Developing Rural Libraries and the Need for Virtual Libraries in Nigeria: Threats and Opportunities

Purpose: Sensitize the government and rural populace on the need to embrace virtual library in public libraries for the purpose of bridging the information gap between the urban and rural communities. Design/Methodology/Approach: This is an opinion paper which highlights the relevance of technology in public libraries and the need for stakeholders to build and to indigenise our information infrastructure in order to exploit the immense benefits of the constantly changing hardware and software environment. Findings: Daniel (1986) observed that about 70% of people in Nigeria live in the rural areas and are illiterates. Therefore, a dynamic technologically driven public library services cannot be considered paramount to the development of majority population unless it is firmly rooted to meet their information requirement and also sustain the professional development of librarians and public libraries in general. Practical Implications: If the rural communities’ information requirements are met, the axiom that knowledge is power will come to play. The rural populace cannot be knowledgeable and powerful if they do not have relevant information to empower their thinking and enhance their understanding. This paper therefore recommends the establishment of virtual libraries to serve public libraries in rural communities. Originality and Value: Rural communities need to be part of the global digital revolution through which images, text, and graphics are stored, retrieved, and reconfigured limitlessly, making knowledge, information and entertainment available on a scale that would befuddle past generations. Keywords: Public libraries, rural communities, virtual libraries, Digital revolution, information