Role of Libraries in Educational Development of Nigerian Army Personnel.

Abstract

This review paper explores the role of libraries in the educational development of Nigerian army personnel with reference to the concept of libraries (pre-industrial, industrial and post-industrial era), education and national development. The paper emphasized on the roles of education in national development to include knowledge production and acquisition, provision of workforce and as well as the general role of libraries such as acquisition and dissemination of information resources, information, computer and digital literacy, preservation of information resources, outreach services, information sharing/networking. The specific roles of libraries by their types include: national library of Nigeria legal deposit, reading promotion and research and publication; while academic libraries role include: complementary role, quality assurance and training. The role of school libraries include acquisition, accessibility and use of collection as well as reading promotion, while that of public library include: service to children and outreach services. One of the roles of special library with respect to the educational development of Nigerian army personnel is the conservation of knowledge and cultural artifacts. Challenges to libraries in the course of discharging their roles include: inflationary trends in the publishing industries, reading culture, funding, incessant power failure and technological issue. Paper concludes that education and library are inseparable as library play vital role towards meeting information and educational needs of Nigerian army personnel. Recommendations were proffered to include: adherence of government to the UNESCO standard in funding education and the need to imbibe reading culture by children, among others.