The Director, Asaga-Ohafia Community Study Centre, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abia State, Dr. Nkata U. Kalu, has underscored the need for students to embrace the culture of seeking and accessing library services throughout their stay in the university.
Kalu, who stated this in a chat with the NOUN News correspondent in his office, explained utilising the library services would support the quality services delivered in NOUN as an Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institution for their academic achievements.
According to him, ODL, by its nature and operations, supports lifelong learning, flexibility, separation of learners and teachers and can hardly survive without a functioning library.
He viewed that library is the life wire of any institution, adding that it epitomises the collection of information resources made available to those who seek knowledge.
The director identified library support services as key to achieving success in ODL mode of instructional delivery, stressing its impact to students, faculty members, among others.
He highlighted some of the library services that support quality service delivery in NOUN as: library website & links, registration of users, library automation & digitalisation and selective dissemination of information.
Other forms of library support through which librarians render support services to users are: library without walls, electronic library, hybrid library and traditional library.
Kalu added that technology has given us the opportunity and privilege of creating libraries without walls, hence the need to access and utilise learning resources without physical visit to its four walls.
