ABSTRACT

The public library remains a library of interest not only to the librarian but to the government and the general public because of the important role it plays in the development of any country. It is upon this premise that the paper generally discusses the effect of library legislation in the development of public libraries in Nigeria. It presents a brief historical overview of the development of public library and library legislation in Nigeria. Against the dearth of literature in library legislation in relation to public library development, the paper highlights the need for public library legislation, outlining the States in Nigeria with their year of enactment of their^ library legislation (Library Edicts/Laws). Furthermore, it provides a treatise on the legal deposit requirement of library legislation. In order to increase the effectiveness of legal deposit provisions, the paper made several recommendations as regards legal deposit requirements of the law. Also, from a critical assessment of the library legislations (State Library Laws/Edicts) in Nigeria, the paper made several recommendations that will reposition the laws/edicts for greater development of the public libraries in Nigeria.

Keywords : Public library; Library legislation; Development; Legal deposit