Communication Skills of Librarians: A Key to Quality Service Delivery in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Public Libraries

Abstract

The effective communication skills are very much crucial for the library professionals to provide best-quality library services and to ensure users satisfaction. This research investigates the impact of library professionals’ communication skills on the service delivery in all the public libraries of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Quantitative research design was employed, involving 84 library professionals and 170 library users across the public libraries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The results highlighted that librarians excel in written communication (Mean = 4.23) and verbal communication (Mean = 4.10), but struggle with non-verbal communication (Mean = 3.01) and interpersonal skills (Mean = 2.99). Technology (Mean = 4.1) and language barriers (Mean = 4.0) are significant difficulties to effective communication. The study also shows a positive correlation between librarians' communication skills and user satisfaction, with written communication (r = 0.75) and active listening (r = 0.70) being highly significant. The results suggest that developing strong communication skills, particularly in non-verbal and interpersonal areas, is essential for librarians to improve user satisfaction and service quality. Recommendations include integrating communication skills training into library professional development programs and promoting awareness about the importance of effective communication in library services.