the role of libraian and information center in nigeria

INTRODUCTION Library is defined as an organized collection of published books and audio-visual materials with the aid of the services of staff that are able to provide and interpret such materials as required, to meet the informative research, educational and recreational needs of its users. It is an agency through which sources of information of accumulated knowledge and experience are selected, acquired, organized, preserved and disseminated. Libraries and information centres provide a much wider range of information services from local, state and federal governments; organizations/institutions within and outside the country among others for the people. With the provision of variety of information sources, users of libraries and information centres are exposed to different information with their respective values. A very important word, which is functionally synonymous with library, is “information dissemination”. The word ‘library’ can be used inter-changeably with ‘information centre’. Though an information centre is not necessarily a library, a library is by its function is an information centre. Library services are not completely divorced from information services, which are also provided by other agencies such as the mass media, and at times more effectively and competitively. This was the view of Broadbent (1982) when he stressed that the above point illustrates one significant point, namely, that as much as the library has informational role in the society, being one component of communication system, it has other vital social functions to perform. These he explained might be recreational, cultural, social or educational. Information centres are the veritable repository of knowledge that underpins socio-economic, political and cultural development of any country. They are avenues of knowledge that constitute one of the principal instruments in building a richer and better social order. In his own view, Beckman (1982) explained that information centres are viewed as being more dynamic, whereas library has historically been known as depositories for books and journals. Information centres, he said are involved in the analysis, synthesis, transmission and repackaging of data and information. But as new technologies allow libraries to become more involved indifferent types of activities performed by the so called information centres, distinction between libraries on one hand and information centres on the other hand is no longer valid he concluded. Therefore, for the purpose of this paper, the two terms “Library” and “information centre” will be used interchangeably. THE ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN POLICY IMPLEMENTATION If communication and information remains an effective ingredient in the implementation process, then, the question of how the policies will be disseminated to the intending public becomes crucial. One of the primary functions of the library is the dissemination of information. Thus, the library is assumed to play a crucial role in policy implementation. This is done by ensuring that the policies are disseminated to the public (library users). Library has a role to model the value of the information mosaic built-up over time and across cultures. Other than the library, there is no agency of government that has a wide knowledge of the social significance of the accumulated resources of knowledge in the public domain (Alan, E. S., 2002).In line with the challenges of implementing government policies in Nigeria, it has saddled Nigerian libraries and information centres with the responsibility of safe-guarding the information of today for a better tomorrow. In a bid to ensuring the effective implementation of government policies, libraries and information centres are expected to play a pivotal role in the following areas: -Creating awareness: awareness on the said policy must be created by the library to avail the public (library users) the necessary information on the policy. This can be done by making available books and information related to government policies in the library. -Ensuring feedback: the library can also help in gathering feedback on government policies from the library users. If the government can get adequate feedback on her policies, it will help her in the formulation of new policies as well as improving on the existing ones. -Aiding the development of good policies: the library provide necessary information on government policies which in turn aids the development of such policies. COMPLEMENTARY ROLE OF LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION CENTRES The functions and objectives of libraries and information centres vary according to the mandate of the parent body where the centre is situated. A library is expected to acquire resources that are meant to reflect the peculiar program of the institute which serves as its parent body. Libraries and information centres serve as store-houses of all government policies for future reference. For any current policies, it is always easy to sponsor jingles and advertisement of such in media houses, but the fact remains that “policies come and go” but their success or failure becomes a history that must be documented for reference purpose. How then will the coming generations be able to refer to such policies if not properly documented, organized and preserved for future purpose. For example, Operation Feed the nation (OFN) by Obasanjo’s regime in the year 1976, through perfect documentation will avail the present generations the opportunity of knowing it as if they were part of the implementation process. Even though some other agents can also supply required information on policies to the people, the library has the advantage of being consistent and people can visit it any time desired. Whereas, governments and policies come and go according to their own program of activities, which may not coincide with the period the people actually require the information. Libraries and Information centres play the complementary roles of transmission and dissemination of the policies to the people. No matter how well a policy may be, if not known to the people, they may not understand it. The present federal government policy on amnesty is a good example. A democratic society that believes that political power belongs to the people must open knowledge to its entire people, since equal access to knowledge is a pre-requisite to equal political power. The country is divided into Federal, State and Local Governments just to bring the government closer to the people. Therefore, the government should bring information about their policies closer to the people via these organs. This can start from the apex library in the country – National Library of Nigeria; down to the state libraries and further to the grass-root – the local government or council libraries. It is not enough to initiate policies aimed at enhancing the quality of life of the people, effort must also be made to encourage people to be actively involved in making the policy a success. This according to Aguolu (1984) can be actualized by dissemination of information on that policy,which has been shown to be a major factor because of its potentials for giving new knowledge, raising consciousness, strengthening links and understanding among the populace. This opinion also tallies with Aboyade (1984) as she affirmed that library is in a better position to ensure, among other things, that the provision of information will not just be a patchy affair dictated more by the need for propaganda, but will be an on-going business constantl opening up all the policies of the government so as to make life better for the masses. It is the responsibility of libraries and information centres to gather all the policies and create links between the various organs and agents of government. Aguolu (1984) concluded that libraries and information centres take cognizance of the entire spectrum of the government bringing their policies together by:- -Sustaining increasingly complex operations of the government, facilitating their decision-making process with economy of the country. -Providing a relationship between the people and the various component of government. -Providing a useful internal political mechanism for gaining budgetary support. -Providing means of communicating the goal and program of the government to the people. CONCLUSION If government policies will be well implemented, then the public must be well informed and familiar with these policies. Libraries and information centres as agencies for social, political, cultural, economical and educational change therefore have a big role to play in the implementation of any government policy. They are expected to acquire different sources of information to process, preserve and disseminate them to satisfy the information needs of their users. This goes beyond providing only printed sources of information but also non print information to the entire public. Libraries and information centres are expected to be platforms of communication between the government and the public, therefore various government policies implementation committees are expected to work in collaboration with libraries and information centres in discharging their duties. Libraries and information centres on their own part should brass-up to cope with the present challenges of today’s library users, especially on ICT world. Information, which is almost synonymous to the word library, has also helped in making the library relevant in the society. For example, information and communication research and data, as well as monitoring and evaluation are supportive strategies for achieving the National Gender Policy in Nigeria (Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development 2006). Therefore, the library will continue to be a relevant institution in policy implementation as long as information and communication remains vital. Hence, If the government will avail the library, the necessary support as well as adequate supply of information, implementation of policies will become effective and easier. RECOMMENDATIONS Libraries and information centres have played an important role in the implementation of government policies, by collecting, organizing, managing and disseminating information resources for both current use and for posterity. But the challenges faced by the libraries and information centres from internal and external factors have also posed a lot of set-back on the effectiveness of the role of libraries and information centres in policy implementation. The following points are hereby recommended: -Government should use the library as a major source of feedback on her policies -Government should establish special libraries in national, state and local levels on policy. Such libraries can be named ‘A library of government policy’ where any information related to any government policy will be available for the betterment of both the government and the governed. -All stakeholders in the implementation of government policies need to improve their effort in collaborating with libraries and information centres to achieve the aim of implementing those policies. -Libraries must be adequately financed by the government -Government should always include the library in her policy implementation committees. -Library should be given more concentration and importance especially by government at all level. -Library and information centres should engage themselves in informing and educating other outlets. -Library and information centres should stand out from the crowd of other information handlers particularly government agents like extension workers, private or road side information mishandles.