conditions and reduce deviant behaviors.