ABSTRACT

This research work investigated the Public Library Services for Lifelong Learning in Abia State Library Board, Umuahia, Abia State. The study was guided by seven objectives whic inc u e to, identify types of information needs of the users of Abia State library Board, identify the educational background of the users of Abia State library Board, identify the occupational status oft e users o Abia State library Board, identify the age of the users of Abia State library Board, identi yte duration of information use by users of Abia State library Board, examine the challenges o la State library Board in rendering lifelong services to its users and proffer solutions to the identi le challenges of Abia State library Board in rendering lifelong services to its users. A descriptive research design was used for the study. The area of the study was Abia State, Nigeria. A tota population of (3,135) respondents consisting of 135 library staff and 3,000 registered users at Abia State library Board, Umuahia out of which 314 representing 10% of the total population were sampled. The instrument for data collected and used was questionnaire. The researcher distributed 314 copies of the questionnaire to the respondents personally and 137 copies were correctly filled and returned, representing 43.63% return rate. Frequency tables and mean scores were used for data presentation and analysis. The results of the findings revealed that majority of the respondents’ information needs are information on security; followed by information on sports; information on health; information on government policies/programmes; information on academics; information on politics; next is information on personal development; and the least is information on agriculture, majority of the respondents have Masters; followed by Ph.D; Bachelors’ Degree; WASCE/SSCE or equivalent; HND; diploma;;OND, informal education and primary school/first school leaving, majority of the respondents are civil servant; teacher/lecturer followed by student; retired persons; unemployed; politician; farmer and lastly trader/businessman. None of the respondents is a clergy or a private company employee, majority ofthe respondents’ age status range between 31-49 yrs; 20-30 yrs; 50-69 yrs; 70 and above; 13-19 yrs and 3-12 yrs, challenges of Abia State library board in rendering lifelong services to its users are: inadequate fund to purchase information resources; lack of donors/philanthropists to assist in collection development; lack of current information resources; far location of the library; users unaware of the services of the public library; unconducive environment for reading; unstable power supply to access the internet; inadequate ICT facilities in the library; the opening and closing hours ofthe library are not enough; and inadequate seating space, solutions to the challenges of Abia State library board in rendering lifelong services to its users are provision of adequate fund to purchase information materials; donors/philanthropists should assist in collection development; provision of current library resources; users should be made aware of the services ofthe public library; the public library should establish branches to the rural areas; provision of conducive environment for reading; provision of alternative power supply; provision of adequate ICT facilities to enhance internet connectivity; the public library should extend its opening and closing hours; and provision of adequate seating space. The study also made recommendations that public libraries should create awareness amongst the adult learners on the use and relevance of the library in life-long learning. This they can do through user education and liaising with other educators and institutions, and funding has to be adequate to make all necessary facilities and resources available in sufficient quantities so serve the diverse users both within and outside the library