Library and Information Services Targeting Poverty Alleviation for Sustainable Human Development

Abstract

The study examined library and information services that are targeted towards poverty alleviation for sustainable human development by focusing on the physically challenged and special needs undergraduates at selected universities in Southwest Nigeria. Through a survey research approach, the study drew on 105 physically challenged undergraduates from seven universities using the total enumerative technique. A questionnaire was used to gather data from the respondents. Five research questions were raised to guide the study. The results revealed that library and information services which focused on poverty alleviation from the perspective of physically challenged students enabled people to become self-employed, and this is inclusive of physically challenged students. It was unanimously agreed that sustainable development from the perspective of physically challenged students is a programme directed to ensure equitable access to information, ideas, and works of imagination for the social, educational, cultural, democratic, and economic well-being of people. There is a significant relationship between poverty alleviation and sustainable development as the former gives way to the latter. A limited number of university libraries have organised programmes on poverty alleviation for sustainable development that target physically challenged students. A limited number of physically challenged students have attended such programmes. The problems associated with the information services for poverty alleviation and sustainable development of physically challenged students include funding followed by corruption on the part of those who are directly in charge.