LIBRARIANS AS POLICY ACTORS: EMPIRICAL INSIGHTS INTO ADVOCACY FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

The study examined the role of librarians as policy actors in advocating for entrepreneurial support within federal university libraries in Southwest Nigeria. It specifically investigated the extent to which librarians are involved in advocacy for entrepreneurial support services. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design, had a population of 170 librarians across 6 federal university libraries in Southwest Nigeria, and a sample size of 118. Data collected were analysed using statistical tools of tables, charts, frequencies, and percentages. The findings of the study revealed a low extent of direct involvement in advocacy for entrepreneurial support services; the types of entrepreneurial support being entrepreneurship-focused information literacy sessions, and access to business databases and market intelligence tools; findings also revealed that advocacy strategies are largely informal and lack institutional coordination; and the challenges encountered by librarians in policy advocacy include lack of inclusion in university policy and decision-making structure and limited knowledge of policy advocacy and institutional governance; the main enabling factors and best practices that facilitate librarians’ successful engagement as policy actors in entrepreneurial development include supportive university leadership, training in advocacy and policy engagement, and formal partnerships with innovation/entrepreneurship centres. The study recommends that federal universities need to align with global trends in entrepreneurship-driven education; and recommended that the policy role of librarians should be institutionalized and supported. Keywords: Advocacy, Entrepreneurial support, Entrepreneurship, Librarians, Policy actors