International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue VI, June 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186
Appraisal of Library and Information Services to Rural Dwellers in Nnobi and Nnewi Communities
Egwuonwu, Ugochi Iruoma1*, Obiekwe, Obioma Loveth2, Nwoyeka, Ifeoma Jennifer3
1Department of Library and Information Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
2Festus Aghagbo Nwako Library Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
3Department of Library and Information Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
Abstract: This study was carried out in the rural community Nnobi and Nnewi communities in Anambra State to determine the library and information services available to the rural dwellers of the community with reference to rural dwellers’ information needs. Questionnaire were used to obtain data from the library users while interview was employed to obtain data from civil servants, petty traders, farmers, artisans (welders, carpenters, hairdressers,) and the unemployed in the communities. It was gathered that rural dwellers’ sources of information are predominantly oral and their information need is relative to their type of occupation. More so, these group of people source information from their professional colleagues/trade masters, churches, through promotion by motor advertisements, television/radio and ceremonies, rural library provides the rural dwellers with information that are print based or documented on video/film; and majority of the rural dwellers are not aware of the resources and information provided by rural libraries but are willing to use them when services are modeled along their needs. As a result, the study recommended that rural library should conduct needs assessment so as to model their services towards the needs of their communities and that rural library providers should utilize the oral information sources that the rural communities are familiar with while providing their innovative information services.
Keywords: Library, Information Services and Rural Dwellers
I. INTRODUCTION
The library has always beenknown as a repository of knowledge but these days, its scope and horizon are expanding and changing from just housing of a collection of reading material to the selection, acquisition, organization, accessing and dissemination of knowledge and information beyond its walls. Emphasis is now being placed to appraise the library and information services to rural dwellers in Nnobi and Nnewi rural communities in Anambra State.
Provision of information resources, creating and impacting reading culture in the people are the key ways through which the library can touch lives of the rural dwellers and thereby making their needed resources available for them in the library. In the case of a rural dwellers, a lot of effort is needed to be able to communicate effectively and efficiently because such an environment are most times dominated by people whose standard of living is usually very challenging as a result of poverty, hunger, ignorance, illiteracy and absence of social amenities such as good road, power supply and schools ( Posigha 2010, Obinyan & Aidenojie and Abolaji 2009 ).