Impact of Poor Funding on Public Library Services in Rivers State

This study examined the impact of inadequate funding on the quality and delivery of public library services in Rivers State, South South Nigeria. Public libraries depend heavily on government appropriations for staffing, collection development, infrastructure maintenance, and service delivery. A descriptive survey design was used, and data were obtained from librarians and library officers across ten public library branches in Rivers State through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Findings showed that funding inadequacy had resulted in outdated collections, deteriorating physical infrastructure, insufficient staffing, and the inability to offer modern ICT-based services. Users of these libraries expressed dissatisfaction with the range and currency of available materials. The study recommended that the Rivers State government increase budgetary allocations to the Library Board, establish public-private partnerships for library funding, and pursue international donor support for collection modernisation. The study also called for greater advocacy by library associations to highlight the developmental value of public libraries to government policymakers. Keywords: funding, public library, Rivers State, library services, collection development.