Youth Participation and Contribution in Nation Building: The Role of Library and Information Centre

Abstract

Purpose: This study was carried out to assess the information needs of the youth, sources of service deliveries preferred, library usage and challenges of utilizing the libraries in two different youth engagements, in the rural urban community in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria. Design/Methodology/Approach: Descriptive survey research design was used for the study. All the youth that attended the Justice Development and Peace Commission Onitsha/ Voice to the People Project (JDPC/V2P) Girls Parliament program in Onitsha were used as respondents. They were 80 participants while random sampling was used in the rural community during youth needs assessment in March and September 2015, respectively. Instrument for data collection was structured questionnaire. A total of 150 copies of questionnaire were distributed to participants between the ages of 18 and 30 and a return rate of 73.3% was made. The data was analyzed using simple percentages and frequency counts. Findings: The results revealed that 80% of the youth needed information on governance and politics. They also assessed this information through the cyber cafe/internet and preferred online sources (83.6%). It was also discovered that 65.5% of them have visited the library which was the school library. The greatest challenge revealed was that there are no libraries in most of the communities (77.3%), which makes it hard for them to assess the needed information. Implication: Solutions to challenges of relevant library and information services to youth participation and contribution in nation building include availability and effective service deliveries of information resources in ways that are desirable to the youth will add value to their activities and improve on their knowledge and participation in sustainable development programs in the nation. Originality/Value: It was recommended that libraries should take proactive approaches in attracting users’ needs as well as adopting today’s technological devices in channeling information to the youths wherever they are.