Abstract

The study investigated entrepreneurship education skills acquisition for self- employment among librarians and library educators in universities in South East, Nigeria. The study guided by five objectives, adopted descriptive survey design with a study population of 149 librarians and library educators from five (5) university-based Library and Information Science schools in South East, Nigeria. A survey census was used since the population is a manageable one, thus no sampling was conducted. Data for the study was collected using questionnaire titled, Entrepreneurship Education Skills Acquisition for Self-Employment among Librarians and Library Educators in Universities in South East Nigeria (EESALLE). 140 out of 149 questionnaires administered were retrieved and found usable, representing 94%. The findings of the study revealed that librarians and library educators are required to possess entrepreneurial skills, not only for self-employment, but also to create employment for others. Also, the level of adequacy of entrepreneurial librarianship courses was found to be adequate. Numerous entrepreneurial opportunities open to librarians and library educators were identified as well as challenges militating against the acquisition of entrepreneurship education skills acquisition. A host of strategies to encourage the acquisition of entrepreneurship education skills were identified. The findings of the study further revealed that lack of funding, workshops/laboratories, inadequate skilled entrepreneurship lecturers, poor power supply, etc, impeded acquisition of entrepreneurship education skills and recommended that government at all levels, in collaboration with the private sector, should make concerted efforts to address these militating factors. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Education, Skills Acquisition, SelfEmployment.