Strategies for improving public library services for rural dwellers in selected states in Northeastern Nigeria

The study investigated the strategies for improving public library services for rural dwellers in selected states in Northeastern Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised of 326 rural dwellers and public library staff from Taraba and Adamawa States. This figure is made up of 50 library staff and 276 rural dwellers. Purposive sampling technique was used for selection of 13 rural community dwellers each from the 38 local government areas in the two states. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire. A total of 326 copies of the instruments were distributed and 310 copies were retrieved and used data analysis. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that the rural dwellers in selected states in Northeastern Nigeria need different types of information for their daily needs; methods necessary for improving the provision of library services and result further reveals that respondents accepted all the items as challenges to the provision of services by public libraries to rural dwellers in selected states in Northeastern Nigeria. Based on the findings, the authors recommended that: librarians working in public libraries should identify the scale and diversity of information needs of rural dwellers; government should put up a legislation mandating all the local governments’ councils to establish public libraries in the rural areas, and should appoint a director of state library services who should be on the same level with permanent secretary in the state civil service.