Providing Information for Capacity Building: the role of an NGO library in Nigeria

Capacity building is an important process for developing the abilities of individuals to enable them to perform better in their jobs. In developing countries, people need empowerment through awareness of new developments, acquiring new skills and upgrading the old. Access to information is important in capacity building. The paper highlights the role of the Research Library of the Development Policy Centre, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Ibadan, Nigeria in building capacities of decision and policy makers, information professionals and other clients within the region. The activities include: information dissemination through publications; repackaging of research output; databank creation and maintenance; resource sharing with institutions with similar interests; and running training workshops. The likely inhibitors to effective performance are listed. However, the information professional has to be more dynamic in order to achieve much.