A library is a collection of sources of information and resources from all fields of knowledge. These resources are often carefully selected by experts from various fields, compiled, and then made available to a defined community.
While that’s the case, most Nigerian universities have not been in good books for library management. It is generally perceived that most libraries here are outdated, and need to be stocked up with fresh materials.
Which University Has The Biggest Library In Nigeria?
Kwara State University has the present biggest university library in Nigeria. The current structure, which doubles as the present biggest in West Africa, was opened in 2019 following the relocation of the university from its previous site.
More Details on the Biggest University Library in Nigeria
The KWASU library was first constructed in 2009. There were two separate buildings. One was the main library (with a capacity of about 60,000 volumes of materials), and the other, was an e-library.
After a change in the library’s location, an agreement was reached by the university body to construct a new library. In a bid to achieve this, they sought a 3 billion naira grant for a project they tagged as TETFUND.
The funds from this grant are what were used to erect the new library. After many months of construction, the new library was commissioned on July 6th, 2019. However, it was not fully operational until the following year, 2020.
Unlike the last, the new library does not consist of 2 separate buildings, rather, it has a 2-split design with stunning architecture. The new library has a seating capacity of 5,000 and is a safe haven for over 100,000 volumes of academic materials and resources.
According to the university body, the purpose of the library is to support the university’s function in areas of teaching. Through the provision of high-quality resources and services, the library also serves to assist the university in research and community development.
It is often believed that books should not be the only thing found in a library. What makes a library truly unique is its ability to provide information and resources needed for research, and these resources may not always be in the form of books.
A standard library should harbor electronic resources as well, and this could be in the form of internet services or a digital library collection. You will find all these and more, in the Kwara State University library as it is highly digitalized.
The library is named after the current president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.
Other Notable University Libraries in Nigeria
The Kwara State University library is not the only library in the country worthy of commendation. There are several other prominent academic libraries and after conducting intensive research, we have come back with a list of some of the very best and their key features.
Covenant University Library
- Popularly called Centre for Learning Resources (CLR).
- Gross floor area of 11,300m2
- 3,500 seating capacity
- Operational virtual library service, which gives access to electronic resources through WebPAC (Web Public Access Catalogue).
Babcock University Library
- Also known as Lazz Memorial Library (LOML)
- Contains about 67,517 volumes of materials across various disciplines
- Hall is well-segmented, and fully air-conditioned
- Online services are accessible via the Online Public Catalogue (OPAC).
Obafemi Awolowo University Library
- Also called Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library
- Two-storey winged building located at the heart of the university campus.
- 2,500 seating capacity
- Access to electronic resources (books and journals) via the internet.
Ahmadu Bello University Library
- Also known as Kashim Ibrahim Library (KIL).
- Mirrors an epitome of excellence in the Nigerian tertiary education
- Located in the main campus
- In 1996, it was the largest completed university in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Ground area of 1,582m
- Capacity of over 500,000 volumes of materials, but seating capacity of 2,000.