ACCOMPLISHING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION THROUGH LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper explored the diversity and inclusion initiatives in library and information services and their contributions to the management of Nigeria’s diversity issues. Nigeria is a country that comprises of people with diverse age groups, diverse tribes, diverse ethnics groups and diverse cultures. How to ensure peaceful co-existence and unity among Nigeria’s conglomeration of people has been a concern to all the governments of Nigeria. Libraries have played positive effects on this peaceful co-existence and unity by offering various services that showcase or encourage every cultural heritage, through the provision of; diverse library collections of different authors, diverse digital services, and information services to the disabled or physically challenged people in the communities amongst others. Diversity and inclusion initiatives in libraries are important because they facilitate a greater ability to understand and provide service to diverse communities of patrons, organisations that embrace diversity and inclusion are ultimately more successful because greater numbers of people are represented and they ensure that they are no discriminations of any sort. Libraries aim to ensure the full representation of all of Nigeria's diverse populations in the provision of information resources and services that would meet their heterogeneous information needs. The paper also highlights some impediments to these services as insufficient funding, unskilled staff, and a host of others. The paper proffered some suggestions for the challenges identified; the government should increase the library’s budget allocation, training of the staff and others. This paper is an opinon paper. The author reviewed hardcopies and online databases literature on diversity and inclusiveness of library services the process of writing this work.