CREATING A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH E-LIBRARY

The contributions of library services to teachers/lecturers resourcefulness and students’ effective learning and development cannot be overemphasized. However, due to population explosions in schools including many tertiary institutions, human congestions, inadequate sitting facilities, uncomfortable stuffy atmospheric condition due to inadequate air conditioner facilities as well as insufficient availability of relevant contemporary study materials for usage characterize many libraries. Without doubt these are negatively affecting the efficiency and resourcefulness of teaching staff as well as students’ safety, health, and effectiveness in their learning and development. With the potentialities provided by e-library all these could be properly taken care of. This paper explores the potentialities of e-libraries, shows how e-libraries can help create a safe and healthy environment for effective learning and development, and then highlights some major challenges associated with e-library and its management. In order to proffer solutions to the challenges highlighted some suggestions were made which include: provision of adequate funds to libraries by governments and concerned private bodies, sincerity and accountability from beneficiaries of the funds in terms of utilization, prioritized investment in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by library managements to support e-library services and provision of effective internet connectivity within the institutions and their environs.