New and emerging tools for library practice in the New Millennium

Abstract

The paper provides an overview of trends in library practice worldwide. The trend is largely moderated by information and communication technology (ICT). The new tools of library practice are therefore essentially digital. The economic and social environment of library practice in Nigeria is briefly surveyed before discussing the new library. Discussion on the new library focuses on the uses of electronic mal, wed browsing and web page design, utilizing resources on the web, and manual processing. The paper concludes by listing the challenges in the way of the Nigerian academic/research librarian in appropriating the new tools for library practice. The challenges include funding for ICT, Internet connectivity, maintenance of facilities, provision of functional infrastructure (such as telephone and reliable electric power supply), and, of course, training and continuous professional development.

Keywords: emerging, library, millennium, new, practice, tools

Lagos Journal of Library and Information Science Vol. 1(1) 2003: 67-72