EVALUATION OF CONSTRAINTS IN THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

EVALUATION OF CONSTRAINTS IN THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

​​​​​​​BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Training and education in library and information science (LIS) play a vital role in the generation of high-quality LIS students, who hold a special place in the progression of a nation's overall infrastructure. Students of Library and Information Science (LIS) are the gatekeepers and brokers of information, which is crucial for the acquisition of knowledge, decision-making, and the growth of a nation. The cultivation of skilled labor is one of the most important factors in determining whether or not a library, archives, or information center will be able to successfully fulfil their commitment to provide access to knowledge.

According to Denga (2019), one of the most important requirements in the field of library and information work is trained employees. An education in LIS is therefore quite important in this regard. Although early LIS students, particularly librarians, did not undergo any formal training, the modern day challenges of library and information work require that personnel should be well-trained and educated to make for effective work. This is to ensure that the library and information work can meet the needs of its users. It is stated that Melvin Dewey, the well-known advocate of the Dewey Decimal Classification System, founded the first library school in the United States in the year 1887 at Columbia University (Wikipedia, n.d.). It is widely held that the Library School of Barcelona, which was established in 1915, holds the title of being the oldest library school on the continent of Europe. During the Second World War, it is believed that a great number of additional library schools opened their doors. On the other hand, in Africa, South Africa is recognized as having the longest history of LIS on the continent, beginning in 1938. (Ochogwu 2016).

Historically, the first ever formal training in librarianship took place in West Africa, and it was provided in the form of brief courses led by working librarians. The courses' sole purpose was to get participants ready for examinations administered by the British Library Association (Aghoghovwia 2015), which at the time served as the only entry point for those who wished to pursue a career in the field (Etebu  2017). In 1944, one of these seminars was held in Achimota College on the Gold Coast (now Ghana), and participants came from a variety of West African countries, including Nigeria. It would appear that this is the first proof of the significant historical relationship that has existed between Ghana and Nigeria in the education and training of LIS students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the difficulties that students of library and information science face during their training and education.

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