ABSTRACT
Almost everybody has experienced stress at one point or the other. Stress, is referred to as a state of psychological and or physical imbalance resulting from the disparity between situational demand and the individual’s ability to meet those demands. The study looks at stress as is being experienced in special libraries in Ghana, with particular focus on the libraries of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
The study objectives were to identify the main causes of stress among the professional staff of the thirteen libraries of the institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the effect of the stress on them and their work, and how stress is being managed by staff. The study adopted the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping Theory. This theory has two appraisals which is the primary and the secondary and also emotional-based coping.
To achieve the objectives of the study, the study used a qualitative survey research approach. A total of seventeen professional library staff from the thirteen libraries of the Institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research participated in the study. The main data collection instrument was interviews, and the gathered data were analyzed thematically.
The findings revealed that the library staff experienced different types of stress such as funding constraints, poor internet connectivity, publishing articles for career progression in addition to the library work, poor physical environments, transportation to work, bureaucracy at the work place and lack of recognition of work done. Some of the strategies staff used to manage stress included relaxing when tired, chatting with colleagues and taking annual leave.
The study concluded that professional library staff of the various institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research experienced various types of stress which made them less effective in fully utilizing their skills and talents. The study recommended the provision of adequate resources, and favorable working conditions for staff to reduce stress among staff and improve staff productivity.
