Tendency to Steal Books: Insights from Cultural Influences and Reading Habits

Authors : Oluwole Durodolu, Omobolanle Seri Fasola, Helen Jaiyeola Akinade

Pages : 1-14

Doi:10.26650/bba.2024.21.1434098

View : 30 | Download : 19

Publication Date : 2024-06-28

Article Type : Research

Abstract :This study examines the influence of cultural factors and reading habits on the propensity for book theft among users of tertiary institution libraries in Nigeria. Utilizing a questionnaire-based methodology aligned with the study’s objectives, 316 questionnaires were distributed, resulting in a robust response rate of 97.8%. Data analysis employed frequency counts, percentages, and binary logistic regression to test two hypotheses. The findings revealed a predominantly negative perception of book theft among students, with a mean perception score of 3.29. A significant majority (74.4%) of respondents recognized the impact of cultural biases on book theft, while reading habits were reported to be notably high (45.6%) among Nigerians. However, contrary to expectations, the binary logistic regression analysis showed no significant association between beliefs about book theft and actual engagement in bibliokleptomania (B = .847, p > .05; 95% CI[.481, 1.823], p = .847), leading to the rejection of the primary hypothesis. The study concludes with recommendations based on its findings.
Keywords : Bibliokleptomani, Nijerya kütüphaneleri, kültürel eğilimler, kitap hırsızlığı, okuma alışkanlıkları