Positioning Nigerian Libraries for Effective Service Delivery During Emergencies: The Corona Virus Experience -By Abubakar Lanre Folorunso & Emmanuel Omeiza Momoh

The Library as an organization cum institution is undoubtedly established to meet certain goals and objectives. The main one been to meet and satisfy the information needs of its users through different avenues – physical and virtual. The users however depend on the type, scope, and nature of the library. Hence, users of an academic library would differ from those that are found in a public library setting.

The above statement is in correlation with the laws of Librarianship propounded by Ranganathan in 1931. Part of the laws states that books are for users. Therefore, every reader must have access to his or her book vice versa. Under no circumstance or condition should the library be found wanting in providing informational purposes and educational services to its clients.

However, this is not the case most times. This is because several conditions could warrant the library not been able to function at the desired time and speed. Such conditions among other things include but not limited to: wars, industrial actions, epidemics, fire accidents etc.

Many of these in some contexts might not be planned while some others might  be planned. Whatever the case is, situations and conditions like these force libraries to shut down. In some extreme cases, there might be loss of jobs, lives as well as properties.

The present Corona Virus (COVID -19) is also a situation that has forced libraries to shut down and cesee to operate. Some countries in a bid to contain the spread of the disease have ordered a total restriction of vehicular and human movement. As a result of this, helpless citizens are forced to stay indoors making the chances of survival extremely slim and difficult.

Libraries and other relevant institutions are not left out. This is because many of them operate based on government laws and licences. Consequently, it will be a breach if amidst all these, libraries open their doors widely for operations. Notwithstanding, does it mean with the ravaging disease in town, the quest to seek for knowledge and information is ended, or probably people do not need information in times like these?

This could be said to be nothing farhter from the truth. We are in a time when there is an increase in the quest for information. Library clients need to be aware of a number of things. Some people are now doing remote jobs, but they also need information to perform their tasks and duties as assigned. Therefore it is high time, libraries shift their operations online and go virtual. If other organisations are able to do this effectively without much hitch and ado, then the library which is an agent of change and a carrier of information should be able to follow suit.

Though, in Nigeria, many libraries are handicapped and the bulk of their budgetary allocations come from their parent institutions, this could be be a major shortfall for libraries achieving the objective of going virtual. Furthermore, the Nigerian government has up till now not been able to see the relevance of establishing libraries especially in the present century.

Worse still, poor reading culture of the Nigerian populace is also another factor that need to be considered. Amidst all these, the management of libraries and information centers must continually advocate for lump sum allocations to be able to work effectively especially in times of unplanned emergencies.

The situation is as though one is saying that an individual should not eat because he or she is suffering from a malady. What brings healing? Is it not food? If food is sine qua non to physical health, then information and knowledge is also essential for intellectual and mental well being of both an individual, a group and on a large scale a nation.

I do hope the corona virus will push leaders at the helm of affairs to increasing budgetary allocations for Nigerian Libraries, and that management of libraries and other relevant information centers – archives, museums, media houses, will be able to map out strategies that will enable them to function effectively at all times especially during periods of emergencies like the one we are currently experiencing.

Folorunso, Abubakar Lanre is a PhD holder in the field of librarianship. He has authored articles that are available in reputable journals and databases. He is currently functioning as an academic librarian for a national institute.

He can be reached via:

Phone: +234 909 714 6118

E-mail: abubakarainn@gmail.com

Momoh, Emmanuel Omeiza is a Bachelor of Science degree holder in Librarianship. His area of expertise covers information Literacy, information management, copyright issues and library development. He has authored and co-authtored articles available on reputable journals and databases. He can be reached via:

Phone: + 234 816 955 9608

E-mail: momohomeiza8@gmail.com