Training needs of medical librarians in Nigeria: A survey

Background Health library and information professionals need continuing professional development to update their skills and knowledge. There is very limited evidence on the training needs of medical librarians in Nigeria. Objectives To identify the training needs of medical librarians in Nigeria, principally the content topics required, preferred formats of training, and barriers to training. Methods An online questionnaire was distributed to 94 registered members of the Medical Library Association of Nigeria. Results The majority of the 64 medical librarian respondents wanted training in information systems and technology usage. The respondents also indicated that they prefer participating in seminar/workshops and being involved in face-to-face courses. Very few of the respondents have attended any specialist training aimed at their work in the medical field. The foremost challenge identified is the high cost of training. Discussion This study confirmed that the librarianship degree acquired from library schools only serves as a foundation for medical librarians, and it does not provide the specific subject training required to work successfully as medical librarians. Conclusion There is a gap in knowledge base of medical librarians in Nigeria that needs to be filled by specific on-the-job training and courses which are affordable.