Challenges faced by law libraries in digital age must be recognised, says ABU Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Kabiru Bala, has spoken at the 47th National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Law Librarians (NALL), stressing that the challenges faced by law libraries in the present digital age must be recognised.
The conference, “Prompt Diversity and Inclusiveness through Innovative Law Library and Information Service Delivery in Nigeria”, was held at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria on Tuesday, 27th August, 2024.
Declaring the conference open, Prof. Bala, who was represented by the Ag. University Librarian, Dr. Abdulhamid Gambo Liman, said that the advent of online databases and electronic resources had revolutionalised legal research with new challenges in terms of accessibility, authenticity, and affordability.
The Vice-Chancellor stressed that law libraries must also remain relevant and accessible to all who seek enlightenment and justice, as well as embrace technology while preserving the timeless values of scholarship, integrity, and service.
“Moreover, we must recognise that the mission of law libraries extends beyond the confines of their physical walls. In an increasingly interconnected world, we have a duty to promote global collaboration and knowledge sharing to foster a community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to the pursuit of justice and the rule of law”, he said.
Prof. Bala explained that law libraries are not only repositories of books and documents but also bastions of knowledge, guardian of justice, and pillars of democracy in addition to being the sanctuaries where the principles of law and justice are preserved for the generations to come.
In his keynote speech, Prof. Umar Ibrahim of the Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, commended NALL for being the oldest form of librarianship and for successfully hosting 47 National conferences and Annual General Meetings with themes that keep up with global best practices.
Prof. Umar, a former University Librarian, Ahmadu Bello University, applauded NALL members for their contributions to scholarly and research outputs that demonstrate their deep awareness of current trends.
In his address of welcome, the NALL President Nuraddeen Ibrahim Safana enjoined members to stay updated on current trends in library activities, especially Artificial Intelligence.
He also urged them to publish papers in conferences so as to build and develop their capacities and competencies in discharging their duties.
Some of the papers presented at the conference included “Sustainable Access to Law Library Services in a Technology Driven Environment: Challenges and Opportunities” by Dr. Aminu Musa Umar of Kashim Ibrahim Library, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; “Managing Staff Diversity for Effective Service Delivery in Law Libraries in Nigeria: A Conceptual Approach” by Prof. Uluocha Anyaogu of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of Lagos; and “The Law Library of the Future: Leveraging Generative AI for Enhanced Services” delivered by Dr. Mustapha Aminu Bagiwa, of the Department Computer Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
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Public Affairs Directorate,
Office of the Vice-Chancellor,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Thursday, 29th August, 2024
