The document discusses the demands, competencies, and dilemmas facing Nigerian librarians in the information age. It outlines the changing role of libraries and increasing expectations of users due to advances in information and communication technologies. Librarians are now expected to rapidly capture and disseminate information across digital platforms. They must develop new technical skills while maintaining core competencies in areas like knowledge of information resources and research. However, Nigerian librarians face dilemmas like gaps in their educational curriculum, lack of infrastructure, and inadequate staff and resources to transition libraries effectively into the digital era.

1. THE NIGERIAN
LIBRARIAN IN THE
INFORMATION AGE:
THE DEMANDS,
COMPETENCIES AND
DILEMMAS
R. U. ONONOGBO (PhD)
Maiden conference of the Nigerian Library Association, Abia State Chapter
@ National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike. Dec.11-13, 2012

2. INTRODUCTION
Information explosion is more real now
than ever.
Information is still relevant in S & T,
R & D, Teaching and Learning
Technology for information
communication grew more sophisticated
The real age of ICT dawns
The information worker, the user, the
libraries, documentation centres, etc –
all affected

3. THE LIBRARIAN -
WHO IS HE?
He is anyone who is involved
in the identification, capture,
organisation, storage,
retrieval, analysis,
interpretation, packaging and
dissemination of information
(St. Clair, 2001).

4. CATEGORIES OF
LIBRARIANS
- IN GENERAL TERMS
The professional librarian
The paraprofessional librarian
(Related to the professional
librarian in a secondary or
supplementary capacity)
The support staff (an amorphous
group with over 37 job titles)

5. THE USER GROUP
- who are they?
They make demands on the
information services provider – they
are the user community
They are categorised according to:
1.Professional or vocational
characteristics 2.Institutional
affiliation 3. Geographical location 4.
Restrictions in terms of access (Gwang,
2011).

6. DEMANDS ON THE
LIBRARIAN
Demands determined by changing role of
libraries and economy of information include:
(a). Rapid response to capture of information,
knowledge, rapid response to the new age
(libraries transiting from a library centre to an
information-centred entity)
(b). Demand to be linked up with information
resources as appropriate
( c). Demands on the Nigerian libraries to
jettison the old traditional block filled with
print materials and move on to the digital scene

7. (d). Demands on librarians to change his
operational equipment and services
(microform equipment, library cards,
kardex, etc to give way to hardware,
software and systems).
(e). Demands on the librarian to be
proactive, break away from insularity
and reach out to the user, external
sources, etc.
(f). Demand on the librarian to extend
services to the farmer, trader, the
handicapped, etc.

8. COMPETENCIES OF THE
LIBRARIAN
- discussed under IT, Professional
and Personal competencies
1. IT Competencies (the 13 key IT
competencies given by Aman & Norliyana,
2002 and Choi & Rasmussen, 2006) – See
text.

9. 2. Professional competencies –
(a).Knowledge in the area of
information resources
(b).Information access.
( c). Technology management.
(d). Research
(e). Ability to have an interplay of
all these to benefit the
organisation, the user and satisfy
self.

10. 3. Personal competencies -
(a). Ability to access information needs of
clients
(b). Ability to design and market value-
added information services
( c). Ability to apply appropriate information
technology to information services
(d). Plan, prioritise and focus on what is
critical
(e). Provide leadership
(See appendix in the text, St Clair, 2001).

11. THE DILEMMAS
Educational preparation at the LIS
schools with curriculum brimming with gaps
(See Choi & Rasmussen, 2006).
Dilemma created by LIS school curricula –
lacking in information psychology, sociology
of information, information organisation
management and information engineering
(Gwang, 2011).
Dilemma created by the librarian (passive,
reactive and assertive, (Ochogwu, 2007).

12. Dilemmas created by an inactive
information seeker community.
Dilemma created by information
infrastructure (in modern sense).
Dilemma associated with the fallacy
that digital libraries are costly.
Dilemma created by electricity
supply.
Dilemma of manpower shortage
(requisite staff to do the real
information service)

13. CONCLUSION
The arrow of information points
forward. Its momentum is enormous as
it carries speed and mass. Information
is at the cutting edge of civilisation.
The librarian is on the throne of its
capture, organisation and
dissemination. The Nigerian librarian
should grasp the nettle now.

14. Thank you for Listening