An examination of nigerian medical library service and problems.

The history of medical librarianship in Nigeria dates back only two decades. The number of medical libraries can be counted on fingertips in the twinkling of an eye, and those that do exist have sprung up with the medical faculties of Nigerian universities. There is a general tendency to run the medical library as an integral part of the main university library, but where two campuses exist expediency dictates a separate library to serve the medical teachers and researchers. The acquisition problem of the new Nigerian medical libraries in a medical world centuries old is tremendous. Tight budgetary control, nonavailability of the desired literature, and transportation delays are the greatest odds the medical librarian has to battle against.