ROLES OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN A DIGITAL AGE: A NIGERIA PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This study is a review of literature on the roles of academic libraries in the digital age. The digital age is an era characterized by the emergence and proliferation of Information communication technologies and telecommunications. The roles of libraries across the globe is changing in the digital era and academic library is not an exception as they are redefining their roles to remain competitive in the technology saturated era. To examine the roles academic libraries are playing in the digital era, this study reviewed extensive literature on salient issues which specifically revealed that academic libraries in digital age play key roles like information guide, facilitators of digital scholarship, open access advocators, digital preserver, data management expert, information literacy champions, amongst others. Though the study revealed some challenges faced by academic libraries in a digital age such as lack of ICT literate staff, poor internet connection, epileptic power supply, poor funding of academic libraries and poor copyright protection. Based on these revelations, the followings were strongly recommended such as, training and development programmes for staff, upgrading internet service provider (ISP) with faster speeds and better coverage, solar power system, fundraising campaigns/partnership and collaborations, legal action and enforcement, amongst others. The study concluded that the digital age has brought a profound transformation to the activities and mode of operations of libraries all over the globe and academic libraries must reposition their roles to meet the challenges of the Internet, World Wide Web, and online access in the information age.