Knowledge of Academic Librarians and Its Influence on Research Evaluation in Nigerian Universities

Research evaluation now shapes university rankings, staff promotion, funding, and institutional reputation in Nigeria, and academic librarians are increasingly expected to supply the bibliometric evidence on which such decisions rest. This study examines the extent of academic librarians' knowledge of scientometrics and informetrics and how that knowledge influences research evaluation in Nigerian universities. The study adopts a descriptive survey design with a correlational component. The population comprises 384 academic librarians in federal, state, and private universities in South-West Nigeria. Data were collected using a validated structured questionnaire (SIKREQ) with a reliability coefficient of 0.87. A total of 312 valid responses were obtained, representing an 81.3% response rate. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and multiple regression at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that academic librarians demonstrated moderate knowledge of scientometrics and informetrics (grand mean = 2.89, SD = 0.72), with strongest competence in author profile systems (Mean = 3.21) and weakest in network mapping tools (Mean = 2.34). Knowledge of scientometrics and informetrics significantly predicted research evaluation outcomes (R² = 0.412, F(3, 308) = 71.84, p < 0.001), with institutional recognition (β = 0.38, p < 0.001) and database access (β = 0.29, p < 0.01) as significant moderators. Major challenges included inadequate training (Mean = 3.28) and exclusion from assessment committees (Mean = 3.15). The study recommends targeted training, curriculum review, formal inclusion of librarians in research-assessment committees, and alignment of institutional practice with responsible-metrics principles