Title:
LIBRARY AND EDUCATION: ANY RELATIONSHIP IN THE INTERNET AGE?

Authors:
Mr.Michael Jato , Dr. Samuel Oke Ogunniyi And Dr. Johnson Ayodeji Akerele

Abstract:
A library is as important to learners as education itself; and as such library has been an important aspect of any educational institution. However, the advent of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has revolutionised every aspect of human endeavour including education. Notwithstanding, the paper establishes that the existing symbiotic relationship between library and education has not been obliterated by The Internet. This paper discusses the concept of education and library, levels of education and type of library. The paper reveals that Internet has not and will not obliterate the inseparable relationship between library and education; rather ICTs have enabled the libraries to automate, digitize; and place their resources on The Internet for global access by both the students, researchers, faculty and the teachers. The services of school library for primary and secondary education have been further enhanced by the Internet through remote locations of library resources and access any time, any place and anywhere by using any keyword searches. The academic libraries have also been reposition by the ICTs to support teaching, learning and research of the tertiary education by the provision of e-book ejournals and other online and databases. Public library is closely knit with the informal education, and it is able to serve this form of education better in the Internet Age. Poor funding of ICT infrastructures, frequent change of software and hardware, erratic power supply and insufficient bandwidth among others are the constraints faced by libraries in supporting education in the Internet Age. The paper recommends among others that library automation is a necessity and not an option, digitalization of library printed information resources is indispensable, adherence to international acceptance standard during automation and digitization to prevent problems of interoperability; adequate funding, and wide consultation before choosing software and hardware.