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Motivation for
Assessing work motivation for librarians in
academic librarians in Oman Oman
Ali Al-Aufi
Department of Information Studies, Sultan Qaboos University, Alkhodh, 199
Oman, and
Khulood Ahmed Al-Kalbani Received 19 March 2013
Revised 28 July 2013
College of Arts and Social Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Alkhodh, Oman Accepted 22 October 2013

Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to identify and assess the status and level of motivation of employees
working in the Omani academic libraries at Muscat Governorate according to Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs.
Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative approach containing a questionnaire survey was
used for collecting data from 111 librarians and library employees in 29 identified academic libraries.
Findings – Findings pointed out that the motivation level was modest with varied attitudes for
individual motivational needs. The need for security was indicated as the least motivating with an
average mean score below agreement. Their lower-order motivational needs are apparently satisfied
except for security needs which indicated a level below satisfaction. On the other hand, the upper-level
needs of self-esteem were not adequately satisfied.
Research limitations/implications – Motivation has the potential to satisfy the five essential
needs that Maslow built up in hierarchy. However, library managers are also responsible to determine
every individual behavior of employees and accordingly adopt the proper motivational strategy. The
study recommends developing and implementing local standards for a motivational system
appropriate for all academic libraries in Oman, taking into consideration the respondents’ needs for
security. The study also recommends conducting further studies on work motivation in other library
settings such as learning resource centers and public libraries.
Originality/value – The study helps assess the status of motivation in the academic libraries of a
developing country. It also helps describe and explain motivation from the perspectives of librarians
and other employees. The literature in the region does not indicate similar studies that addressed the
issue of motivation in the academic libraries or other library settings. This study, however, is the first
to deal with motivation in academic libraries in Oman.
Keywords Academic libraries, Incentives, Academic librarians, Oman, Human motivation,
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Paper type Research paper

Introduction
Motivation plays an important role in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of work
at libraries and information centres. The literature indicates several theories and models
developed to explain human motivation (Hoffmann, 2007; Hosoi, 2005). Motivation
theories are classified and grouped into broadly different types, among which “needs
theories” forms one category. Amongst well-known needs theories of motivation are, for Library Management
Vol. 35 No. 3, 2014
example, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1954); Herzberg’s two-factor theory pp. 199-212
(Herzberg et al., 1959); Alderfer’s Existence-Relatedness-Growth (Alderfer, 1969, 1972); q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
and McClelland’s Achievement Motivation Theory (McClelland, 1965). DOI 10.1108/LM-03-2013-0020
LM Academic libraries play a central role in the advancement of education and scientific
35,3 research. They effectively contribute to the educational systems of universities, help
meet the universities’ objectives, and support educational and research policies. Owing
to the important role that academic librarians play in this overall process, motivating
and investing in them is beneficial to the development of both the organisation and
society. Establishing an appropriate motivation system and motivating librarians is
200 the key to building up capable workers and achieving quality in information services
(Rowley, 1996). Hence, providing efficient services to users depend highly on how well
librarians are motivated.
As such, and due to the researchers’ exposure to the work environment in the
academic libraries of Sultan Qaboos University, it was observed that most of the
challenges librarians face with their institutions are indicatively germane to the
shortcoming of well-balanced motivation systems. Academic libraries, and most likely
other library settings in Oman, lack a clear vision on the system of motivation. Policies
and local standards are often non-existent or limited to work regulations and executive
plans. Equality and justice in the systems of motivation, their suitability with efforts
made by librarians, and their matched criterion with other motivation systems in the
region are issues that have been frequently raised and informally discussed by
academic librarians in Oman.
The literature had, then, extensively been searched to investigate the relation
between motivation and librarianship. The parameters of hierarchy needs that Maslow
developed were chosen to explain the status and level of motivation among academic
librarians in Oman. There is a wide acceptance of Maslow’s theory in management and
behavioural sciences and the literature of motivation in librarianship acknowledge
those needs as essential to be satisfied so librarians can better serve users, promote
services, and approach users for reference interviews.
The main purpose of this study is to investigate the status and level of motivation
from the perspectives of employees in the academic libraries located at Muscat
Governorate. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs parameters are used as the basis to explain
academic librarian motivation. Despite criticism and controversial concerns, this study
does not, however, aim to test Maslow’s theory, but to rather use it as a means for
understanding motivation and needs of employees at academic libraries in Oman.
The study therefore attempts to answer the following questions:
(1) What is the status and level of motivation of employees working at academic
libraries according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
(2) Are there statistically significant group differences according to gender, type of
institutional affiliation (public or private sector), years of experience, and
qualifications?

As librarians’ motivation plays central role in the success of managing libraries, it is

hoped to theoretically and practically assist human resource units and managers in
Oman to plan well and improve the systems of motivation in academic libraries. The
study would also help managers at academic libraries identify major challenges and
propose solutions for the purpose of enhancing performance at their libraries. It would
ultimately form the basis for the evaluation of libraries’ motivational strategies. It is
also hoped that the study will contribute to the regional and global literature on
motivation.
Academic libraries in Oman Motivation for
There are basically two types of academic libraries in Oman. The first type is the one librarians in
that is affiliated with a parent public academic institution. These academic libraries are
usually governed by unified rules and legislations on motivation. These rules and Oman
legislations remain standard for all employees working under the umbrella of parent
organisations including librarians. Any changes and amendments to the executive
plan that affect the current motivation system in a public sector require an 201
endorsement by a royal decree.
The second type of academic libraries is those libraries affiliated with the private
academic sector, mainly private and independent higher educational institutions. As a
result, they are bound by the Omani Labor Law, which states in Article IV that all
private higher educational institutions are subject to the provision of this law issued by
Royal Decree No. 35/2003 and its amendments (The Ministry of Information, 2007).
Such labor laws and legislation also regulate the provision of salaries, promotions,
bonuses, allowances, work leaves, incentives, and all applicable rights.
Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), established in 1986, has remained as the only
public university in Oman providing higher education for more than 15 thousand
students including postgraduate students at both Masters and PhD levels. The
University consists of nine colleges: Agriculture and Marine Sciences, Arts and Social
Sciences, Commerce and Political Sciences, Education, Law, Engineering, Medicine,
and Sciences. SQU has signed many collaborative agreements with regional and
international universities and academic institutions. The University, with government
support, has been attempting to improve its research productivity. In 2005, His Majesty
Sultan Qaboos endorsed an annual grant of more than one million US dollars with the
goal of enhancing the University’s research output. This brings the current budget for
research at the University to approximately five million US dollars per annum (SQU,
2012).
SQU has seven libraries. The main and the biggest is “The Main Library” which
was established in 1986; the same year the university was opened. The library is
known as the most advanced academic library in Oman. It serves the whole user
community of the University. The library places strong emphasis on integrating
technology into services and resources. The majority of its 65 staff members are
qualified librarians with graduate certificates from SQU. The collection size of the
library is nearly 200,000 printed books, 90,000 e-books, and more than 35 bibliographic
and full-text electronic databases (SQUL, 2012)
The other six libraries provide subject specific collections and services. They are
relatively small. The Medical Library, which is located adjacent to the College of
Medicine, serves students and academics in the college as well as the staff of the
University Hospital. The Information Centre, which is located in the College of
Commerce and Political Sciences, provides customized services for that college. The
Centre for Omani Studies’ library was recently established as a locus for national
collections. The rest of the college libraries (Law, Education, and Arts and Social
Sciences) have been established to provide each college with basic reference collections.
Private higher education institutions have been expanding rapidly during the last
two decades. The Ministry of Higher Education in Oman is held responsible for
assuring quality education in the private colleges and college universities. There are
currently 27 private academic institutions all around the country (Ministry of Higher
LM Education, 2012). Of these 18 are located in the Governorate of Muscat and included for
35,3 investigation in the current study. The system of higher education in Oman also
includes colleges that are supervised, due to specialty, by the Ministry of Manpower
(Higher College of Technology) and the Ministry of Health (Institute of Health Sciences,
Oman Assistant Pharmacy Institute, and Muscat Nursing Institute). The total number
of academic institutions surveyed for this study is 29.
202
Literature review
Definitions of work motivation vary widely and have been explored in depth
throughout the literature. Pinder (2008), for example, indicates that an absolute
conception of motivation can hardly be achieved due to the difficulty of observing it
directly. It is something that can only be determined from the behaviour. Reliance on
motivational theories is considered as the best way to measure and understand work
motivation (Ambrose and Kulik, 1999). Therefore, Pinder (2008, 1998, p. 11) defines
motivation as “a set of energetic forces that originate both within as well as beyond an
individual’s being, to initiate work-related behaviour, and to determine its form,
direction, intensity, and duration”. Pinder’s definition is regarded as one that
comprehensively reflects on the history of research and theorisation on motivation
(Latham, 2007).
The concept of motivation has roots to different disciplines including psychology,
behavioural science, cognitive science, social sciences, and management. The general
body of literature on work motivation is enormous and robust. Ambrose and Kulik
(1999), for instance, reviewed over 200 empirical studies published during 1990 s on
work motivation related to major traditional theories and emerging topics.
Even so, empirical research on work motivation in library settings, including
academic libraries, which the current study builds on, is relatively small. The majority
of identified research examines work motivation from various theoretical or
philosophical perspectives. At certain points, the body of literature contains papers
that provide an overview and discussion that highlight the importance of motivation in
libraries. Examples of those studies are Shields (1988); Rowley (1996); and Hosoi (2005).
Shields (1988) attempted to review theories of work motivation in relation to designing
work and jobs. Emphasis on librarians’ high-level needs, environmental and social
aspects, and lack of motivation were also underlined and discussed.
Rowley (1996) discussed the emphasis of motivation to quality culture at libraries.
She reviewed and discussed certain types of models that affect motivation in libraries
and their possible implication. She also recommended development strategies for
managing motivational trends at library settings. Hosoi (2005) also discussed the
possibility and the potential of motivating academic librarians and retaining them at
work during a time where corporate libraries impose competitive alternatives for
librarians. Maslow’s theory and other content theories were suggested as good choices
while planning for sustainable motivation criteria in academic libraries.
Motivation as a force for productivity or motivation and productivity as a cause and
effect have all been studied quite repeatedly in in the literature. Examples of these
studies are Alemna (1992) in Ghana; Antwi and Bello (1993) in Nigeria; and Senyah
(2003) also in Ghana. The main purpose of those studies was to find out whether
motivation impacts on the performance of academic librarians at work. All of those
studies were also quantitative, using questionnaire surveys for data collection.
 Of the fewer empirical studies located in the literature that investigated the level of Motivation for
motivation at work, Abifarin (1997) attempted to investigate the level of motivation librarians in
among Nigerian academic librarians and employees. Using a questionnaire survey for
data collection, the researcher examined specific factors including training, Oman
environment, incentives, and promotions. Overall findings indicated dissatisfaction
among respondents about work motivation in their libraries.
More recently, Mallaiah and Yadapadithaya (2009) investigated self and 203
organisational motivating factors affecting productivity among academic librarians
in the state of Karnataka, India. The study, which collected data through a
questionnaire survey from 188 academic librarians, found that self-actualisation was
the principle factor that concerned respondents. Very recently, Ola and Adeyemi (2012)
investigated the motivation and job satisfaction of mid-level academic librarians at the
University of Ibadan in Nigeria. Through the use of questionnaire survey for data
collection, findings showed a modest overall level of motivation but with major
dissatisfaction about salaries which led to a lack of morale at work.
The literature also identifies studies that investigated motivation in association with
job satisfaction or levels of satisfaction or loyalty among librarians in work
environments. Examples of these studies are Voelck (1995); Murray (1999); Markle
(2006), and Tella et al. (2007). From the Arabic-based literature, similar studies of
motivation in relation to job satisfaction in library settings other than the academic were
also examined. Examples of these studies are Al-Nasshar (1996) and Hamshari (1998).
In short, the literature indicates scarcity of studies that investigated work motivation
in academic libraries in the Arab World, while in contrast there are a significant number
of studies investigating motivation in library settings in other regions. The majority of
the studies lack the use of theories as bases for investigating motivation in academic
libraries, but the literature identifies a number of studies that highlight the potential of
theoretical foundations for designing jobs and developing motivation. In terms of
methods, most of the empirical studies were found to use the questionnaire as a tool for
data collection. The majority of motivation challenges found in the literature were those
of bureaucratic and financial aspects. There is an overall consensus on the importance of
motivation in academic libraries for increasing productivity and innovation.

Research design
Academic libraries have long been considered as leading change in the profession of
librarianship. Academic librarians work in a rapidly evolving environment; one which
assists universities and academic institutions by providing efficient educational
systems. Therefore, attracting, retaining, and satisfying their needs ensure the
institution has sustainable development.
The current study utilized a questionnaire design to solicit data from academic
librarians and other employees to identify their level of motivation at work. The
questionnaire design built on the literature and the five factors named in Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs. Suggestions from Hosoi (2005) on using Maslow’s theory were also
taken into consideration for deciding the content of the questionnaire. Validity of the
questionnaire content was judged by referees from the Department of Information
Studies, Department of Psychology, and Department of Sociology at SQU.
Amendments and changes on relevance, clarity, and accuracy were then adjusted
and placed as requested.
LM Maslow chose the hierarchical arrangement of these needs because he believed that
35,3 workers are not satisfied with all needs at the same time. On one hand, the vast
majority of workers are motivated by physiological needs and the needs for safety. On
the other hand, the rest of workers are, to a lesser extent, motivated by the needs for
social affiliation, self-esteem and self-actualisation respectively. Maslow believed the
division of these needs into five groups takes into consideration the common factors of
204 civilisations and values of different environments.
Like other predominant theories of work motivation, Maslow’s theory in this regard
has also been encountered by criticism. Most of this criticism lies on its inability to
demonstrate that all employees can ever be equally motivated. Critics, however,
indicate that the priority needs of individuals vary from one individual to another and
one environment to another, a gap or a shortcoming that Maslow did not take into
account while ranking the pyramid of human needs. Other judgment also indicated
that the theory is more appropriate in the developed countries where most of workers
satisfy their lower-level needs and most of upper-level needs, unlike the case in the
developing countries which might suggest less satisfaction of the minimal lower-level
needs (Pulasinghage, 2010).
The study population consisted of all the employees in academic libraries working
at government and private academic institutions in Muscat Governorate and who were
on duty during the study period in the month of March 2012, totalling 126 academic
librarians and other in-house employees spread over 29 academic libraries of which 11
belongs to state colleges and universities and 18 to private academic institutions. A
total of 111 (88 per cent) participants responded to the questionnaire.

Findings
The empirical findings are thematically presented in this section to help answer the
research questions of the current study. They contain demographic data about the
respondents, status and level of motivation in accordance with Maslow’s pyramid of
hierarchy needs, and inferential analysis of the data

Demographic profile
All academic libraries affiliated with public or privation educational institutions at
Muscat, the capitals of Oman, were check-listed and included for data collection in this
study. This resulted in a total of 29 academic libraries with varying sizes from small
libraries with only one librarian at work to bigger libraries with many employees and
various divisions. It is important, however, to note that higher education is offered free
at all public educational institutions where students are not obliged to pay any
incurring fees.
The number of respondents from academic libraries affiliated with public academic
institutions was 72, split between 40 males and 32 females. The majority came from the
main library of Sultan Qaboos University (n ¼ 35). Of the privately affiliated academic
libraries included in this study, the total number of respondents to the survey was 39
(18 males and 21 females).
When the respondents were asked to indicate their latest qualification, the majority
(43 per cent, n ¼ 48), indicated that they had a high school certificate as a maximum, 39
(35 per cent) had a bachelor or equivalent, 22 (20 per cent) had a master degree or
equivalent, and only two (2 per cent) had a PhD or equivalent. The respondents’ work
experience is also considered as a major factor for inferential analysis of the data. The Motivation for
majority of the respondents had more than 15 years of work experience (35 per cent, librarians in
n ¼ 39) while the lowest number of the respondents had worked for less than a year
(12.6 per cent, n ¼ 14). Oman

Level of motivation
The first question deals with the status and level of motivation based on Maslow’s 205
hierarchy of needs. Group means and standard deviations were calculated for each
need. The group means are presented following a descending order from the higher to
the lower with Maslow’s order at hand for the purpose of comparison. The Likert Scale
was used to measure the respondents’ level of agreement (SD ¼ 1, D ¼ 2, N ¼ 3,
A ¼ 4, SA ¼ 5).
Table I indicates that the group means for all of the Maslow’s needs used in the
current study ranged between 3.96 and 2.95. This suggests an overall modest level of
agreement or satisfaction (mean ¼ 3.52). There is, however, an exception for ‘security’
which was somehow closer to neutrality or disagreement (mean ¼ 2.95).
As clearly indicated, the current study findings miss-matched the order presented
by Maslow’s theory of human motivation except for ‘self-esteem’ where it ranked
fourth according to both Maslow’s order and the findings of the current study.
Remarkably, self-actualisation which is theoretically supposed to be the last
upper-level need in the Maslow’s pyramid is ranked first in the findings of the
current study.
This finding would support the criticism of Maslow’s theory that indicates
ambiguity or difficulty in identifying or measuring self-actualisation or other
parameters precisely. Moreover, it supports criticism of the unrealistic assumptions of
the study which suggest that all employees have the same needs hierarchy and that the
theory would reveal similarity in different environments (Graham and Messner, 1998;
and Basset-Jones and Lloyd, 2005). Such findings would also indicate that human
motivation can change over time. This study, by and large, underlies Maslow’s needs
for employees in a work environment.

Physiological needs
Physiological needs in Maslow’s hierarchy are placed first in the pyramid. They are
about the most basic and fundamental needs such as food, water, air, and shelter.
However, in a work environment such as this study investigates, these needs concern
parallel issues like clean air, spacious work areas, equipment, and convenient food
facilities. Table II presents findings of the suggested sentences that investigate the
employees’ physiological needs.

No. Maslow’s order Current study’s order Mean SD

1 Physiological Self-actualization 3.96 0.59

2 Security Social needs (belonging) 3.64 0.78
3 Social needs (belonging) Physiological 3.54 0.78
4 Self-esteem Self-esteem 3.52 0.81
5 Self-actualization Security 2.95 0.78 Table I.
Total 3.52 0.74 Total level of motivation
LM
No. Need Mean SD
35,3
1 Office tools and stationery are sufficiently available at my work environment 3.86 1.05
2 Modern technological equipment is sufficiently available at my work 3.72 1.08
environment
3 My work environment is comfortable for performing my duties 3.59 1.13
206 4 Other features for comfortable work environment such as ventilation, 3.54 1.10
lighting, air conditioning, furniture and other means are sufficiently available
5 The library management pays enough attention to the work environment 3.45 1.11
Table II. 6 There are convenient and reasonable food facilities services in or near by the 3.39 1.25
Level of physiological library
needs 7 Work space is appropriate 3.24 1.44

Physiological needs are ranked as the third most satisfied needs in this study with an
average group mean of 3.54 in the Likert attitudinal scale. In a descending order,
Table II indicated that sufficiency of office tools and stationary were recorded first
with an average mean score of 3.86 while work space was recorded as the last satisfied
specific need with an average mean of 3.24.

Security
Security needs, ordered second in Maslow’s hierarchy, are about job security, wages,
financial incentives, health insurance, risks insurance, and housing assistance (see
Table III).
Findings of the current study presented security as the least satisfied need with an
average group mean score of 2.95 which can be identified and read as below agreement.
On one hand, the respondents indicated positive attitudes toward job security with an
average mean score of 3.60. Such findings can be related to the fact that the majority of
employees are ‘work tenured’, especially at public institutions. Employment for Omani
citizens at governmental institutions is usually permanent until the age of retirement.
On the other hand, concerns such as health insurance (mean ¼ 2.94), harms and job
risks coverage (mean ¼ 2.37), and housing loans (mean ¼ 1.82) were regarded as negative
(disagreement according to the Likert scale). The majority of the public institutions in
Oman do not offer housing loans or assistance for securing housing for employees. But a
housing allowance is usually included in the overall wages of employees.

Social needs
Social needs represent the third level in Maslow’s hierarchy and should be satisfied
right after security needs became satisfied. Social needs in the current study are about

No. Need Mean SD

1 I feel safe and job-secured 3.60 1.07

2 I feel peaceful and reassured every time I go to my work 3.56 1.14
3 My current work strengthens my professional future 3.35 1.14
4 My employer gives me financial incentives for the additional work that I do 3.06 1.36
5 My employer grants me health insurance 2.94 1.39
Table III. 6 I am covered against work risks and accidents 2.37 1.17
Level of security needs 7 My employer offers housing loans to employees 1.82 1.16
social activities, friendship, collaboration, teamwork, affection, trust, belonging. Motivation for
Table IV presents sentences that reflect these needs. librarians in
Social needs ranked as the second most satisfied needs in this study (see Table IV)
with an average group mean score of 3.64. A sense of belonging was the most Oman
motivated parameter in this level with an average mean of 3.94. There is however
shortcoming about running or supporting activities beyond working hours
(mean ¼ 2.80). 207
Self-esteem
Self-esteem needs are recognised as an upper-level order in Maslow’s hierarchy. It is
ranked fourth and just right before self-actualisation. They are about recognition,
rewards, appreciation, prestige, and autonomy.
Finding of the current study (see Table V) ranked the needs of self-esteem as same
as the original ranking in Maslow’s Pyramid. Self-esteem recorded an average group
mean score of 3.52 which is, by and large, closer to neutrality than agreement or
disagreement. Sentences such as good treatment of others (mean ¼ 4.13), appreciation
and mutual respect (mean ¼ 3.76), and appreciation of efforts and loyalty
(mean ¼ 3.70) showed relatively more positive scores than sentences related to
awarding activities (mean ¼ 3.05) and annual events to honour achieving employees
(mean ¼ 3.03).

No. Need Mean SD

1 I feel that I belong to the place where I work 3.94 1.01

2 There is mutual trust between my boss and me at work 3.94 1.03
3 The library encourages me to form good relationships with my colleagues at 3.86 1.02
work
4 The library appreciates and sympathizes with the emergent social conditions 3.73 1.06
of employees
5 The library attempts to strengthen the principles of trust and cooperation 3.63 1.09
between employees
6 The library encourages employees to work on teams 3.59 1.12 Table IV.
7 The library supports social activities beyond working hours 2.80 1.29 Level of social needs

No. Need Mean SD

1 My colleagues’ good treatment enhances my performance at work 4.13 0.83

2 There is appreciation and mutual respect between employees and their bosses 3.76 0.95
at work
3 My boss appreciates the effort and loyalty to work 3.70 1.07
4 The authorities I am given at work are appropriate and help me do my work 3.52 1.12
5 I feel satisfied about my Job Title 3.47 1.22
6 The library rewards achieving employees (e.g. promotional allowances, 3.05 1.31
medals, certificates, etc.)
7 The library runs an annual congregation for honoring the employee of the 3.03 1.39 Table V.
year Level of self-esteem
LM Self-actualization
35,3 Self-actualisation is the last upper-level need in the order of Maslow’s theory. It is about
employees accepting themselves, realizing their potentials, and believing on their
meaningful work.
The majority of the respondents to self-actualisation needs showed positive
attitudes to most of the sentences indicated in Table VI. The overall average group
208 mean for this level was 3.96, ranking it as the most highly motivated need among
respondents. However, sentences that were intended to measure the respondents’
potential and their comprehension of their work received the highest positive scores in
this level.

Inferential analysis
In order to answer research question two in this study, a t-test and One-Way ANOVA
were applied to determine whether there are significant differences between the group
means of motivational needs and the independent variables of gender, type of
institution (public/private), years of experience, and qualifications.
When the t-test was applied to investigate whether there are significant differences
between the group means of Maslow’s motivational needs and gender, findings
indicated no significance at 0.05 level for any of the five indicated needs.
In relation to the type of institution (public/private) and the group means of each of
the motivational needs underlined in the current study, the findings indicated
statistical significance at 0.05 level for both security needs and social needs in favour of
private institutions. Therefore, the result reads that respondents from academic
libraries affiliated to private academic institutions were more motivated in their social
and security needs than respondents from academic libraries affiliated to public
academic instructions
One Way ANOVA was chosen to investigate the significant difference between the
group means of the motivational needs and the qualifications of the respondents.
Findings, however, indicated no significant differences at 0.05 level for any of the
motivational needs used in this study.
Finally, when One Way ANOVA was applied to investigate whether there are
significant differences between the group means of the motivational needs and years of
experience, findings indicated statistically significant differences at 0.05 level in the
physiological needs in favour of the more experienced employees according to the
Scheffe test. Therefore, the result reads that the more experienced employees are more
motivated than those with less experienced.

No. Need Mean SD

1 I consistently attempt to help achieve the library goals 4.27 0.67

2 I consistently attempt to employ my skills in my job properly 4.23 0.68
3 I feel proud and honored for the work I am doing 4.12 0.81
4 I constantly search for new in my field to learn 4.11 0.84
5 I always achieve my duties in the right time 3.93 0.77
6 My qualifications fit appropriately with the nature of my work I do in the 3.74 1.03
Table VI. library
Level of self-actualization 7 I have confidence on making decisions independently 3.33 0.67
Discussion and conclusion Motivation for
The concept of motivation has been widely and controversially discussed in the librarians in
literature. Among many theories/models that exist to investigate and interpret human
motivation, there is no one single theory/model that is free of criticism. As a content Oman
theory or needs theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, despite criticism has long proved
to be a useful tool for understanding and explaining human motivation. It has
remained popular and influential especially when organisations consider issues 209
relating to human resource developments.
The current study has not purposefully attempted to test Maslow’s theory of
motivational needs, but has rather attempted to measure, explain, and understand the
motivational needs of employees working at academic libraries in Muscat Governorate
according to the hierarchy underlined in that theory. Motivation, however, is an
individual and cultural concern and employees might be motivated differently as each
individual has his/her own objectives and aspirations (Ugah and Arua, 2011).
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is adopted to help understand and explain the status and
level of motivation among academic librarians in such a developing country, Oman. It is
also important to note that there is no identical theory that can help explain human
behaviour due to the fact that the behaviour of individuals varies and remains complex.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs suits the library setting where employment and job security
(lower-level or psychological needs) are first satisfied before the focus shifts to
motivating upper-level needs of employees such as self-esteem and self-actualisation
through developing human resources and maintain training and continues support.
The overall findings of the current study indicate that employees in the Omani
academic libraries perceive a modest level of motivation. Their lower-order
motivational needs are apparently satisfied except for security needs which
indicated a level below satisfaction. On the other hand, the upper-level needs of
self-esteem were not adequately satisfied.
Moreover, Maslow’s hierarchy has not identically been reflected through the
findings of the current study although it has frequently been suggested in the literature
as a practical and useful choice for investigating employees’ motivation at libraries
(Hosoi, 2005). While empirical studies that investigated librarians’ motivation in the
literature are scarce, there is relatively large body of literature that has investigated job
satisfaction for librarians.
Critical concerns about the clarity of understanding and explaining some of the
upper-level needs, such as “self-actualisation” is apparent in the current study as hard
to measure. Moreover, the current findings do not clearly support the applicability of
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in the context of the study. Such findings, however,
support similar claims on the literature (Graham and Messner, 1998 and Basset-Jones
and Lloyd, 2005).
The implications of the current findings for library managers are clearly defined.
Library managers need to clearly consider the impact of motivation on librarians’
higher outputs, quality, and stronger attitudes. Motivation has the potential to satisfy
the five essential needs that Maslow built-up in hierarchy. However, library managers
are also responsible to determine every individual behaviour of employees and
accordingly adopt the proper motivational strategy.
In light of the findings of the current study, it is suggested that academic libraries in
collaboration with the Omani Library Association need to work on a standardised
LM motivation system that works well in all library settings, including libraries affiliated
35,3 to private academic institutions. It is also suggested that security needs in the
academic libraries be reconsidered, especially those specific needs related to offering
health insurance and housing loans.
Further studies and research on work motivation in Oman can be extended to other
library settings such as public libraries and learning resource centres. Using other
210 parameters, theories or different methodologies for future investigation of work
motivation are necessary to fill other existing gaps, especially those related to
investigating productivity and promotional criteria in libraries in Oman.

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LM About the authors
Dr Ali Al-Aufi (BA, MLIS, PhD) is working in the position of Assistant Professor at the
35,3 Department of Information Studies, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. He received his MLIS from
the University of Pittsburgh, USA in 2001 and his PhD in Information Management from Curtin
University of Technology, Western Australia in 2007. He is the coordinator of the MA program
in Library and Information Science at SQU, Oman. His research interests include information
management, scholarly communication, social informatics, and philosophy of LIS. He has
212 published various research articles in regional and international journals of library and
information science. Dr Ali Al-Aufi is the corresponding author and can be contacted at:
alaufia@gmail.com or alaufia@squ.edu.om
Khulood Ahmed Al-Kalbani is working as a library manager at the College of Arts and Social
Sciences. Mrs Al-Kalbani received her MA degree in Library and Information Science from the
Department of Information Studies, Sultan Qaboos University in 2012.

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