Equity-based library and information service in distance learning environment: myth or reality?

Abstract

The desirability and usefulness of library and its services in any academic programmes is never a contentious issue as they promote quality in education. Success stories of programming and implementation of open and distance education programmes have been told in several parts of the world. Among other things, students in this system sit in their homes and work places to receive their teaching either through the web or hard copies of modulles. Library and information services including the teaching of lifelong information literacy skills (ILS) to distance learners are as well suppossed to be within their easy reach to meet their information needs. Yet for reasons of distance and dispersal, library and information services to the ubiquitous students may be fraught with lots of difficulties. But are these irredeemable? Lest distance learners continue to suffer the disadvantage of increasingly getting marginalised, a sizeable number of professional library associations in various sparts of the world enacted some regulations that guarantee a need to pay attention to their information needs. A lot of efforts, including building the capacity of students on knowledge economy in the use and application of e-resources, are now being exploited. This paper aims at, among others, discussing how technoogy comes to the rescue in service delivery even in some African institutions. Painfully however, even the pedestrian attempt to adequately cater for them in some places is not without its drawback. Is equitable library and information service to open and distance learners possible, particularly in Africa? Is it a myth or reality?