National Library of Nigeria

The National Library of Nigeria came into effect in the mid-1960s, with the enactment of the National Library Act of 1964 which was later replaced by Act No. 29 of 1970.[1][2][3] 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.[4] 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 center 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.[5][6][7][8][9]

History and organization

The construction of the Library began in 1962 and the Library was finally opened in November 1964. The headquarters was moved from Lagos to Abuja ca. 1995.[10][11]

The Library Act enacted by the House of Representatives of Nigeria guaranteed financial assistance to the project, the Act also provided provisions for the training of staff and the creation of a board of directors made up of professionals. In concord with the demands of the Nigerian republic and the assembly, a group of 15 trained librarians were hired to provide a positive role in developing and manning the library.[12] A board was inaugurated in April 1966 by a new military government.[13] The board was made up of government officials instead of professionals as written on the original act. However, the board tried to improve on the original objectives of the library. But the Nigerian civil war hampered funding and formal government actions were not taken until 1970. In 1970, a new legal precedent was set with the creation of the National Library decree, the decree was partly enacted on the advice of the board which wanted to expand the library to other state capitals in order to create a network of repositories.[2]

Mission

The Library is aided financially by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Originally, the Ford Foundation was involved with the project.[14] 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.[15] However, the general direction of policy instability due to the military incursion to power sometimes created an imbalance between the intellectual memory of prior policies and the intellectual foundation of a new government. The library also stays afloat intellectually by receiving copies of books published in the country by both the government and private authorities through the legal deposit provision in the Library Act. This make the library one of the largest depositories of knowledge in the country.[16][17][18][19] It also collects books on contemporary or new ideas from international organizations.

The responsibilities of the institution also include the issuance of the ISBN and ISSN to publishing organizations, a process which was formerly cumbersome in the absence of appropriate enabling technology at the regional offices but is now getting easier with more awareness and infusion of mobile technology.[20][21]

Furthermore, as part of its mandate, the Library runs an annual Readership Promotion Campaign all over the country to create awareness about the importance of literacy and to get the citizenry reading.[22][23][24]

Challenges

The National Library of Nigeria has challenges that inhibit it from fulfilling the stated mission objectives.[25]

  • Dilapidated facilities and resources which are a result of inadequate funding.[26] [27]
  • The library headquarters operates from rented apartments as the complex which is meant to house it remains uncompleted since it was started in 2006.[28]
  • The Library has 27 branches and is making efforts to effectively expand to the 36 state capitals of the federation as designated by the library decree of 1970.[29]
  • Poor reading culture in Nigeria is also a challenge as this spawns a nonchalant attitude to the growth of the Library while hindering the uses of its facilities and services.[30][31]
  • Adequate and progressive staff training to keep the professionals abreast of current best practices in the ever-evolving information sector especially as pertains use of technology to process resources and offer services is also a challenge .[32]

Locations [33]
  1. National Library of Nigeria, Emir's Palace Road, Kano City, Kano State.
  2. National Library of Nigeria, Oda Road (Opposite Ondo State Law Commission), Akure, Ondo State.
  3. National Library of Nigeria, Festival Road, P.M.B. 1, Area 2 (Near Shopping Centre) Garki, Abuja.
  4. National Library of Nigeria, 227, Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba, Lagos State.
  5. National Library of Nigeria, NTA road, beside ESBS junction, Enugu.
  6. National Library, No 1 Bida road, opposite CBN, Kaduna
  7. National Library of Nigeria, Yakubu Gowon Way, P. M. B. 2150 Jos, Plateau State Tel: +2348029569009
  8. National Library of Nigeria, Iyaganku, Ibadan, Oyo State.
  9. National Library of Nigeria, Mohammed Road by Old Airport Road, P.M.B. 171, Minna, Niger State.
  10. National Library of Nigeria, 12, Sultan Bello Road, P.M.B. 2251, Sokoto, Sokoto State.
  11. National Library of Nigeria, Tafawa Balewa Way by Dutsinma Road, P.M.B. 2145, Katsina, Katsina State.
  12. National Library of Nigeria, Ohokobe Town Hall, Umuahia, Abia State Tel: +2348057891750
  13. National Library of Nigeria, Modibo Adamu Way, Near Aliyu Mustapha Primary School, P.M.B 2124, Yola, Adamawa State Tel: +234803686907
  14. National Library of Nigeria, Yakubu Bauchi Road, PMB 2082, (Kobi street) Bauchi, Bauchi State. Tel: +2348072051286
  15. National Library of Nigeria, 31, J.S. Tarka Road, Beside Fire Services, Makurdi, Benue State. Tel: 2348053471015
  16. National Library of Nigeria, Kano Road Opposite Police Headquarters, P.M.B. 1469, Maiduguri, Borno State Tel: +2348138618898
  17. National Library of Nigeria, 2, Otop Abasi Street, P.M.B. 1197, Calabar, Cross Rivers State. Tel: +234802649544
  18. National Library of Nigeria, Ministry of Education Premises, Iyaro, PMB 1551, Benin City Edo State. Tel: +2348053616071
  19. National Library of Nigeria, Duku Road, Opposite Prison Yard, Gombe, Gombe State.Tel: 2348036110669
  20. National Library of Nigeria, Plot 5009,New Owerri, PMB 1556, Owerri, Imo State. Tel: +2348037190940
  21. National Library of Nigeria, Adamu Abubakar Maje Road, Rafin Sanyi, Dutse, Jigawa State.Tel: +2348020552251, +2347062002010
  22. National Library of Nigeria, Herald Newspaper Office Premises, Offa Road, P.M.B. 1447. Ilorin, Kwara State.Tel: +2348023385067, +2348039091614
  23. National Library of Nigeria, P.M.B 147, Shendam Road, Lafia, Nasarawa State. Tel: +2348075122603, +2348187471882
  24. National Library of Nigeria, 83, Ijemo Agbadu Road, P.M.B. 2007, Sapon-Abeokuta, Ogun State. Tel: +2348023422296
  25. National Library of Nigeria, KM 2, New Ikiru Road, Omo West, New NYSC Secretariat, P.M.B. 4393, Osogbo. Osun State. Tel: +2347061164108, +2348052975984
  26. National Library of Nigeria, G.T.T.S. Best Centre, P.M.B. 1142, Jalingo, Taraba State Tel: +2348072100903
  27. National Library of Nigeria, Reference and User Services, Mokwa Street, off Mashood Abiola Way, Area 2, Garki, Abuja Tel: +2348028949129

The Chief Executive Officer of National Library

Prof. Lenrie Olatokunbo Aina was appointed as the Chief executive officer of National Library of Nigeria on 1 August 2016, by the President and Commander-in-Chief of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.[34]

See also

References
  1. Bello, Nassir (1983-10-01). "The 1970 decree of the national library of Nigeria: a Reassessment". International Library Review. 15 (4): 375–383. doi:10.1016/0020-7837(83)90057-2. ISSN 0020-7837.
  2. "Mandate » National Library of Nigeria". www.nln.gov.ng. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  3. "NATIONAL LIBRARY ACT". Nigerian Law Intellectual Property Watch Inc. 2017-07-18. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  4. UNESCO, UNESCO (1953-08-21). "Development of public libraries in Africa". unesdoc.unesco.org. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  5. Enyia, Chris O. National library of Nigeria at 30: its history and prospects for the future (1992?)
  6. Aguolu, C. C. and Aguolu (2007). "A Force in Library Development in Nigeria". World Libraries, ISSN 1092-7441. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  7. Aguolu, C. C. (1980). "The Evolution of the National Library of Nigeria: Antecedents, Establishment, and Recent Development". The Journal of Library History. 15 (4): 393–426. ISSN 0275-3650. JSTOR 25541139.
  8. Harrison, J. Clement (1966). "Review of The National Library of Nigeria: Growth of the Idea, Problems and Progress". The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy. 36 (4): 359–360. doi:10.1086/619485. ISSN 0024-2519. JSTOR 4305717.
  9. National Library Act (2016). National Library Act. Federal Republic of Nigeria.
  10. Adeyemi, Nat M. (1972-01-01). "The National Library of Nigeria and Library Development in Nigeria". Libri. 22 (1): 77–84. doi:10.1515/libr.1972.22.1.77. ISSN 0024-2667.
  11. Adegoke, Adekunbi (1973-10-01). "The evolution of libraries in Nigeria". International Library Review. 5 (4): 407–452. doi:10.1016/S0020-7837(73)80022-6. ISSN 0020-7837.
  12. Itsekor, Victoria O. (2011). "The Role of Librarians in the Development of Education in Nigeria" (PDF).
  13. Olden, Anthony (1985). "Constraints on the Development of Public Library Service in Nigeria". The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy. 55 (4): 398–423. doi:10.1086/601650. ISSN 0024-2519. JSTOR 4307895.
  14. Everts, Bart. “Independent Reading? A History of the Nigerian National Library” Presentation at the Missouri Valley History Conference, Omaha,NE, March 6–8, 2014.
  15. "History of Library in Nigeria". Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  16. Nweke, Ken M. C. (1991-07-01). "Legal deposit laws in Nigeria and bibliographic control of Nigeriana since 1950". Government Publications Review. 18 (4): 339–345. doi:10.1016/0277-9390(91)90029-W. ISSN 0277-9390.
  17. Akidi, Juliana; Omekwu, Charles (2019-07-27). "ASSESSMENT OF LEGAL DEPOSITORY PRACTICES OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NIGERIA AND COMPLIANCE OF PUBLISHERS AND AUTHORS WITH LEGAL DEPOSIT OBLIGATIONS". Library Philosophy and Practice (E-journal).
  18. Diamond, Maria (2019-12-11). "National Library of Nigeria intensifies legal deposit drive". guardian.ng. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  19. OBASI, JOHN U. (1982-01-01). "Bibliographical Control of Nigerian Publications: Social Science Primary Materials". Journal of Documentation. 38 (2): 107–124. doi:10.1108/eb026725. ISSN 0022-0418.
  20. "National library to issue ISBN, ISSN numbers to applicants within 48 hours -". The Eagle Online. 2018-12-18. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  21. "National Library launches application to aid ISBN/ISSN issuance". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 2019-05-12. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  22. "National Library Holds Readership Promotion Campaign in Anambra". Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  23. "National Library Takes Readership Promoting Campaign To Ebenebe Community". Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  24. "Readership Promotion Campaign: National Library sensitise NYSC members". The Sun Nigeria. 2019-06-20. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  25. Iroanusi, QueenEsther (2018-06-18). "Dilapidated facilities, outdated books, other anomalies characterise Nigeria's National Library". Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  26. "National Library and its challenges". peoplesdailyng.com. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  27. The Guardian Newspaper (2018). "Agony over the National Library". Guardian Newspaper.
  28. Published. "Abuja's mockery of National Library project". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  29. "CONTACT ADDRESS » National Library of Nigeria". www.nln.gov.ng. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  30. "Nigeria must address poor reading culture ― National Librarian". Tribune Online. 2019-11-04. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  31. "Agony over the National Library". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2018-01-10. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  32. "INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) LITERACY SKILLS LEVEL OF STAFF OF NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NIGERIA". CodeMint. 2019-05-13. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  33. Https://www.nln.gov.ng/brancheoffices
  34. National Library of Nigeria. "National Library Gets New CEO".

Further reading

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