By Sofiat Adenekan-Abdul
The Library Department of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) wants librarians to be integrated into the core legislative research process to improve evidence-based policymaking.
The Acting Director of the department Catherine Enatta Ikokoh, made the call in Abuja on Thursday, during a presentation on the role of library staff in legislative research.
Ikokoh said librarians should move beyond their traditional role of storing books, documents and become active partners in research, providing support in information retrieval, data management, documentation, indexing as well as knowledge management.
She explained that the NILDS Library already provides services including reference support, bibliographic services, indexing and current awareness, while its digital repository gives users access to research outputs, theses, dissertations and other institutional materials.
According to her, closer collaboration between librarians and researchers would help ensure that credible and relevant information is available from the beginning of a research project through analysis and dissemination.
A second presentation by the Library Department on Tackling Misinformation and Cyber Risk examined the growing risks of misinformation and cyber attacks as libraries increasingly depend on digital information systems.
Also the paper, titled “Security Protocol and Information Integrity: Assessing Library Management Strategies against Misinformation in FCT University Libraries,” was presented by Amaka Alumona on behalf of a research team comprising Catherine E. Ikokoh, Amos Abah, Ebweyi Shicha, Desmond Domendu and Simbiat Nuhu.
The researchers warned that access to information online does not automatically guarantee its accuracy or credibility, particularly with the growing use of artificial intelligence and internet-based sources.
They called for stronger information-security measures and improved information-literacy skills to help researchers and students identify, verify and use credible sources
The NILDS Library Department said stronger collaboration with researchers and legislative stakeholders would help preserve institutional knowledge and ensure that reliable information is available to support legislative work.
