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Looking at the present Nigeria’s quest to become one of the top 20 economies of the world by the year 2020, the purpose of this paper is to propose that Nigerian public libraries, as key players in community development, should provide resources and services for the promotion of social welfare sector of the country by introducing relevant key information management and service policies. These strategic policies should include identification of various user groups, deployment of specialized information professionals, provision of adequate financial resources, social welfare information resource development planning, effective information service delivery system, partnership arrangements and adaptation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Essential to this paper is to take into account the importance and relevancy of policies, strategies and procedures of information management and services to Nigerian public libraries.

There is continuous rising concerns about the current situation of the country’s socio-economic problems and challenges. However, despite the problem of poor and inadequate ICT facilities in Nigerian public libraries, the ICT infrastructure including the internet will significantly enhance the social welfare information service process in these libraries, if fully adopted. Also very important here is that, the libraries should support community awareness programs on local radio stations or local television channels to compliment the collection of materials in the library.

Nigerian public libraries should be seen as places for all; and participants in community activities must therefore provide relevant data and information to social welfare workers for effective policy/decision making. It is also important that the libraries should help in the identification of areas of welfare that require urgent attention or thorough investigation, examination and analysis.

This study seeks to evaluate the roles and effectiveness of public libraries in nation building in Nigeria.

In this research, questionnaires were used to collect data from public libraries in Edo and Delta states.

The result of the study revealed that Nigerian public libraries are performing poorly virtually in most aspects due to appalling resources. Based on this, recommendations are made.

The Nigerian Government should establish adequately funded public libraries in the various rural and urban communities. There should be adequate and effective information technologies in the various public libraries and the libraries should embark on political and health awareness programmes.

It is undisputable that public libraries have good aims and if well operated will foster national development.

Most literature on acquisitions, as well as on other aspects of librarianship, tends to focus on the developed countries. Automation, the application of the latest technologies and skills to library service, and similar issues are exhaustively studied and discussed. Unfortunately, such subjects are hardly of immediate relevance to the countries of the Third World.

Nigeria is a developing country where the majority of the population live in rural areas. The majority of these rural dwellers are either non‐literate or semi‐literate. The need to involve them in the national development process cannot be overemphasized. This can be achieved through the identification of the information needs of rural dwellers and the provision of innovative rural public library services to improve their level of literacy and education and to enhance their ability to use practical information relevant to their daily lives.

Discusses the benefits of establishing an electronic office in an organization. Examines the potential applications of an electronic office in Nigerian libraries. Discusses the technical and economic problems that might inhibit thc establishment of an electronic office in these libraries. Makes an attempt to provide solutions to the highlighted problems.

This study aimed to assess the rural libraries and information services for rural development in Delta State, Nigeria.

The study adopted both descriptive and exploratory research designs. Questionnaire, observation and structured interview guide were the major instruments for data collection. Total enumeration was used to gather data from respondents in 16 functional rural libraries in Delta State.

The study revealed the challenges that surround the rural people in accessing information in rural libraries. It showed that only 16 rural libraries were established and functional in 16 communities within the 25 local government areas. Findings also showed that the rural libraries were not able to fulfil their roles. It was evident that the information needs of the rural people which made them to access the library were not adequately met because of some hindrances such as inadequate up-to-date information materials, lack of awareness, illiteracy, language barrier, inadequate skilled personnel and inadequate infrastructure and facilities.

The important finding in this study is that rural libraries are the most relevant institution to disseminate information about government policies, inculcating reading habits and developing skill and knowledge of people. Therefore, underdevelopment of rural libraries and inadequate information sources and facilities will hinder access to information and development of the people who need them.

This research is the first of its kind to assess rural libraries and information services for the development of rural people in the 16 rural libraries in Delta State of Nigeria.

To interview Ms Victoria Okojie, incoming president of the Nigerian Library Association. This introduction of her is timely as this issue also contains a conference report of the Nigerian Library Association Annual Meeting. Concern about library education, the public sector, information technology and nearly every other aspect of concern to professional librarians is touched on in this interview.

The work and career ladder of such highly visible people is captured via questions and leading statements.

The position of president of a national library association is a major role model for people entering the profession and those already deeply involved. Contemporary lay and professional leaders in the transformative library and information science environment are inspiring leaders and share priorities and goals about lobbying government for increased resources and commitments, and to foster partnerships and collaborations among many different sectors.

Professional development work is a very high priority and demonstrates to readers different styles and challenges leaders around the world face.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the managerial and governance issues that impact on service delivery in public libraries in Nigeria. Within many countries this seems to be a challenge often resulting in an ineffective service delivery resulting in underutilisation thereof. This study was conducted among administrators and managers of public libraries in Nigeria to establish the current status quo concerning governance and management issues impacting on service delivery.

A qualitative study using interviews was used to illicit data from three permanent secretaries, six public library directors, and six heads of rural community libraries, purposively selected for the study.

The findings show that variables such as relevant academic qualifications, years of experience, and designation of the administrators and managers of public libraries affect service delivery. A huge dependency on government bodies for decision making and funding was established. Impediments to good management of the libraries were found to be inadequate funding; lack of involvement of stakeholders in public library administration; and inappropriate public library legislation.

The study recommends the promulgation of a public library-specific act in order to regulate the administration and management of this public unit, involve stakeholders in public library administration, as well as the provision of alternative forms of funding in order to alleviate the dependence on governmental budgets.

With very little research available on these issues in Nigeria, this paper will create awareness among all stakeholders of specific governance and managerial issues impacting on effective service delivery to public library users so that it can be addressed.

The purpose of this paper is to find out: the functionality of public libraries in the provision of needed information resources; the impact of the use of modern electronic gadgets as the level of patronage; the influence of old technology use on libraries; and the globalization effect on the user behavior toward public libraries.

The study adopted the descriptive survey design since the opinion, perceptions and observation of public library users were examined. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 185 respondents. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The instrument was validated by research experts in the area of test and measurement and in library and information science research. A reliability test was carried out using 25 academic library users in Delta State University, Abraka, to establish a coefficient of 0.87 using Cronbach’s α. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics for research questions while the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient analysis and linear regression analysis were used to test hypotheses.

Public libraries in Nigeria are functional and accessible. There is inadequacy in modern information and communication technology devices that aid information provision and dissemination, Globalization and modernization has negatively impacted the patronage of public libraries. The influence of deterritorialization has influenced the user attitude toward regular use. Globalization has made time and space much more closer, thereby reducing contact and interaction between library staff and users in the public library system. Globalization and/or modernization has brought not only challenges to public libraries, but also opportunities to exploit.

The findings of the study were drawn from one sampled area to represent the entirety of the country. The respondents were public library users who were found using public libraries; therefore, less time was allocated to answering research instrument, thereby potentially and probably not responded to with utmost concern.

Public library functionality will be deterred if necessary actions are taken to improve the quality of service provision. There will likely be a reduced patronage of public libraries if users do not get the most recent information as supposed. There is already a negative effect of globalization and modernization on the functionality of public libraries. There is an urgent need to update and modernize public libraries across the nation for effective and efficient service delivery.

Globalization has led to the reduction of interpersonal and social interaction which is supposed to promote friendliness between public library users and the staff. It also promoted the use of modern technologies such as telecommunication devices, information disseminating gadgets in homes while inhibiting public library patronage time and space is now been maximized for the benefit of library users who are distant from the public library location in as much as information has become accessible at their fingertips.

This research was carried out by the author (Dr (Mrs) P.U. Otolo) and is fully individual. All authors cited are duly acknowledged.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges and opportunities for librarians operating in a global information environment.

The exploratory research design is adopted and secondary data are also used. The method is to first examine the concept of globalization, the status of information and communication technology (ICT) in African countries and current issues in library practices with specific focus on digital technology, and internet use pattern across Africa. The next approach is to examine the challenges and opportunities for libraries and librarians in a global information environment.

The paper concludes that the critical challenge for information professionals from developing countries is to harness technological systems to globalize their information resources and services. The opportunities of doing so are boundless, borderless and beneficial in accessing the global information pool.

Nigeria libraries are critically situated at the crossroads of digital revolution that is creating new vistas for information service provision. But how far and how fast they move from the crossroads to the emerging digital threshold will define their quality as well as quantity of information services provision by all species of libraries.

The paper originality lies in its concise articulation of the boundless opportunities in a duality of a global information environment and the argument that librarians, who will manage information in the globalized environment, must acquire skills that will make global professionals rather than local champions. It is further contended that Nigerian libraries must join the march of civilization and the radical impact of the globalization process. This is because of the fact that in the garden of humanity, nothing is static; that which fails to grow will begin the process of gradual extinction and irrelevance. This paper looks at the library in a global information environment. It also examines the impact of ICT on global information network. The opportunities offered by the impact of ICT on globalization are also discussed. It articulates the challenges for librarians and libraries in global information environment.