ENHANCING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES OF GRADUATES OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION STUDIES THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN TWO UNIVERSITIES IN NIGER STATE

Abstract

Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services.
Getting employed in a profitable organisation is one of the most herculean tasks faced by
librarians. This societal problem could be drastically reduced if librarians are introduced to
entrepreneurial ventures that bear relationships with their chosen career while in school.
Librarians’ work is very demanding and multi-dimensional. Since they serve as information
providers or information brokers, their services are needed virtually in all organizations. Thus, they
are continuously expected to update their job knowledge and renew their job related skills to
enable them compete effectively in our changing society. Therefore, entrepreneurship education
is key to acquiring the needed skills. This paper therefore seeks to bring to the limelight the
concept of employment and entrepreneurship education, characteristics of entrepreneurship,
areas librarians are mostly marketable, benefits of entrepreneurship education to librarians,
problems associated with entrepreneurship education. It therefore recommended among others
that University curriculum should be improved to include relevant entrepreneurial courses that will
enhance students’ skills, both practical and theoretical. More so, there is need for LIS
schools to prepare future Nigerian LIS entrepreneurs through diverse career paths and adapt to changing economic situations.