Factors Affecting Accessibility and Utilisation of Public Library Services Among Rural Dwellers in Nigeria:

A Literature Review

Abstract

This paper aims at examining the factors affecting the accessibility and utilization of public library services among rural dwellers in Nigeria. However, the findings showed that centralization of library services at the local government headquarters was the main challenge faced by the rural dwellers in seeking and using information from public libraries in the area under study. Closely related, were the absence of library services in rural communities, ineffective library services in rural communities, inadequate or inappropriate information resources, absence of Community Information Resource Centres in rural areas. Other factors identified
included language barrier which is generally but not exclusively associated with the literacy levels of the rural dwellers, lack of qualified library personnel, and lack of basic infrastructural facilities in rural communities, as well as economic constraints and poor telecommunication systems.