International Journal of
Library and Information Science

  • Abbreviation: Int. J. Lib. Inf. Sci.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2537
  • DOI: 10.5897/IJLIS
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 246

Article in Press

The library as facilitator of public access to information: 21st Century approach

Ozonuwe Opene Sunday

  •  Received: 08 December 2018
  •  Accepted: 22 May 2019
This article describes the nature of 21st century, the new roles libraries and librarians must play to continue to facilitate public access to information in the face of 21st century where the information and communication technology products such as the web, internet, android mobile devices and social media network have changed the way we live, think, communicate, obtain and disseminate information (world 2.0).It emphasized how these products have made the world omni presence, omni information/knowledge, omin collaboration and omini access. The paper also discussed the challenges21stcentaury librarians may encounter why applying the information and communication technology products to their professions and suggested possible solutions. It recommended that librarians of 21st century must acquire computer literacy skills; metadata skills, information packaging and repackaging skills to be able to be repositioned and handle the challenges and also exploit the opportunities 21st century innovations has brought.

Keywords: Library, Librarians, Facilitator, Public Access, Information, 21st Century, Information, Communication, Technology, Products, Smartphones, Android, Mobile, Devices.