Re-inventing a Model for Rural Information Services for an Inclusive Information Society in Nigeria: The Role of Rural and Community Libraries and Information Centres

This article focuses on the creation of a model for the delivery of information services to influence the attainment of an inclusive information society using rural and community libraries. The paper uses current empirical and non-empirical documentary sources to explain the concepts of rural community, information society, and sustainable development. It also describes rural and community libraries and information centres as those societal institutions that provide information to the grassroots and rural dwellers, basically targeting their specific information needs. It outlines the important roles of the rural and community libraries and information centres in achieving sustainable development through inclusivity under the areas of bridging the digital divide and having direct interaction with the rural populace in a two-way framework involving action and feedbacks. An 8-point model information services for an inclusive information society is drafted to include information for political inclusion, financial/economic inclusion, educational/literacy inclusion, socio-cultural inclusion, among others. The challenges and prospects of implementing rural information services for an inclusive information society include poor information infrastructure and architecture, inadequate policies on rural information services, government negligence of the rural communities, etc. The paper recommends creation of policies on rural information services delivery, training of librarians on contemporary rural information services delivery, provision of adequate modern rural information infrastructure and architecture and other means of addressing the challenges identified.