Repositioning Public Libraries to meet the Information Needs of Farmers in Nigeria: a case of Dass Local Government Bauchi State

This study examined the repositioning of public libraries to effectively meet the information needs of farmers in Nigeria, using Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State as a case study. A descriptive research design was adopted, and a purposive sampling technique was used to select eighty-eight (88) farmers. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that although farmers have significant information needs in areas such as agricultural practices, economic activities, education, politics, and environmental issues, the use of public libraries as a source of information remains low. Instead, most farmers rely on informal sources such as family, friends, and fellow farmers. The study further identified major challenges hindering effective use of public libraries, including language barriers, low awareness of library services, long distance to library facilities, inadequate relevant materials, insufficient personnel, and limited access time. The study concludes that public libraries in the study area have not been adequately repositioned to meet the information needs of farmers. It therefore recommends increased funding, improved library resources, staff training and retraining, development of localized and translated information materials, and enhanced outreach and awareness programmes to promote effective utilization of public library services among farmers.