Abstract
This chapter discusses 21st century Library and Information Services for the enhancement of teacher education. The work starts by highlighting the place of teachers in every society. Teachers transform lives. They inculcate worthwhile attitude in the leaders of tomorrow. It is therefore important to ensure that they receive qualitative education on the platform of 21st century libraries. The chapter further discusses the services provided by 21st century libraries among which are Online Reference Services, Selective Dissemination of Information, Current Awareness Services and Online Public Access Catalogue. The opportunities provided by 21st century libraries are highlighted. These include multi-user access to resources, improvement of internal operations, round- the-clock access, etc. This chapter recommends adequate provision of funds, intensification of user education, as well as back-up power supplies for better performance of these libraries. It concludes that 21st century libraries are sine qua non to the enhancement of teacher education and should therefore not be trivialized in any way.
TopWhat Then Is A Library?
The term library originated from a Latin word liber, which means collection of books processed, preserved maintained and made accessible for use (Estabrook, 2014). A library also means a building that houses different kinds of print and digital resources, for the purpose of reading, learning and research. Libraries ensure the acquisition, processing, and easy access to learning resources in various formats. They serve wide range of clientele, depending on the library type. Libraries preserve ancient records for past, present and future generations. Ebunuwela, Yaya and Krubu (2011) see libraries as part of the pillars of civilization and insist that no nation can function effectively without the use of library.
Before the advent of ICT, libraries housed printed materials. The 21st century libraries have however witnessed a tremendous turnaround in information generation and retrieval. These libraries no longer hold only printed resources but a combination of prints and electronic databases as well as internet resources which are made available in the library through ICT. The world has indeed become a global village as a result of the availability of internet availability which provides opportunities for library users to navigate the web and harness resources necessary for researches.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Teacher: A qualified personnel in the area of education who is chiefly responsible for impacting knowledge on learners through formal methods of instruction.
21st Century Library: An information centre or store house of information which is decked with the responsibility of providing maximum satisfaction to information needs of its user through the use of automated, virtual or digital methods.
ICT in Library: The utilization of computers and information technology facilities in libraries.
Library for Teachers: A library set up in an institute of education, faculties, college of education as well as teachers training colleges.
Education: The process of giving or receiving systematic instructions through formal or informal methods.
Teacher Education: The steps, procedures, policies and programmes involved in preparing the prospective teacher for impacting others with knowledge and skills.