ATTRACTING STUDENTS INTO LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE PROGRAMMES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

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Date
2008-08-14
Authors
MOHAMMED, Zakari
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Abstract
The developing countries are caught up in-between the paradigm of development and coping with the dictates of developed societies which they have to catch up with in order to fit into the contemporary World of the 21st century and perhaps beyond. The information professionals and indeed the LIS schools in the developing societies suffer the same rate. This is even more pertinent that they have to compete vigorously among other fields of study in attracting quality candidates into their respective programmes at all levels so as to produce graduates capable of coping with the challenges of lCT applications, access and usage to meet the information needs of all the segments of the society. These challenges have necessitated the need for continued review of LIS curriculum at all levels and the introduction of new programmes in the LIS schools in the developing countries such as Nigeria with the view to attracting quality students irrespective of their backgrounds so as to produce professionals that could launch the country into the contemporary information world while at the same time consolidating their gains and taking care of their inadequacies. Within this context, the paper examines LIS schools and programmes in the developing societies yesterday, today and tomorrow using Nigerian experience as well as strategic management and marketing options to attract quality students into the LIS programmes where there is cut throat competition from other fields of study to attract qualitative candidates that could met the yearnings of the country on graduation and who could also cope with the challenges of the time.
Description
Department of Library and Information Science Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria
Keywords
ATTRACTING STUDENTS,, LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE PROGRAMMES,, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES,, NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE
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