Abstract
Objective:The authors examined the current state of service delivery, collections, and challenges in Nigerian medical libraries.Methods:We employed a descriptive mixed method research design using a cross-sectional quantitative survey of Nigerian medical librarians and qualitative interviews with heads of selected Nigerian medical libraries.Results:Respondents indicated that the US National Library of Medicine classification scheme is most commonly used to organize the resources of medical libraries in Nigeria. Respondents indicated that library users have a high understanding about the library but exhibit low usage of library services. Nigerian medical libraries have social media accounts but use them infrequently. Most medical librarians do not provide specialized services to health care professionals, and monographs are the major information resources in their collections. Most medical librarians in Nigeria have beginner-level knowledge of systematic reviews and evidence-based medicine and rarely organize training for library users.Conclusion:Our findings show that services offered by medical libraries in Nigeria are still evolving. Identified skill deficits among medical librarians need to be addressed. The country's library associations and international programs in developing countries should focus on providing continuing education and training of Nigerian medical librarians to enhance their support for medical education and practice in Nigeria.
Highlights
Medical librarianship is one of the oldest specializations in the field of library and information science, as evidenced by the formation of the US Medical Library Association (MLA) in 1898 [1], a time when there were few sectors in librarianship
Following a survey consisting of open- and closed-ended questions, we performed semi-structured interviews to better understand the survey results related to the challenges and prospects of medical librarianship in Nigeria
No respondents reported
Summary
Medical librarianship is one of the oldest specializations in the field of library and information science, as evidenced by the formation of the US Medical Library Association (MLA) in 1898 [1], a time when there were few sectors in librarianship. In Nigeria, a developing country in West Africa, the first medical library was established in 1910 at the Medical Research Institute Lagos [3], and until the early 1940s, this library and the Medical Headquarters Library Lagos were the only two medical libraries in the country [4]. These two libraries merged in 1945, combining their respective strengths in medical textbook and journal collections in one place, to form the Central Medical Library, Yaba Lagos [5], which is often inaccurately reported as the first medical library in Nigeria. By 1975, around seven medical libraries existed in the country [6], following the establishment of medical schools in Nigeria
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