On Wednesday, April 15, I had the privilege of speaking at the Library Aid Africa and Nigerian Library Association (NLA) joint webinar on Emerging LibraryTech Skills for Library Professionals, hosted by Dr. Lawal Umar, FNLA, President of the NLA, alongside Segun Aletogbe of Library Aid Africa.

 

The conversation centered on a question that I believe every library and information science professional needs to sit with honestly: Are we changing with our profession?

 

Because the profession is changing, whether we are ready or not. Information is expanding. Technology is accelerating. User behavior is shifting, and the role of the library professional is no longer simply to provide access to information. It is to guide, validate, contextualise, and interpret it. That is a fundamentally different mandate, and it requires a fundamentally different skillset.

 

We talked about the gap that exists between what institutions and users now expect from LIS professionals and where many of us currently are in terms of technological preparedness. That gap is real. It shows up in limited digital proficiency, minimal engagement with AI-driven systems, and curricula that have not fully kept pace with current realities.

 

But the opportunity is equally real. Particularly here in Nigeria and across Africa, we have a young, adaptable workforce, growing digital adoption, and expanding academic ecosystems. We are not merely participants in global change. We have the capacity to shape it.

 

The future LIS professional is not just a librarian in the traditional sense. The role is evolving into something broader: a digital knowledge strategist, a data-aware information expert, a technology-integrated educator, and a genuine research partner.

 

Transformation is not an event. It is a process, and the responsibility is collective. Professionals must commit to continuous upskilling. Students must take ownership of their development. Institutions must invest. Leaders must create environments where innovation can actually happen.

 

The future will not belong to those who just observed change when it happened. It will belong to those who were prepared to lead it.

I am grateful to Library Aid Africa and the Nigerian Library Association for the platform, and to everyone who joined the conversation.

 

 

 

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