Writers 
The first library in Nigeria was a reading club formed in Lagos in the 1920s by the colonial masters. In 1932, Allan Burns established the Lagos Library with a grant of $6,500 from Carnegie Corporation of New York in America. Another official, Tom Jones, donated a building in his will for library development in Lagos. Henry Carr donated about 18 thousand volumes of books to Lagos Library. A few individuals like Sir Herbert Macaulay had good private libraries. The British Council established its own library in Lagos in 1943 with branches in all the regional capitals in later years. In 1948, a library was established at University College, Ibadan by John Harris who then became the first University Librarian in Nigeria, especially researching academic libraries and library training. Today each state of the federation has its own boards which take care of library development in the state.
TYPES OF LIBRARIES
1. PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Public libraries are established by state or local government in order to provide free services to the public in the areas of their educational, recreational and information needs. This is in accordance with UNESCO manifesto, that public libraries should be established by the state governments and their services be made free. The first public library in Nigeria was the Lagos Library. Others include the British Council Libraries in 1943.
2. SCHOOL LIBRARIES
School libraries are established in most primary and secondary schools. They serve the teachers as information bank and allow the pupils for independent reading habits, which prepare the pupils for independent reading, and acquaint them with books which broaden their knowledge while making a gainful use of their leisure time.
3. SPECIAL LIBRARIES
Special libraries are established to enable the professionals such as the lawyers, medical practitioners, engineers, architects and others to keep abreast of knowledge relevant to their professions. The libraries have defined patrons which may be limited to a geographical area or ministry. Special libraries are found in ministries, media houses, banks, insurance institutions and companies or research institutions. Special libraries are found in institutions like NIIA, IITA, Daily Times, Newswatch, Law and Medical Schools.
4. NATIONAL LIBRARIES
National libraries are the highest libraries in any country. The National Library of Nigeria (NLN) was established in 1964. Before this time, University of Ibadan Library was performing the functions of the National Library in Nigeria. The 1964 Act, which established the National Library had some weaknesses because it could not operate beyond the Lagos area. In 1970, a decree was promulgated which widened its scope and power and corrected all the weaknesses noticed in the Act of 1964. Thus the National Library was given the power to:
(a) Establish branches in the states.
(b) Give (ISBN) International Standard Book Number.
(c) Serve as legal deposit library. This makes it mandatory for all publishers to deposit three copies of all the materials published in Nigeria in the National Library.
(d) Serve as a training ground for librarians.
(e) Organise readership campaign.
(f) Maintain the National Catalogue (NUC).
(g) Co-ordinate all libraries activities in Nigeria.
5. ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
These are libraries established in institutions of higher learning such as polytechnics and universities. All universities, polytechnics and other higher institutions have academic libraries. Because they serve the teaching, research and learning needs of the students and their lecturers, they may be considered as the soul of the institution.
Main functions include acquisition of knowledge in all formats, organisation of knowledge, preservation, retrieval and dissemination of knowledge.
