Abstract
This study examined reading anxiety and school library use among private secondary school students in Abia State, Nigeria. The specific objectives of this study were to evaluate the extent of reading anxiety among students, assess the frequency of their utilization of the school library, and investigate the relationship between reading anxiety and school library use. A correlational survey was used. From 11,260 SS2 students in 142 registered private secondary schools, Yamane's formula and multistage sampling selected 384 students. Data were collected using two validated 4-point Likert scales, the Reading Anxiety Scale (RAS, Cronbach's alpha = 0.87) and the School Library Use Scale (Cronbach's alpha = 0.84). After answering study questions one and two with the mean and standard deviation, the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient was performed to examine the relationship between reading anxiety and school library use at 0.05. Students had moderate reading anxiety (M = 38.9, SD = 5.6), with 57.4% moderate and 24.5% high. Overall school library use was moderate (M = 2.87, SD = 0.98), but book borrowing and librarian consultation scored low. Higher reading anxiety was associated with reduced school library use (r = -0.48, p = 0.002). Based on these findings, school owners should implement reading anxiety-reduction programs, librarians should adopt anxiety-sensitive practices to make libraries more welcoming, and teachers should incorporate sustained silent reading into the school timetable to encourage voluntary reading.
Keywords: Reading anxiety, school library use, private secondary schools, Abia State, and Nigeria
Publication Date: 2026-07-31