Beyond the Library Walls: Leveraging on Web 2.0 Technologies to Provide Library Services in the Information Society

The paper discussed library as a veritable instrument for transformation especially in a society where people need and seek information for survival. It posited that libraries can use RSS feeds to provide current awareness services (such as upcoming new items, new content added to the library collection and databases) to its user, blogs to post overdue notification, items returned or reserved by a user, library newsletter etc. and live streaming technology to deliver live user training sessions, library orientation, how to search the online databases, etc. to its patrons. The paper also advocated that Nigerian libraries as confluence for knowledge can empower its citizens and Nigeria as a nation by leveraging on web 2.0 technologies such as weblogs, wikis, RSS, social networks etc. to provide library 2.0 services such as virtual reference, interlibrary loan document delivery service and other customized, personalized and collaborative library services. The establishment of web 2.0/emerging technology training Centre by relevant stakeholders such as National Library of Nigeria (NLN) is a major recommendation of the paper. The paper concluded that for Nigerian libraries to make significant impact in nation building and position itself in the Centre of national development drive, it must go beyond its physical wall space to create contents, facilitate community and empower users to be more relevant in the information society of today.