Volume 5, Issue 5, May – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Information Professionals in the

Promotion of Information Literacy in
Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects
1
Abraham Tabor Etebu (PhD cln)
Department of Library and Information Science
Niger Delta University
Amassoma, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State
2 3
Godwin Oberhiri-Orumah (cln) Felicia Doubra Seimode (cln)
The Library Library Department
Federal Polytechnic University of Africa
Ekowe, Bayelsa State Toru-Orua, Bayelsa State

Abstract:- The need for information and the value of political instability, misconceptions, fake news and hate
information to both society and individuals is a fact speech, which is bedevilling the human societies.
which is widely accepted. For information to be
effectively utilized the need for information literacy Somi and De Jager (2005) averred that it is beyond the
becomes more imperative. This study looked at borders of controversy that no nation can strive and survive
librarians and information professionals in promotion without relevant information to guide its aims and
of information literacy in Nigeria through different objectives. In corroboration, Haberle (2002) asserts that
ways such as library orientation, readers’ advisory society requires multi-skilled learners, who are able to think
services, bibliographies, library week, etc. Data analysis critically, pose and solve problems, and become
was done using frequency count, percentages, Likert independent and lifelong learners. If people are unable to
Scale presented in tabular format, mean and standard access information, observes Fahey (2003), they will be
deviation. Using the four-point Likert type scale, a faced with information poverty, which is a form of poverty
midpoint mean (criterion Mean) of 2.5 was established that leads to disadvantage due to a lack of access to all
and accepted as a positive response point. Inadequate types of information.
funding, inadequate ICT infrastructure and resistance
to change were some of the challenges faced by Libraries and librarians are changing their ways of
information professionals in the promotion of service delivery as most recently libraries are termed as
information literacy, while data cost reduction and digital or hybrid which uses electronic devices and with a
continuous training of information professionals, were click on a mouse of connected systems to the World Wide
some of the prospects found out. The study concluded Web, one can communicate with other globally. Libraries
and recommended that government should strive to and librarians offer proactive services with the aims of
adequately fund libraries and provide required ICT drawing the attention of their users to resources of general
infrastructures to boost the promotion of information interest that assist in learning and research. The term
literacy in Nigeria effectively. librarian is most frequently used interchangeably with the
term Information Professionals.
Keywords:- Library, Librarians, Information Professionals,
Information Literacy, Information Centres, Funding, Wikipedia (nd) defined an information professional as
Internet Connectivity, Information and Communication someone who collects, records, organises, stores, preserves,
Technology, Readers Advisory Services, Library Week, retrieves, and disseminates printed or digital information.
Resistance to Change. Going further Wikipedia (nd) stated that the versatile term
'information professional' is also used to describe other
I. INTRODUCTION similar professions, such as archivists, information
managers, information systems specialists, and records
Information technology revolution which led to the managers. Wikipedia (nd) also noted that Information
present information society has greatly showcased the professionals work in a variety of private, public, and
importance of being able to access and utilize information academic institutions. Wikipedia (nd) concluded that
from a variety of sources, including electronically moreover, an information professional should be skilled in
published information. Technological changes inherent in planning and using relevant systems, in capturing and
the world currently make for information societies to securing information, and in accessing it to deliver service
possess certain skillsets to optimize use ability of whenever the information is required. An 'information
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) professional' will not be one type of role or skill set, but
resources. As it stands, information is widely needed by will in fact have a number of specializations". Thus, an
society to douse the tension of social unrest, ignorance, information professional can possess a variety of different

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Volume 5, Issue 5, May – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
skills, depending on the sector in which the person is II. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
employed (Wikipedia, nd).
 To examine ways of instituting Information Literacy
The Association of College and Research Libraries (IL) campaigns
(ACRL) of the American Library Association (ACRL,  To find out the Challenges to Information Literacy (IL)
2000) defined Information literacy (IL) as “a set of abilities Promotion
requiring individuals to recognise when information is  To determine the Prospects to Information Literacy (IL)
needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use Promotion
effectively the needed information”. This all-encompassing
definition was emphatically supported by CILIP (2004) that III. LITERATURE REVIEW
information literacy is “knowing when and why you need
information, where to find it and how to evaluate, use and Being information literate and promoting information
communicate it in an ethical manner”. literacy comes with a number of challenges especially in
developing countries like Nigeria. Somi and de jager (2005)
Providing answers to formal and informal questions, cited (Bundy, 2001) which postulated that “much
an assignment or a research paper is an information literacy information comes unfiltered by peer review and this raises
process. It involves finding and applying information to questions about authenticity, validity and reliability”.
answer your research questions to either support or Continuing they averred that the questions of authenticity,
disprove formulated null hypothesis. To do this effectively, validity and reliability pose real challenges as “uncertain
one needs to evaluate the information for use to ensure its quality and expanding quantity of information also poses
timeliness, originality, relevance, reliability quality and large challenges for organizations and for society itself”.
authenticity. While doing this you need to give credit to the
people whose ideas you use (Uzuegbu, 2014). Techcabal (2019) stated that some of the challenges to
information literacy programme include: implementation of
Librarians and other information professionals and policy, educational curriculum, high costs of infrastructures
practitioners are deeply embroiled in the process of such as the Internet and power, low rate of capacity
promoting information literacy while doing their job. They building exercises and training on digital literacy across
promote IL through appropriate measures that continue to sectors, high rate of digital divide due to the existence of
ensure that societies are information literate. This is being unreached communities who are not aware of the concept
done through library orientation programmes (Mohammed, of digital literacy, resistance to change, etc., and that the
2002), exhibition or displays, outreach services, readers’ general attitude of people towards change and what digital
advisory services, abstract, library week (Sheme, Yahaya & literacy offers, is a hindrance in promoting digital literacy.
Bappa, 2017), library user education (Muogilim, 2007 and
Akinwumi, 2007), cataloguing and classification (Ahiauzu, Baro (2011) conducted a study on information literacy
1992), bibliographies (Adebayo and Sokari, 2002), education in library schools in Africa to ascertain whether
readership promotion (Bature, 2016) and other librarianship is taking the leading role in the development
programmes. of information literacy in the universities. The study
revealed that only few library schools have successfully
Successful promotion of IL comes with diverse integrated an information literacy course as a stand-alone
challenges facing information professionals in their quest. course in their curriculum. Problems such as lack of
The quality of services rendered by these information personnel and facilities were mentioned in that study as
professionals and practitioners depends greatly on their obstacles to the integration of IL course in the curriculum.
qualification, training and retraining which is tantamount to Agyen-Gyasi (2008) in his study identified some problems
the initial training they have received. Oyeniyi, Oluwakemi facing the user education programme at the Kwame
and Olaifa, (2007) observed that most libraries and Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)
information centres fail to make a recognizable impact Library Ghana. They are students’ apathy to user-education
because they are handled by non-professionals or programmes, lack of personnel in the libraries, training
inadequately trained individuals. These challenges are need of librarians, irregular internet connectivity and
inherent but surmountable if the needful is done for optimal financial constraints. Similarly, Sitima-Ndau (2010)
services rendition. It is on this premise that this research reported on the information literacy programme at the
work looked at the roles being played by librarians and Chancellor College, University of Malawi that the library’s
other information professionals in the promotion of information literacy programme equipped students with
information literacy in Nigeria with specific reference to sufficient skills, but facilities to surf the internet are too
the perceived challenges and prospects. limited. The author observed that many students are not
adequately computer literate when they started their studies
at Chancellor College. Other problems such as electricity
failure, service charges for using the internet were
identified. However, the author added that majority of the
students were happy with the content and delivery of
library, information and internet skills courses. This may be
why Baro and Asaba (2010), in their study on “Internet

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Volume 5, Issue 5, May – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
connectivity in university libraries in Nigeria”, stated that Baro and Asaba (2010), Baro and Zuokemefa (2011)
for university libraries to deliver effective and efficient and Techcabal, (2019) were of the opinion that for
services to its clients including information literacy information professionals to deliver effective and efficient
programmes, they must all have stable internet connectivity services to their patrons, they need training and re-training,
in their libraries. have stable Internet connectivity in their information
centres. They went further to state that this can be achieved
Writing on the “user education programme at the by attending seminars/workshops, more citizen engagement
University of Ghana” Dennis (2004) identified inadequate collaboration between organizations/private sector and
number of qualified staff to instruct students during Government provision of tax incentives/reliefs for telecoms
orientation, and inadequate time allocated to the to enable them to reduce the costs of data.
programme as some of the challenges facing the
programme. Similarly, Dadzie (2007) in her study on The review show that there are surmountable
“information literacy: assessing the readiness of Ghanaian challenges encountered by information professionals in
universities” identified a number of problems hindering the their quest of information literacy promotion particularly in
implementation of IL programmes at university of Ghana information centres. There are prospects to the situation
and University of Cape Coast. They are lack of university which must be put in place and adhered to strictly by
commitment to the project, inadequate information about players involve.
what IL is, unwillingness of the various departments
already handling components of the IL programmes to IV. METHODOLOGY
collaborate with each other to form a campus-wide project,
unwillingness to accept innovations in curricula planning, Descriptive research design was adopted for the study.
inadequate technological infrastructure/computers, The area of study was libraries and information centres in
inadequate electronic resources and inadequate human Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria. The population of the
resources. In like manner, Lwehabura (2008) identified a study was two hundred and twenty-eight (228) staffers
number of factors hindering the IL delivery in Tanzania which were used as the sample size. A self-constructed
universities. They are lack of clear IL policy, inadequate questionnaire was the instrument of data collection. Data
time, the Several research works such as (Agyen-Gyasi, analysis was done using frequency count, percentages,
2008; Baro and Zuokemefa, 2011 and Baro and Asaba, Likert Scale presented in tabular format, mean and standard
2010) stated that challenges like unqualified personnel, deviation. Of the 228 questionnaire distributed and
inadequate ICT facilities, training and re-training needs of retrieved, 188 were found properly completed and useable.
information professionals, financial constraints and Using the four-point Likert type scale, a midpoint mean
irregular Internet connectivity, amongst others are (criterion Mean) of 2.5 was established and accepted as a
hindrances to information literacy activities in Nigeria. positive response point. This point was chosen because the
average of the individual mean score is
4  3  2 1
= 2.5
4

V. DATA ANALYSIS/RESULTS

s/n Participating Organizations Respondents

1 Niger Delta University Libraries 36
2 Federal University, Otuoke 18
3 University of Africa 18
4 Isaac Boro College of Education 12
5 Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe 12
6 Gabriel Okara Public Library 3
7 Azaiki Public Library 4
8 Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa Library 4
9 Federal Medical Centre, Records Department 12
10 Bayelsa Specialist Hospital Records Department 8
11 Dietta-Koki Cottage Hospital Records Department 6
12 NDUTH (BHIS) Records Department 6
13 Niger Delta University (Establishment) 26
14 Ministry of Information 2
15 State Judiciary Library 2
16 International Institute of Tourism and Hospitalism 3

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ISSN No:-2456-2165
17 State Polytechnic, Aleibiri 4
18 Radio Bayelsa (Glory FM) 2
19 Ministry of Education 6
20 Health Management Board 4
Total 188
Table 1:- Participating organization (libraries/information centres)

Table 1 show the number of the respondents (188) form the 20 different libraries and information centres that partook in the
study.

s/n Statement SA A D SD Mean Sd Rmrks

1 Library Orientation 138 73.40% 50 26.60% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
2 Exhibition/Displays 138 73.40% 50 26.60% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
3 Library User Education 99 52.66% 89 47.34% -- -- 3.00 .000 Agreed
4 Cataloguing & Classification 135 71.80% 50 26.60% 3 1.60% -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
5 Readers Advisory Service 99 52.66% 89 47.34% -- -- 3.00 .000 Agreed
6 Bibliographies 138 73.40% 50 26.60% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
7 Abstract 121 63.36% 64 34.04% 3 1.60% -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
8 Library Week 109 57.98% 81 43.09% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
9 Readership Promotion 109 57.98% 81 43.09% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
Key: SA=Strongly Agree, A=Agree, D=Disagree, SD=Strongly Disagree
Table 2:- ways of instituting Information Literacy (IL) campaigns
N=188, criterion mean = 2.5

Table 2 shows that majority of the respondents 138 (73.40%) agreed that Library Orientation with a mean score of 4.00 is
one of the ways of promoting IL. Majority 138 (73.40%) with a mean score of 4.00 also indicated Exhibition/Displays as a way of
IL promotion. Library User Education 99 (52.66%) with mean score of 3.00, Cataloguing & Classification 135 (71.80%) with
mean score of 4.00, Readers Advisory Service 99 (52.66%) 3.00, Bibliographies 138 (73.40%) with mean score of 4.00,
Abstracting and indexing 121 (63.36%) with mean score of 4.00, Library Week 109 (57.98%) with mean score of 4.00 and
Readership Promotion 109 (57.98%) with mean score of 4.00 are all items whose mean score were above the criterion mean
of 2.5, showing the extent of agreement to the statements of ways to promote information literacy.

s/n Statement SA A D SD Mean Sd Rmrks

1 Inadequate funding 138 73.40% 50 26.60% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
2 Inadequate professional staff 121 63.36% 64 34.04% 3 1.60% -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
3 Inadequate capacity building 135 71.80% 50 26.60% 3 1.60% -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
opportunity
4 Temporary accommodations 19 10.11% 156 82.98% 13 6.91% -- 3.00 .000 Agreed
5 Inadequate staff motivation 109 57.98% 81 43.09% -- -- 3.00 .000 Agreed
6 Inadequate ICT infrastructure 99 52.66% 89 47.34% -- -- 3.00 .000 Agreed
7 Resistance to Change 121 63.36% 64 34.04% 3 1.60% -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
8 Inadequate Internet connectivity 188 100% -- -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
Key: SA=Strongly Agree, A=Agree, D=Disagree, SD=Strongly Disagree
Table 3:- Challenges to Information Literacy (IL) Promotion
N=188, criterion mean = 2.5

Table 3 gives a picture that Inadequate funding 138 (73.40%) with mean score of 4.00, Inadequate professional staff 121
(63.36%) with mean score of 4.00, Inadequate capacity building opportunity 135 (71.80%) with mean score of 4.00, Temporary
accommodations 156 (82.98%) with mean score of 3.00, Inadequate staff motivation 109 (57.98%) with mean score of 3.00,
Inadequate ICT infrastructure 99 (52.66%) with a means score of 3.00, Resistance to Change 121 (63.36%) with mean score
of 4.00 and Inadequate Internet connectivity 188 (100%) with mean score of 4.00. The mean scores of all the items postulated
as challenges to IL promotion in Nigeria were above the criterion mean of 2.5, indicating that the respondents agreed that these
items are actually challenges hindering the effective promotion of IL.

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s/n Statement SA A D SD Mean Sd Rmrks
1 Adequate funding 128 68.09% 60 31.91% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
2 Adequate staffing 97 51.60% 91 48.40% -- -- 3.00 .000 Agreed
3 Adequate training of staff 166 88.30% 22 11.70% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
4 Permanent buildings 21 11.17% 167 88.83% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
5 Proper staff motivation 171 90.96% 17 9.04% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
6 Adequate provision of required ICT 154 81.91% 34 18.09% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
facilities
7 Continuous orientation programmes 121 63.36% 64 34.04% 3 1.60% -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
8 Adequate Internet connectivity 188 100% -- -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
9 Data cost reduction 154 81.91% 34 18.09% -- -- 4.00 .000 Agreed
Key: SA=Strongly Agree, A=Agree, D=Disagree, SD=Strongly Disagree
Table 4:- Prospects to Information Literacy (IL) Promotion
N=188, criterion mean = 2.5

Table 4 show that Adequate funding 128 (68.09%) allocated to the programme as some of the challenges
with mean score of 4.00, Adequate staffing 97 (51.60%) facing the programme.
with mean score of 3.00, Adequate training of staff 166
(88.30%) with mean score of 4.00, Permanent  Inadequate capacity building opportunity: it was
buildings 167 (88.83%) with mean score of 4.00, Proper revealed by the study that inadequate capacity building
staff motivation 171 (90.96%) with mean score of 4.00, opportunity is a major challenge in IL promotion by
Adequate provision of required ICT facilities 154 (81.91%) librarians and information professionals in Nigeria. This
with mean score of 4.00, Continuous orientation finding corroborates that of Oladipo (2007) that
programmes 121 (63.36%) with mean score of 4.00, information professionals worldwide are not adequately
Adequate Internet connectivity 188 (100%) with mean given opportunities to attend workshops, seminars,
score of 4.00 and Data cost reduction 154 (81.91%) with conferences, book fares, etc., that would eventually
mean score of 4.00. Since all the items mean scores are acquaint them with the knowledge and skills of how to
above the criterion mean of 2.5, this simply means that the impact information literacy among their user.
respondents agreed that all the stated items are prospects to
effective IL promotion in Nigeria.  Temporary accommodations: it was revealed by the
study that temporary accommodations for some libraries
VI. DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS and information centres is a major challenge in IL
promotion by librarians and information professionals
A. Challenges to Information Literacy promotion in Nigeria. This finding confirmed that of Mishra and
 Inadequate funding: it was revealed by the study that Mishra (2010) which stated that many libraries and
inadequate funding is a major challenge in IL promotion information centres especially in Nigeria are still
by librarians and information professionals in Nigeria. occupying rooms, stores or offices that are just
This finding is in line with that of Sheme et al, (2017) converted into libraries and information centres
which stated that activities for efficient and effective probably because of the need to keep ‘some books’
information literacy programmes are tied around somewhere. Inappropriate library buildings impact
financial capabilities of an organization to acquire negatively on information literacy.
needed resources. It is important to stress that most
libraries especially in Nigeria depends on aids from  Inadequate staff motivation: it was revealed by the
NGOs or international organizations. It is sad to noted study that inadequate staff motivation is a major
that corruption, embezzlement and mismanagement etc., challenge in IL promotion by librarians and information
have often diverted funds that are meant for library and professionals in Nigeria. Many information
information professionals development. professionals rely heavily on their employers for
everything, which is in line with their terms of
 Inadequate professional staff: it was revealed by the employment which in most cases in neglected or flouted
study that inadequate professional staff is a major by the employers. This finding supports that of Sheme
challenge in IL promotion by librarians and information et al (2017) which averred that information
professionals in Nigeria. Some libraries are managed by professionals are not adequately taken care of in terms
non-professionals and para-professionals. In some of fringe benefits and other incentives which would
University libraries especially in the Niger Delta region, motivate them to discharge their duties diligently.
people without library science background are
employed into academic librarians’ cadre. This is an  Inadequate ICT infrastructure: it was revealed by the
anomaly. This finding is supported by Dennis (2004) study that inadequate ICT infrastructure is a major
which identified inadequate number of qualified staff to challenge in IL promotion by librarians and information
instruct students during orientation, and inadequate time professionals in Nigeria. Many Nigerian University’
libraries are not computerized, and are not Internet

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enabled, and where some ICT facilities exist they are, deployment of certificated professionals. Having square
“guarded like an egg,” Nweke, (2006). Faboyinde pegs in square holes and round pegs in round holes.
(2006) lamented this defect and stated that “the
application of ICTs in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions  Adequate training of staff: it was revealed by the
show that there is some consciousness of the significant study that adequate training of staff is a major prospect
role ICT can play in delivering library services, even in IL promotion by librarians and information
though ICT is not fully embraced by most academic professionals in Nigeria. This is in corroboration with
libraries in the country. This is also in tandem with Baro and Zuokemefa (2011) which studied Information
Sheme et al (2017) that most libraries do not have literacy programmes in Nigeria: a survey of 36
access to modern information technologies or ICT university libraries and concluded that all librarians in
infrastructure, such as telephone lines, computers and university libraries in Nigerian need training and re-
Internet connectivity. Where these facilities are training in order to be able to use technology effectively
available there is always electricity power failures and to be able to pass on the skills to students. This can
which inhibit their optimum usage. be accomplished by attending seminars and workshops
on use of information and communications
 Resistance to Change: it was revealed by the study that technologies. Baro and Zuokemefa (2011) continued
resistance to change is a major challenge in IL that university management, the libraries, non-
promotion by librarians and information professionals governmental organizations, and ETF (Education Trust
in Nigeria. Many librarians and information Fund) should organize such seminars or workshops to
professionals in Nigeria today, still prefer and do things equip librarians with the skills needed in this digital age
the analogue way rather than digital way of rendering
services. This is in agreement with Techcabal (2019)  Permanent buildings: it was revealed by the study that
which reported that the general attitude of people permanent or proper accommodation or buildings are a
towards change and what digital literacy offers, is a major prospect in IL promotion by librarians and
hindrance in promoting digital literacy. information professionals in Nigeria. This is in line with
Sheme et al (2017) recommendation that government
 Inadequate Internet connectivity: it was revealed by and educational institutions should provide good library
the study that inadequate Internet connectivity is a buildings, befitting and conducive enough to house both
major challenge in IL promotion by librarians and library materials (print and non-printed) as well as
information professionals in Nigeria. Many libraries library users.
both academic, public, National and school, are
bedevilled with very low or non-Internet connectivity.  Proper staff motivation: it was revealed by the study
Where some form of connectivity exists, they are form that proper staff motivation is a major prospect in IL
cyber café services in the library and information promotion by librarians and information professionals
centres rather than for library services. This is in line in Nigeria. Techcabal (2019) supported this by opining
with Agyen-Gyasi (2008) which stated that apathy to that whilst innovation Hubs/clusters should be set up in
user-education programmes, lack of personnel in the areas where they do not exist to make room for the laps
libraries, training need of librarians, irregular internet that occurs in some areas in Nigeria, existing hubs
connectivity and financial constraints are some of the should also partner with civil society groups to promote
challenges facing IL programmes. capacity building programs on digital literacy. Sheme et
al (2017) also supported that information professionals
B. Prospects of Information Literacy promotion should be adequately motivated by their employers
 Adequate funding: it was revealed by the study that through yearly awards, sponsorships and release to
adequate funding is a major prospect in IL promotion attend conferences, seminars and workshops that are
by librarians and information professionals in Nigeria. targeted at information literacy.
This finding is in line with the recommendations of
Sheme et al (2017) that government at all levels should  Adequate provision of required ICT facilities: it was
fund libraries adequately by making budgetary revealed by the study that adequate provision of
provision for library development. If libraries and required ICT facilities is a major prospect in IL
information centres are well funded the practitioners promotion by librarians and information professionals
would initiate and execute programmes that promote in Nigeria. Nweke, (2006) noted that many Nigerian
information literacy. University’ libraries are not computerized, and are not
Internet enabled, and where some ICT facilities exist
 Adequate staffing: it was revealed by the study that they are, “guarded like an egg,”. Faboyinde (2006)
adequate staffing is a major prospect in IL promotion by lamented this defect and stated that “the application of
librarians and information professionals in Nigeria. ICTs in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions show that there is
Buttressing this point, Sheme et al (2017) argued that some consciousness of the significant role ICT can play
many libraries in developing countries are run by non- in delivering library services. The factors responsible
professional staff because, it is assumed that any for this development in the libraries and information
volunteer or teacher can manage a library. This inherent centres vary - both in identity and strength”.
situation can best be arrested with the employment and

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