TOPIC:

WHY PUBLIC LIBRARIES ARE LESS DEVELOPED

IN NIGERIA

NAME:
OLUMOKO BEATRICE AYOKUNUMI

REG.NO:
282060184

GROUP: A

DEPARTMENT: ACCOUNTING
INTRODUCTION
A library is an agency which engages in the collection, Processing, preservation
and dissemination of recorded information in the various formats most
convenient to its target users.

The traditional definition is "a collection of books". A collection of material

organized to provide physical, bibliographical, and intellectual access to a target
group with a staff that is trained to provide services and programs related to the
information needs of the target group" People all over the world have accepted
education as an essential instrument for human development, and various means
(such as schools and seminars) have been put in place to extend the benefits of
education to all. Another means that has attracted little or no attention is the
public library Wall (1991) describes a public library as a key source of
information to citizens and lo a lesser extent to politicians and businessmen.
Library's Glossary Dictionary (1997) defines a public library as a library
established by local, state or central government for the use of the general
public. However, there are some individuals or
organisations that establish library for the general
use of the people. A public library is therefore a
library that offers services to the public free of
charge and it also provides educational, social and
political information to people in a particular
community. Generally, public libraries are
accepted as a public good. In the words of
Olanlokun and Salisu (1993), public libraries are
libraries set up to provide free but traditional “service to everyone”. A public
library serves the community and is generally referred to as a layman's library
or university. The library is a service-oriented institution with set goals to be
achieved within the resources made available by the parent institution, usually
the government.
The National Library of Nigeria came into effect in the mid 1960s, with the
enactment of the National Library Act of 1964. Prior to the passage of the
National Library act, a series of educational conferences conducted in Ibadan,
had laid the intellectual basis for the creation of a network of libraries funded by
the government to provide accessibility of educational materials to Nigerians. A
government advisory committee was later created due to the necessity for the
development of a local repository of knowledge. The committee was charged
with finding a way to aid the government in bringing to prominence the
intellectual foundations of its policies, creation of a
national bibliographic centre and to provide an arena for the promotion of
knowledge. The committee was the first major formal body that called for a
National Library as part of its recommendations. The government accepted the
demands of the advisory committee and undertook the necessary steps to build a
National Library.

The library is aided financially by the federal government of Nigeria.

Originally, Ford Foundation was involved with the project. the foundation
brought in professionals, donated books and funded the library's expansion. The
Library over the years has built on its original mission. Today, it is a vital organ
that acts as the intellectual memory of the nation. The library provides the
intellectual ammunition to aid government officers in policy implementation.
However, the general direction of policy instability due to the military incursion
to power in the past created an imbalance between the intellectual memory of
prior polices and the intellectual foundation of a new democratic order in
Nigeria. The library also stays afloat intellectually by receiving copies of books
published in the country by both the government and private authorities, it is
today one of the largest depositories of knowledge in the country . It also
collects books on contemporary or new ideas from international organizations.

It’s interesting to note also that some few Nigerians are now picking interest in
establishing private libraries in Nigeria. When Chief Obasanjo rode from prison
to the State House as Nigeria’s second elected Executive President, he
established the Office of Presidential Libraries (Libraries, Research and
Documentation) whose mission was in part to see the Olusegun Obasanjo
Presidential Library (OOPL) idea translated into reality. A primary concern for
the establishment of a presidential library is first to acknowledge the
contributions of, at any one time, the occupier of Nigeria’s most important
political office. It is also generally acknowledged that, there is a gap in
understanding the complex conditions that prevail or act upon important
decision makers when they occupy their positions. A presidential library, with
documents and other archival materials could avail to researchers important
resources that would enable them arrive at more accurate and objective analysis.

It is the desire of the OOPL to encourage African students and researchers, to

take up interests in understanding Human security and mainstreaming the
concept in their thinking, policy designs and advocacy efforts.  This is
consistent with the library’s plans of harnessing its resources, derived from
President Olusegun Obasanjo’s life, career and legacies.  To this end, a Centre
for Human Security has already been established within the library complex.
The vision of the OOPL itself is to be an evergreen resource for stimulation of
the ideas of democracy, good governance and leadership in Africa, with the
mission to foster deeper understanding of the life, career and passion of
President Olusegun Obasanjo.  The OOPL seeks to facilitate reflection on best
practices in public service; provide a clearer comprehension of development in
Africa, the Commonwealth and the rest of the world, and collaborate with
similar institutions in attaining these objectives.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE OLUSEGUN OBASANJO PRESIDENTIAL
LIBRARY ARE TO:
 Acquire and preserve resources relating to the life, career and Presidency
of Olusegun Obasanjo.
 Make available for public study and research, such resources as
documents, artefacts, personal items and memorabilia of President Olusegun
Obasanjo through research, exhibitions, public programmes, online services,
documentary media, publications and outreach;
 Serve as a resource for inspiring national and African unity, democracy,
good governance and leadership;
 Advance the standing of the ;Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library as a
centre of intellectual activity and community leadership designed to meet the
challenges of a changing world;
 Encourage and promote innovation in public administration;
 Provide a base for theoretical, qualitative and quantitative analyses to
unravel the causal relationships and inter-dependencies that activate human
security threats in Africa, that can form the basis for policy recommendations
and action;
 In partnership with UNESCO, the Institute for Black Culture and
International Understanding, maintain replicas and miniatures of Ulli Beier
collections in a multi-media, interactive system and make them accessible to
scholars, historians, as enthusiasts and the general public;
 Establish linkages with Presidential Libraries and similar institutions
elsewhere in the world with a view to sharing resources and organizing
events of common interest;

CONSTRAINTS OF PUBLIC LIBRARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NIGERIA

The library has failed to effectively expand to the 36 state capitals of the
federation as designated by the library decree of 1970. In concert with the lack
of facilities in the state capitals, a lack of adequate social amenities for the
library staff in some state capitals is another obstacle to the library's
development. There is also a lack of sufficient professional librarians; the
library failed to effectively protect itself by training students in library science,
today the few graduates of library science gravitate towards jobs in
the publishing business. The lack of adequate amenities provided by the library
also does not help in recruitment. There are also insufficient storage devices
for audio or visual collections.

Despite the much talked about library development since its introduction into
Nigeria in 1946, public library service is used today by less than 20 percent of
the literate population. The main constraints have been the irrelevance of the
service offered to the illiterate, who compose up to two-thirds of the adult
population, and the fact that those who are literate and have access to libraries
rarely use them for other than educational purposes and stop using them when
their educational goals are achieved or given up. Other constraints include the re
division of Nigeria into smaller internal units; lack of professional leadership,
government legislation and policies, inadequate financial commitment of some
state Governors in terms of annual budgeting; staffing problems; and the
difficulty of extending service outside the urban areas.

CONCLUSION

If public library is to occupy its proper place in the society, government and
non-governmental organizations should invest more in public libraries and
ensure that competent hands are employed to manage it. Thus, qualified
librarians should be more involved in the planning and implementation of
public library programmes so that they would have input into the programme
and ensure that public libraries are structured in a way that national
development will be promoted. Public librarians should also draw attention or
the members or the society to the values of libraries especially how it
contributes to the well being of the individuals and the enrichment of the quality
of life through encouragement of self education and assistance in formal
education. They should educate people on the supportive roles of public
libraries particularly to sectors such as education, information, economic,
politics, and cultural practices. Public libraries have vital roles to play in
ensuring national growth; they are not part of the state propaganda machines per
se but national infrastructural institutions which are established to facilitate
national development.