This document discusses the role of libraries and librarians at agricultural research institutes in Nigeria in alleviating rural poverty. It notes that the 15 government agricultural institutes are meant to improve productivity in their areas and develop new farming practices, but questions what they have done to reduce poverty. The document argues that the institutes' libraries are well-positioned to communicate new discoveries and methods to local communities. It recommends that librarians organize lectures and use audiovisual materials to showcase research findings to rural farmers, as well as act as "barefoot librarians" who identify useful information and package it accessibly. The conclusion calls on librarians at these institutes to become more active in sharing knowledge or risk becoming redundant

1. RESEARCH INSTITUTES
LIBRARIES: POTENTIAL
AGENTS FOR RURAL
DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
C.A. Okezie
C.P. Uzuegbu

2. RURAL
DEVELOPMENT –
THE CRY OF
EVERYONE.

3. AGRICULTURE HAS BEEN
SAID TO BE THE REMEDY
TO RURAL POVERTY
(Diso, 2005; Rheo, et al (2010)

4. THER ARE 15 FEREAL
GOVERNMENT OWNED
AGRICULTURAL
INSTITUTES IN NIGERIA.
WHAT HAVE THEY DONE
TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY?

5. ON THE COURSE TO FIND OUT WHAT
THEY HAVE DONE TO ALLEVIATE
POVERTY, SHE SAID,
“ASK THE LIBRARY
AND THE
LIBRARIANS.

6. LIBRARIES OF AGRICULTURAL
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IN
NIGERIA ARE TWO-TAILED IN
SERVICES.
THEY ARE BOTH SPECIAL AND
PUBLIC ORIENTED IN SERVICE.
(Junping, 1996; Bredekamp, 1996; Ghosh and Wesley, 2002; Cornish, 1993)

7. SPECIAL BECAUSE THEY
EXIST SOLELY FOR THE
INSTITUTE’S GOAL.
BUT PUBLIC BECAUSE THE
INSTITUTE THEY SERVE
HAS A MANDATE AIMED
AT THE PUBLIC

8. A CRUCIAL MANDATE OF THE
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA IS
TO:
1.
IMPROVE THE
PRODUCTIVITY OF WHAT
THEY SPECIALIZE ON IN
THEIR LOCALE

9. 2.
DEVELOP, TEACH AND
ENCOURAGE THE
ADOPTION OF THE
AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
IN THEIR AREAS OF
SPECIALISTAION

10. EXPECTATIONS THEREFORE
INCLUDE:
DISCOVERIES AND NEW
METHODS IN FARMING
SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED
TO THE INSTITUTE’S LOCALE
THROUGH LIBRARIES

11. THE LIBRARIAN IS
TRAINED TO DO IT AND
NOT THE EXTENSION
OFFICER.

12. INSTRUMENTS TO ACHIEVE IT INCLUDE:
1.
LIBRARY ORGANIZED
LECTURES AND SYMPOSIA TO
EXHIBIT THEIR INSTITUTE’S
EVIDENCE-BASED RESOURCES
TO THEIR WIDER
COMMUNITY. (Sawaya, et al, 2009).

13. 2.
USE OF AUDIO-VISUALS, CD AND
TAPE RECORDERS. IT IS COMMON
KNOWLEDGE THAT A RURAL YAM
FARMER WILL UNDERSTAND AND
APPRECIATE VIDEO RECORD OF YAM
PLANTING PROCESSES THAN A TEXT
FORMAT OF SAME.

14. 3.
“BAREFOOT LIBRARIANS” –
INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS THAT
WILL GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO
FIND OUT WHAT KNOWLEDGE THEY
WANT THAT THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
PROVIDES AND COME BACK TO
PACKAGE IT IN THE MOST SUITABLE
FORMAT FOR THE USERS’
UNDERSTANDING AND USE. (Schachter, 2006b;
Crosby, 2008; Onwubiko, 2001) .

15. LIBRARIANS IN AGRICULTURAL
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IN
NIGERIA
WAKE FROM SLUMBER OR BE
RENDERED REDUNDANT

16. bye
Delivered by C.P. UZUEGBU (CLN)