Application of Light Weight Directory Access Protocol to Information Services Delivery in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions Libraries

Abstract

The study advocated for the adoption of Information and Communication Technology in information services delivery in the libraries and information centres in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Light Weight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is an application protocol for reading and editing directories over an Internet protocol network. Information services delivery on the hand involve all range of information work aimed at providing the needed service(s)to the customer(s) within and outside the library or information centre. Relevance literatures were reviewed on the concept of LDAP, understanding LDAP, how LDAP are organized, the need to apply LDAP to Nigerian tertiary institutions libraries and information centres were discussed. How LDAP can be applied to library and information centres for effective information services delivery was also looked at among which include Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI), Current Awareness Services (CAS) and catalogue directory of library collection etc. The study among others recommended that libraries and information centres in tertiary institutions in Nigeria should strive to create a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and use LDAP for interlibrary loan, resource sharing among themselves, creation of directory for all libraries and information centres in a consortia were identified as strategies that would improve information services delivery in libraries and information centres in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Keywords: Light Weight Directory Access Protocol, information service, information services delivery