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A don, Prof. Lucky Abdulsalami, has alerted that libraries may go into extinction unless librarians learn to adapt and seek out creative answers to societal change for effective library and information services marketing.
Abdulsalami, who is the Librarian of the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo, raised the alarm on Wednesday in Okada, while delivering the 23rd Inaugural Lecture of Nigeria’s premier private university.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture is titled “Marketing of Library and Information Services: The Role of the Library”.
The don noted that though libraries remained the best source of wisdom and knowledge, the introduction of new technology and its application in libraries had opened up new avenues for marketing the library and its services.
“Libraries and library professionals are attempting to seize possibilities to beat out competitors – commercial vendors and technology specialists – in the age of competitive competition.
“Most libraries across the world have begun to sell library and information services, and have created a record for each event for accreditation.
“As a result, libraries are developing marketing and promotion strategies to provide suitable services that will satisfy the needs of current trends while respecting, identifying and changing demands of more difficult users,” said the university librarian.
Abdulsalami, who is the first to deliver an inaugural lecture from the Department of Library and Information Science of the institution, advocated excellent library services, and appropriate staffing and facilities in the context of marketing librarians and the services they provided.
“With increased alternatives for information, librarians must learn to gain a competitive edge and promote the added value in the services they provide.
“For effective information handling and management, effective marketing should be used to promote access to library and information services as a panacea towards sustainable libraries in the digital age,” he asserted.
Earlier, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, the Vice Chancellor of the university, said the occasion was significant in the career of an academic staff member and held to acknowledge appointment or promotion of full professors.
An inaugural lecture, the vice chancellor, said provided a platform for sharing discoveries, ideas and insights with the public and the larger academic community as well as engaging the town and gown.
Ezemonye, who recounted recent developments in the university, said the school had expanded its collaborative research with local and international partners to enhance knowledge production for national and global development. (NAN)
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