FUNCTIONALITY OF NATIONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL LIBRARIES FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Libraries in Nigeria contribute to educational development in the country. But
this contribution is largely unrecognized by stakeholders in the educational industry. To bridge
this gap, the current study analyses the quintessential and dogged contributions of Dr Nnamdi
Azikiwe towards the establishment of the National Library of Nigeria four years after the
nation’s Independence. The objective of this study is to analyse the functionality of national
and institutional libraries for educational development in Nigeria. The literature on library and
educational development has been extensively reviewed. The method of data collection used
was the secondary method. Documents and other published materials as books, journals and
newspapers provided the sources of the qualitatively collected and analysed data. The study
revealed that libraries are among the most important necessities of educational development in
Nigeria because they are repositories of organized and scientific knowledge. More so, there
have not been adequate financial and material investments in the nation’s library system,
resulting in poor service delivery to end users and slowing down educational development in
the country. Therefore, the study recommends that there should be more investments in both
national and institutional libraries by both the government and individuals who have interests
in library and educational provision.