UNLOCKING THE POTENTIALS OF CLOUD COMPUTING AS A GATEWAY FOR INFORMATION ACCESS AND STORAGE IN LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION CENTRES

Abstract

The paper examined the perspective of cloud computing as emerging technology and how it affects all sectors of human endeavour, particularly information access and storage in libraries and information centres. It discusses the cloud computing, information access and storage, libraries and information centres, types of cloud computing, cloud computing models, how they are being employed in the provision of library and information services. Also, potentials of cloud computing in libraries and information centres and challenges of deploying them in library and information centres have been highlighted. It concluded that there should be forward looking, risk taking and inspiring library and information centres management and authority readily available and willing to provide the requisite human and material resources and support to facilitate effective potentials of the cloud computing for the systematic advancement of library and information centres operations, resources and services. To a large extent, when such steps are systematically adopted, unlocking the potentials of cloud computing for information access and storage will have a great impact on information resources utilization in libraries and information centres for sustainable development