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Week 2 library

The document discusses the various roles of libraries, which include custodial, educational, informational, and research functions. Libraries serve as custodians of knowledge and culture, support education by providing access to resources, and meet diverse information needs of individuals. Additionally, they play a crucial role in facilitating research and networking among libraries to enhance user access to information.

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4 views

Week 2 library

The document discusses the various roles of libraries, which include custodial, educational, informational, and research functions. Libraries serve as custodians of knowledge and culture, support education by providing access to resources, and meet diverse information needs of individuals. Additionally, they play a crucial role in facilitating research and networking among libraries to enhance user access to information.

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c5vbkqjfgg
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Week 2

Venue: Auditorium. Time: 12pm-1pm


Lecture on GST 122: Use of Library
ROLES OF LIBRARIES
Introduction
As there exits different types of library in our society today. Types of these libraries were
discussed extensively in our last week class. A library can be an academic, school, research,
public, special, national or even a private library. Each of the aforementioned types of libraries
has its unique functions or roles play in society. Generally speaking, libraries have some
basic/major roles which they play in any country where they exit. The major roles played by
libraries include the following: custodial, educational, information, and research roles.

Roles of Library
Libraries generally perform the following roles:

• A) Custodial Role

• b) Educational Role

• c) Informational Role

• d) Research Role

Custodial Roles: One of the major roles played by libraries is a custodial role. This role
highlights the concept of the library towards the preservation of records of human knowledge,
history and culture at various ages and civilizations. Consequently, libraries were repositories
or store-house of knowledge. In other words, they played the custodial or museum role of
safeguarding recorded information. This role is still valid, as without it, human ideas would not
have been passed from one generation to another.

Libraries are custodians of the local and national culture by storing popular and academic
knowledge and material for current and future generations. Culture reflects people's way of life,
people's mode of dressing, music, dancing, sports, and politics. Libraries acquire document
materials on the culture of the people and organize, preserve and disseminate such materials to
users. In African society, where most of the oral forms of culture are fast fading away due to
western culture, the role of the Library in preserving cultural values can be over-emphasized.
Public libraries play the most important role worldwide in helping to bridge the information gap
by providing free access to information and communication technologies, particularly the
Internet. They are inclusive in that they build bridges between individuals at the local and global
levels of knowledge.
 Regularly monitor and maintain the Library's building structure, systems, and grounds.
 Ensure the furniture and rooms in the Library are well kept.
 Safeguard all the materials in the Library from stealing and mutilating.
 Operate building machinery and equipment utilizing safety precautions.
 Assist and perform opening and closing procedures of the building.
 Storing popular and academic knowledge and material for current and future generations.
 Acquire document materials on the culture of the people and organize, preserve and
disseminate such materials to users.
Educational Roles: the educational role of the Library lies in its potential for the acquisition,
organization, storage, and dissemination of information materials that contain knowledge.
Libraries also guide users on how best to use the materials to optimum advantage.The Library
has resources for the promotion of formal and informal education. These resources are printed
and non-printed materials. The educational roles of the Library could be identified as thus:

 Supporting education.
 Teaching, research and training in the society by providing access to knowledge
resources, materials, and referrals.
 Dissemination of information to all library users.
 To keep a good record of knowledge stored in documents for stakeholders in education.
 To serve as gateways to the collections of global libraries.
 To support informal self-education and learning.

Information Role: every individual seeks information to make decisions and help him reduce
the level of uncertainty. The information needs of the individual could be
personal(entertainment, employment, scholarship, religious injunctions, etc.) for research,
education, or official business in organizations or government agencies. The Library provides
materials and other resources to meet these varying information needs. Informational roles of the
Library could be identified as thus:

 Ensure all users have access to information and knowledge regardless of their disabilities.
 To facilitate smooth public access to government information from federal to local
government.
 To safeguard the right of every member of society to free access to information.
 To provide free access to diverse kinds and formats of information to all.
 To serve as a place where people can acquire and refine literacy competencies and skills.
 To provide a public place where culture is displayed, preserved, and promoted.

Research Roles: the Library provides materials and other resources that can meet its users'
research need or information needs. Research roles of the Library could be identified as thus:

 To explore the growing role of ebooks and make recommendations on each subject.
 To acquire relevant and current books on all subject matter.
 By providing useful materials for research.
 To inform users on the available grants and scholarship opportunities and serve as a guide
on how to apply for them.
 To serve as the intellectual center of the modern university
 To cooperate and network among other Libraries to meet users' information needs.

References
Ukpebor, C.O. (2012). Use of library: Transition from traditional to modernity (2nd ed.). Benin
City: Avalanche.

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