Global Trends in the 21st Century Librarianship: The Experience in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper highlighted the emerging trends in Library and Information profession in this 21st century with particular emphasis on library practices and library education. The positive trends on both aspects of librarianship were those of online housekeeping operations such as automated online acquisition, circulation, reference services, digitization, curriculum review and modification to accommodate information and communication components and entrepreneurship in libraries and library schools respectively. Challenges to the 21st century librarianship include technological facilities, indifference of government and stakeholders, proliferation of library schools and programmes, divergent curriculum and the abuse of the modern technology in library practices and library education. The paper concluded that with both positive and negative trends, there is the need for LIS professionals to work harder so as to catch up with the counterparts in the rest part of the world. It was recommended among others the collaboration among the regulatory/professional bodies in term of resource assessment, accreditation of LIS programmes, promotion of reading culture.