Search

Objective: This article describes the evolution of academic public health library services from standalone academic public health libraries in 2004 to centralized services by 2021. Methods: Five public health libraries serving public health graduate programs (SPH) at public and private institutions were visited in 2006-07. Visits comprised tours, semi-structured interviews with librarians and local health department staff, and collecting of contemporary print documents. We compiled and compared visit notes across libraries. In 2022, we reviewed online materials announcing library closure or transition for timing and how services were to be subsequently provided. Results: Libraries and SPH were co-located and most librarians maintained public health expertise though they did not have faculty appointments in their SPHs. Specialized statistical and geographic information systems (GIS) software and data were provided in partnership, often with other system libraries. Only two libraries had strong connections to health departments--one with direct service agreements and another engaged in public health training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the paper was to examine professional training of librarians and service delivery in public libraries in Nigeria. It is an opinion paper and therefore expository in nature. The paper discussed the history of public libraries in Nigeria and service delivery. The paper critically reviewed the professional training of librarians in public libraries. It also exposed various library services, such as current awareness, user education, inter-library loan, circulation, reprographic service and challenges affecting the services in the public libraries. The paper recommended among others, professional training for librarians with digital skills to enhance their productivity for efficient and effective service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]