Comparative Study of Library and Information Science Curricula in Tertiary Institutions in South-East Nigeria

Rev"d Obiora Nwosu
2013 IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering  
This study was undertaken in order to highlight and compare the curricula of the different Library Schools in the tertiary institutions, South East, Nigeria. This is a descriptive survey, using a checklist (the minimum academic standards provided by the different regulatory bodies -NUC and NBTE). All the ten Library Schools in South-East, Nigeria, were used for the study. The results of the study reveal that there are no uniformity and conformity in the curricula run in the Universities, but
more » ... re are uniformity in the Polytechnics curricula. In spite of the uniformity & conformity with its regulatory body's minimum standard, the Polytechnic curriculum is not suitable for registerable status as Librarians to be accorded to its products. The regulatory bodies rely heavily and wholly on professional bodies to provide their different professional and academic programmes standards. The NLA and LRCN are not doing much yet in the area of standardization and harmonization of the curricula so as to train Librarians/Information Scientists of this 21 st century. Comparative Study Of Library And Information Science Curricula In Tertiary Institutions In South www.iosrjournals.org 34 | Page The Problem The library educators at their 2007 National Conference succeeded only in brainstorming without effecting the most needed curriculum harmonization and standardization. The NUC and NBTE provided the minimum academic standard (curriculum). Library schools are expected to improve and enlarge it to meet the profession"s demands for the 21 st century. Greater majority of the present library educators were not trained in ICT and computer applications to the library. Too, those who designed the academic programme (curriculum), which both the NUC and NBTE adopted were not ICT compliant. With their non-exposure or low exposure to ICT, any curricula review by them, will most likely be deficient in computer and ICT areas which are now in vogue in library and information science. It is, therefore, most pertinent, at this time, where there are many contenders to relieve the librarians of their esteemed job, that the curricula should be critically looked at, with the view of coming out with excellent curricula for the Nigerian University and Polytechnic Library Schools. The concern of this study is the comparative study of the library and information curricula run by library schools in the South-East of Nigeria. Research Method This is a descriptive survey. The minimum academic standards (curricula) articulated and provided by the different regulatory bodies, NUC and NBTE, for Library and Information Science programmes, were used as the checklists. There are ten tertiary institutions in the South-East of Nigeria that offer Library and Information Science. They are:
doi:10.9790/1684-0553341 fatcat:oaqaohcey5eujjz337zf4dk4ne