Problems and Prospects of Selected Public Libraries in India (Rajasthan) and Nigeria (Kaduna): A Comparative Study
Problems and Prospects of Selected Public Libraries in India (Rajasthan) and Nigeria (Kaduna): A Comparative Study
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Date
2018
Authors
SAMBO, Suleiman
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Abstract
The fundamental aim of public libraries is to provide timely, accurate,
pertinent, and reliable information for their users. The study tends to
examine the prospects and problems of selected public libraries in
India and Nigeria, a comparative study. Despite the growing
importance of public libraries in national development, the number of
functional Public Libraries has been diminishing, especially in
Nigeria. Survey design was adopted for the study and instrument used
for data collection include questionnaire, observation and interview.
Furthermore, the six librarians were each given a separate
questionnaire which they filled and returned. A number of 360
questionnaires were distributed to users out of which 303 were dully
completed and returned. The data collected were analyzed and
interpreted using simple frequency and percentages. The study reveals
that most the users in both countries are male within the age of 16-25.
Also, majority of the information resources are in print format and are
said to be relevant in India but irrelevant in Nigeria. Majority of the
collections in India are sciences but in Nigeria it is other collections
that has the majority. Furthermore, most of the users in both countries
agreed that all the collections need to be updated and majority of the
users in India visits the library on daily basis while in Nigeria, it is
once in a month. The study further reveals that most users in India are
notified of new arrivals while most users in Nigeria are not notified.
Staff in Indian libraries offers assistance to users but staff rarely does
that in Nigerian libraries. Most of the users in India strongly agreed
that public libraries are very efficient in the services they offered to the
general public while in Nigeria majority disagreed. In India, most of
the users agreed that provision of lighting, drinking water and toilet
are adequate while in Nigeria it is not adequate in some cases these
facilities are not available. More so, majority of the libraries in India
have selection committees and their major source of information
resources are bookshops, donations and head office but most libraries
in Nigeria don’t have selection committees and major source are head
office and donations. Finally, all the libraries in both countries
complained of poor funding and consideration by government,
especially the Nigerian government. Public libraries in India and
Nigeria have great potentials for national development if properly
managed, especially in the development of a knowledgeable society;
therefore government at all levels should encourage private
partnership participation in the funding and managing of public
libraries in both countries.
Description
Faculty of Library and Information Science
Career Point University, Kota, Rajasthan
Keywords
Problems and Prospects,, Public Libraries,, India (Rajasthan),, Nigeria (Kaduna),, Comparative Study