ROLE OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study examined the role of the public library in achieving sustainable development goals in Nigeria. It investigated the rate at which Nigerian public libraries are aware of the existence of sustainable development goals. It also examined the quality of human resources in public libraries in Nigeria. It investigated the challenges faced in the achievement of the SDGS. The survey approach was adopted using questionnaire to collect data. Data collected was analysed thorugh the use of frequency tables, percentages and Somers’ delta. Library staff in the six selected states, one from each geopolitical zone, constituted the population of the study. The result of the study showed that there is minimal awareness of the SDGS on the part of the library staff and found that the Nigerian public library is hardly in a good state materially to play an efficient role in the achievement of SDGS. It was also discovered that the challenges inhibiting the public library from playing its role as a developmental tool include, infrastructural problem, lack of adequate funding and poor government involvement in public library activities. The study recommended that government should put the public library in a good state in infrastructure, material resource and human resource; it was also recommended that SDGS offices work hand in hand with the public library in their programmes.