Calls intensify for librarians’strategic placement within universities' academic structures

The Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, has expressed dismay over the continuing knowledge gap among some academics on the relevance of libraries in the 21st Century universities.

Peters stated this on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 the 112th Biennial Meeting of the Association of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities ( AULNU ), held at the NOUN Conference Centre, Jabi, Abuja.

The meeting had its theme: Revolutionising University Libraries through Adoption of Emerging Technologies for Enhanced user Experience.

Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Technology, Innovation, and Research, Prof. Godwin Akper, the VC said over the years his administration has given considerable attention to reposition NOUN library.

"At the centre of my strategic goals as Vice-Chancellor is the advancement of research capacities of academics of NOUN. To this end, deliberate budgetary provisions are made to support the University Librarian to improve upon learning resources available at the library," he said.

In her welcome address Dr. Angela Okpala, Chairman, Association of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (AULNU), said if the association is truly serious about revolutionising libraries through technology, “then we must stop over looking one of the most strategic assets in our institutions which is the systems librarians.

“This cadre already exists within our libraries, but existence alone is not enough. We must strengthen it and sustain it. These professionals are not just support staff, they are the critical link between our rich content and the digital platforms that deliver it.”

Okpala, who is the NOUN Librarian, stated that librarians must begin to re- evaluate and, where necessary, reposition these schools not as peripheral departments, but as central players in the information age.

She recommended that library schools be situated within faculties such as computing or information science, saying that this integration is not merely symbolic, but strategic one.

“It fosters an ecosystem where librarians are not only curators of content but also creators and deployers of digital solutions that ensure global visibility of African scholarship,” she added.

In her address, the Chief Executive Officer, National Library of Nigeria, Prof. Chinwe Anunobi, stressed on the need for collaboration in library sector emphasising on the importance of leveraging technology to enhance library services, promote information accessibility and bridge the knowledge gap in digital age.

In his goodwill message, the Registrar/CEO, Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria, Alhaji Ja'afaru Abdullahi Wase, said the event was a demonstration of the association's consistency and diligence in ensuring sustainability of professionalism in the practice of librarianship in Nigeria universities.

He said the need for a world-class academic library that will enhance innovation and productivity which supports teaching, learning and research is germane.

Wase therefore stated that the roles of University Librarians cannot be over emphasised.