Why academic libraries fail to live up to expectations

The National Librarian, Professor Lenrie O Aina, yesterday, said most academic libraries have not met the necessary requirements because of poor funding and lack of infrastructure among other factors. Professor Aina made the assertion at the 103rd Bi-Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Association of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (AULNU) in Abuja. He […]

The National Librarian, Professor Lenrie O Aina, yesterday, said most academic libraries have not met the necessary requirements because of poor funding and lack of infrastructure among other factors.

Professor Aina made the assertion at the 103rd Bi-Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Association of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (AULNU) in Abuja.

He said most academic libraries were owned by higher institutions and should be annually allocated 10% of the recurrent annual budget of their parent institutions. “But this is in theory; in practice this principle does follow,” he said.

He said inadequate funding had decreased the capability of academic libraries to acquire new, foreign and indigenous information materials such as books and journals that would help propel efficient and effective service delivery.

Prof. Aina said many academic libraries lack proper infrastructure and facilities to enable them to perfectly carry out their functions.

“The infrastructure are old, dilapidated and on the verge of collapse. This state of academic libraries in Nigeria has hampered the reading culture of the learners and instructors,” he said.

He further mentioned the absence of digital and e-libraries, lack of properly re-trained personnel and proliferated use of internet as additional problems facing the libraries.

Prof. Aina said measures needed to be taken to transform libraries from their state of challenge into effective service delivery institutions, adding that academic libraries must partner with discipline-related faculties and other specialists for delivery of information and instruction.

Also, in his remarks, AULNU Chairman, Dr. Okanlawon O. Adediji, said university libraries were at the receiving end in all the circumstances affecting the universities, stressing that “whichever way it is, some libraries are permanently in a state of doldrum.”

He said the objective of the conference was to proffer practical, actionable and enduring solutions for implementation by the appropriate identified stakeholders.