Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Abstract
Researchers in Nigeria have traditionally depended on conventional libraries, and information centers, where they can physically access their needed information. Their main source of information has been traditional sources such as books, journals, and newspapers. The Internet has simplified the research process. The paper further examines how the Internet has become a tool for academic research, and also a publisher that Nigerian academics and researchers should maximally use. The paper focuses on the role played by the Internet in academic research and highlights opportunities and challenges it presents. It explores the status of Internet connectivity in Nigeria and examines the role of the Internet as a medium for academic communication, collaboration, interaction, and electronic publishing. It discusses the contribution of the Internet to the development of education and research in Nigeria . The paper concludes that, if the medium is used properly, it will break down the barrier of dependency on traditional resources, and the information gap which exists.