By Azeez Elijah Olawale
Libraries globally especially in developing nations like Nigeria are being challenged to evolve beyond their traditional custodial roles in an era of economic uncertainty and rapid technological advancement. As hubs of knowledge, culture, and community development, they must find new, innovative ways to remain relevant, financially sustainable, and socially impactful. This is where entrepreneurial librarianship emerges as a transformative concept, offering a strategic pathway for libraries to leverage creativity, business acumen, and social responsibility to secure their future. Entrepreneurial librarianship refers to the application of entrepreneurial thinking, strategies, and models to library services, programs, and management. It is not merely about generating revenue; it is about creating value through innovative, sustainable, and impactful initiatives that address societal needs while ensuring the fiscal health of the library. Entrepreneurial librarians are forward-thinking professionals who identify opportunities, take calculated risks, and design services or partnerships that yield both social and economic returns. They bridge the gap between community needs and the library’s capacity, often operating at the intersection of education, technology, culture, and commerce.
Nigeria’s libraries public, academic, special, and community are often constrained by inadequate funding, infrastructure challenges, and evolving user expectations. With budget allocations shrinking and competition for public attention intensifying, libraries must reimagine themselves as active, innovative agents of change. Entrepreneurial librarianship offers a way forward by diversifying revenue streams, reducing dependence on government subventions, and expanding relevance through programs that solve real-life problems such as digital literacy training, career readiness, and inclusive outreach to marginalized communities. It also provides an avenue for preserving Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage through digitization, exhibitions, and publishing, while simultaneously creating opportunities for income generation that can be reinvested into library development.
The fiscal dimension of entrepreneurial librarianship involves generating and managing resources effectively without compromising the library’s mission. This can be achieved through the development of value-added information services such as customized research reports, market analysis, and curated databases for professionals, businesses, and government agencies on a subscription or fee-for-service basis. Libraries can also host affordable training programs in areas like digital literacy, coding, data analysis, language proficiency, and entrepreneurship, positioning themselves as lifelong learning hubs. Collaborations with Nigeria’s thriving creative industry provide additional opportunities for social and financial growth, with libraries partnering with artists, filmmakers, and authors to organize exhibitions, screenings, book launches, and art fairs that attract ticket sales, merchandise revenue, and sponsorship support. Other income-generating avenues include offering digitization services to researchers, institutions, and private organizations, as well as renting out underutilized library spaces for events, conferences, and exhibitions.
While the revenue-generating potential is significant, the social impact of entrepreneurial librarianship remains central to its philosophy. The model aligns financial sustainability with measurable community benefits, from reducing unemployment through career counseling and job fairs, to enhancing education by supporting teachers, students, and lifelong learners with targeted resources. It fosters community cohesion through cultural events, promotes inclusivity by engaging marginalized groups, and empowers women and youth through targeted literacy and entrepreneurship programs. In this way, entrepreneurial librarianship does not dilute the library’s social mission; rather, it strengthens it by ensuring that community-centered programs have the financial backing to thrive and expand.
The implementation of entrepreneurial strategies in libraries, however, is not without challenges. Common barriers include limited staff capacity, resistance to change, inadequate infrastructure, and the lack of initial capital to launch new initiatives. Overcoming these obstacles requires deliberate investment in staff training, equipping librarians with skills in business planning, marketing, fundraising, and partnership development. It also calls for the effective use of technology to extend reach and efficiency, from online learning platforms to social media marketing. Strategic partnerships with universities, NGOs, corporate sponsors, and government agencies can provide essential resources and visibility, while a measured, incremental approach to program implementation allows for evaluation, learning, and sustainable scaling.
Entrepreneurial librarianship represents a strategic and pragmatic approach to sustaining libraries while amplifying their social value. In Nigeria where libraries remain vital to national development embracing entrepreneurial thinking could unlock new opportunities for learning, cultural preservation, and community empowerment. The National Library of Nigeria, alongside other institutions, has the unique opportunity to champion this model, setting a precedent for how libraries can thrive in the 21st century, not as passive storehouses of books but as dynamic, financially viable, and socially impactful institutions that meet the evolving needs of their communities.