Leadership
Building the library the university deserves
University Librarian, LAUTECH · In office since 14 August 2024
RESEARCH INTEREST
Not a building at the edge of things. A position at the centre.
Since assuming office as University Librarian on 14 August 2024, the work has been guided by one clear conviction: the academic library must be more than a place where books are kept. It must be part of the university’s academic and research infrastructure.
That means digital infrastructure. User-centred services. A culture of scholarship. Community reach. And people who are invested in doing it well.
My research spans digital librarianship, AI in academic libraries, information literacy, indigenous knowledge systems, and the evolving role of libraries in higher education.
“Leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about having the courage to ask the right questions, the humility to listen, the discipline to act, and the resilience to keep moving.”
Leadership at a Glance
250+
Students reached (World Book Day 2026)
14
Secondary schools represented
2
Editions of Staff Wellness Programme
1
New institutional journal launched
1
Mobile library app launched
Initiatives
The work in practice
Six areas of focus since August 2024. Each reflects part of the vision for what a university library can and should be.
Digital Infrastructure
Olusegun Oke Mobile Library App
Brought the library catalogue, electronic resources, institutional repository, and librarian support directly to users’ phones. The vision: the library should be wherever the user is. Also strengthened Wi-Fi access across the library and established a dedicated Systems Unit to maintain digital infrastructure.
Access to Resources
Electronic Resources Expansion
Strengthened access to EBSCOhost databases, Koha integrated library system, and AGORA electronic resources. Moved from periodic access to persistent, user-friendly connectivity for researchers and students. Resources that exist on paper but are practically unreachable are not a service — they are a missed opportunity.
User-Centred Services
Patron-Driven Acquisition
Introduced user-feedback mechanisms and patron-driven acquisition, ensuring that what the library acquires reflects what its users actually need. Strengthened communication channels between the library, students, researchers, and the academic community. The collection serves the users, not the other way around.
Scholarship
BIBLIOTHECA Journal
Established BIBLIOTHECA: International Journal of Library and Information Science, creating a platform not just for accessing knowledge but for contributing to it. A peer-reviewed journal focused on LIS research with particular relevance to African and developing-world contexts. Also delivered the 8th FASS Lecture Series on AI, Intellectual Authenticity and Deep Scholarship in May 2026.
Community Engagement
World Book Day 2026
Led the library’s celebration of World Book Day 2026, welcoming more than 250 secondary school students from 14 schools across Ogbomoso. Reading sessions, quiz competitions, traditional dance performances, and the introduction of the Library Squads programme. The library’s reach should extend beyond the campus gate into the community it serves.
People
Staff Health & Wellness Programme
Launched the Annual Library Staff Health and Wellness Programme, now in its second edition. Transformation is impossible without investing in the people who make it happen. A library that does not look after its staff cannot genuinely look after its users.
Capacity Building
Building the human infrastructure
Organised a comprehensive capacity building programme for library staff covering digital tools, cataloguing, user services, and professional development. The goal: a team that is as up-to-date as the technology they are being asked to deploy.
Also led AI literacy workshops for library staff and students, building awareness of the practical and ethical dimensions of AI in academic work — not as a technology programme, but as an information literacy programme.
Global Engagement
Nigeria in the global conversation
Served as a member of the Academic and Research Libraries Section of IFLA and participated in the IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2026 in Busan, South Korea.
The WLIC brought together library leaders from across the world to discuss AI in libraries, digital literacy, research support infrastructure, and workforce development. Representing Nigeria and African libraries at that table matters — not as audience, but as participants shaping the agenda.
Busan, South Korea
Academic and Research Libraries Section · International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
Leadership development
Investing in the leader
Leadership is a practice that requires continuous investment. Some of the programmes and conferences that have shaped the approach.
National Leadership Conference 2026
Mentoring & Professional Development
Committed to mentoring the next generation of library professionals, particularly young women considering careers in LIS. Serving as evidence that the firsts do not have to be the lasts. Actively involved in NLA programmes, TETFund workshops, and institutional professional development initiatives.
What's Next?
Interested in how this work gets done?
Read the ideas behind the leadership, explore the speaking topics, or get in touch.