Intersectionality, Information Privilege, and Library Service Design in Urban Nigeria

This study critically examined how intersecting social identities, including gender, class, ethnicity, disability, and geographic origin, produce differential information privileges and disadvantages in the design and delivery of urban public library services in Nigeria. An intersectional theoretical framework, integrating critical race theory, feminist library studies, and Rawlsian justice principles, was applied in a qualitative multi-site design across public library systems in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano. Data were gathered through participant observation, document analysis of library service charters and collection policies, and in-depth interviews with 60 library users representing diverse intersectional positions. The study found that library service design systematically advantaged English-proficient, formally educated, non-disabled, and upper-income users while erecting informational barriers for women with low literacy, physically disabled users, northern rural migrants, and ethnic minority groups. The study proposes an original Intersectional Library Equity Model as a design and evaluation tool for inclusive library service planning. Keywords: intersectionality, information privilege, public library, urban Nigeria, library equity.