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Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto

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Prof. A.A Balarabe

Brief Biography

Prof Ahmad Abdu Balarabe hails from Zaria in Kaduna State. He completed his Primary School at Kofan Gayan, L.E.A Primary School, Zaria in 1972. He then attended Government Secondary School, Malumfashi in Katsina State from 1972-1976. He did his IJMB course at the College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria from 1977-1979. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1982 and 1986, where he obtained a Graduate Certificatein Eduction plus Bachelor of Library Science as well as Master of Library Science respectively.
He obtained his Ph.D from the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto in 2004. Under the British Council Fellowship, he attended the International Graduate Study School, College of Librarianship, Wales, United Kingdom in 1990. After the completion of his mandatory National Service at the National Library of Nigeria, Lagos, he joined the services of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto as a Graduate Assistant in 1983. He rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Library and Information Science in 2011.
He was appointed Acting University Librarian from 1998 - 2007 and then subtantive University Librarian from 2007 - 2017. After the successful completion of his tenure as University Librarian, he became the pioneer Head of the Department of Library and Information Science from 2020-2022, following the introduction of the BLIS full-time programme in that University in 2020.
However, from 2022 to date, he has been the University Librarian, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi. Presently, Prof. Ahmad A. Balarabe is the longest serving University Librarian in Nigeria, having served for 21 years in this exalted Principal Officer position.
Over the years, Prof. A.A Balarabe has contributed tremendously to the development of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Library in particular and the University in general. He has served in various capacities both within and outside the academic community. His contributions to Library and Information Science education and the profession in Nigeria are too numerous to enumerate. At the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, for instance, he initiated the development of the Certificate, Diploma and Degree programmes in Library and Information Science as well as the establishment of the Department in the Faculty of Education and Extension Services. At the professional level, he had served as the Public Relation Officer of the Association of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (AULNU) from 2012-2016.
He had been the Chairman of the Nigerian Library Association in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara State Chapters for several years (2006-2017).
He is currently a Council member and the Editor-in-Chief of the Nigerian Libraries journal as well as the Nasarawa Journal of Library and Information Science. Prof. Balarabe has published many articles in reputable national and international journals. In recognition of his immense contributions to the LIS profession, he was awarded the Fellow of the Nigerian Library Association (FNLA) in 2014. In addition, he has also received other awards in recognition of his meriterious service.
Prof. A.A Balarabe has served as a visiting and sabbatical staff in some Nigerian Universities. He has supervised many undergraduate and postgraduate resesrch projects to successful completion. Further more, he has served as an External Examiner and External Assessor for promotion of Academic Staff/Academic Librarians to Professorial or Deputy University Librarian ranks in many universities in the country. He has mentored many Academic Librarians who have now risen and occupied key positions as Directors of Public Libraries; Librarians in Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, as well as teachers in Nigerian library schools.
Prof. A.A Balarabe is widely travelled both within and outside Nigeria. He is a happy family man and blessed with children.

Area of specialization:Library Management
Email:aabalarabe7@gmail.com
Phone:

List of Selected Publications

PUBLICATIONS:

1. Nigerian Libraries and Acquisition of Ancient Historical Documents in Northern Nigeria. Communicate: Journal of Library and Information Science, vol.1, June, 1991: 6-12
2. Administration of Arabic Archives in Nigeria. African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science, vol.2, no.2, 1992: 133-139
3. The World Bank- Federal Univeraities Adjustment Loan Project and its Implications for Nigerian University Library System. In: Contemporary Issues in University Education in Nigeria by A. Umar, M.I.Junaid &G.V Ardo (eds.). Sokoto: Faculty of Education & Extension Services, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, 1993: 49-57
4. The Hausa Literary Tradition in Nigeria to Nineteen sixties. Taskar Hausa: A Bilingual Journal, vol.1, no. 1, 1995: 17-28
5. Nigerian Univeraity Libraries and the Word Bank Loan. Third World Libraries, vol.5, no. 92 (Spring), 1995: 31-45
6. Contemporary Issues in Collection Development Programmes of Nigerain University Libraries. International Information & Library Review, vol. 27, 1995: 333-343
7. Arabic Literary Tradition in Pre-Colonial Hausaland. Library Focus, vols. 13 &14,1995/1996: 116-126
8. Focus on the International Graduate Study School of Librarianship and Information Science. Nigerian Journal of Library & Information Service, vol.2, 1997: 29-34
9. Academic Librarians of Nigerian Univeraities and the Excess Workload Issue: The Experience of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. Library Bulletin, vol. 2, nos.1 & 2, 1997: 64-76
10. The Usmanu Danfodiyo University Library Building: Problems and Prospects. Library Management, vol. 19, nos. 1 & 2, 1998: 29- 26
11. Growth and Development of the Abdullahi Fodiyo Library. In: Uamanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto at 25: Progress, Problems and Prospects. Sokoto: Usmanu Danfodiyo University, 2000: 173-179
12. Requirements for the Appointment of University Librarian in Nigeria Universities. Gateway Library Journal, vol.. 7, no.2, 2008: 88-96
13. The Curriculum for Library Education and Training in Nigeria and the Challenges of Information and Comminication Technology (ICT). The Nigerian Library Link, vol. 1, nos. 1 & 2: 2005
14. Some Reflections on the Life and Contributions of Shehu Usman Lawal. In: Shehu Usman Lawal: An Icon of Scholarship and Public Service by I.M Jumare and A.I Yandaki. Sokoto:Department of History, Uamanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, 2007:11- 46
15. Problems and Prospects of Library Services to Law Students in Nigerian Universities. In: Library and Information Literacy for Higher Education by Nancy Achebe (ed.). Enugu, Nigerian Library Association, 2008: 316-329
16. A Compendium of the Association of Univeraity Librarians of Nigerian Universities (AULNU).and Nigerian University Libraries by A.A. Balarabe, C. Anunobi, C. Nkiko & E.O. Idiodi (eds), Zaria: ABU Press
17. The Use of Suggestion Box as a Means of Communication and Promotion of Public Relation Services: The Experience of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria. Nigerian Libraries, vol. 53, no. 1, 2020: 24-33
18. Causes and Consequences of Fire Disaster in Selected Academic Libraries in Northern Nigeria. Nigerian Libraries, vol.53, no. 2, 2020: 90-100
19. Awareness of International Publishing Standards and Legal Deposit Among Authors. In: Handbook of Legal Deposit and International Publishig Standards in Nigeria by L.O Aina and Paul Mamman (eds.), 2021: 120-130
20. Health Information Literacy: A Panacea for Mitigating the Spread of CORONA Virus Pandemic in Nigeria. Nigerian Libraries, vol.54, no. 2, 2021: 1-12 21. Performance Appraisal of Library Staff in Nigerian University Libraries. Nigerian Libraries, vol.55, no. 1, 2022: 31-43
22. The Nigerian Library Association at 60: History, Achievements, Challenges and Prospects. by Ahmad A. Balarabe & Manir A. Kamba (eds.). Zaria: ABU Press, 2022.

Conference/ Seminar/Workshop Presentations:

1.The Current Bibliographic Practices of Arabic Manuscript Literature in Nigerian Libraries. A Paper presented at the 26th National Conference of the Nigerian Library Association ( NLA), held at Zodiac Hotel, Enugu from 14th - 16th March, 1988
2. Universal Availability of Publications (UAP) and Non-Print Materials: The Case of Arabic Manuscripts in Nigeria. A paper presented at the 27th National Conference of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Akure, from 5th -8th March, 1989
3. Preservation and Conservation of Arabic Archival Materials in Nigeria Libraries, Archives and Museums. A paper presented at the 28th National Conference of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Yola, from 12th -16th March, 1990
4. Inter-Library Cooperative Network System in Nigeria: The Case of Indigenous Historical Documents . A paper presented at the National Seminar of the Academic and Research Libraries, held at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, from 28th - 30th November, 1990
5. The Role of Librarians in Promoting Teaching and Learning in Nigerian Universities: A Case Study of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. A paper presented at the National Seminar on Teaching & Learning in Universities, held at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, from 28th -29th January, 1992
6. The Role of Rural Reading Rooms in the Current Mass Literacy Drive. A paper presented at a Workshop for Adult Education Scheme Coordinators of the Sokoto State Agency for Mass Education, under the ayspices of UNDP, held at UDU, Sokoto, from 19th - 21st August, 1996
7. Acquisition & Documentation of Rural Reading Room Materials. A paper presented at a workshop for Adult Education Scheme Coordinators of the Sokoto State Agency for Mass Education, under the auspices of UNDP, held at UDU, Sokoto, from 19th - 21st August, 1996
8. The Challenges of University Autonomy to Nigerian University Libraries. A paper presented at the Bi-annual Seminar, organized by the Committee of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (CULNU), held at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, from 22nd -25th November, 2000
9. The Challenges of ICT to Library Education in Nigeria. A paper presented at the Depatment of Education, Faculty of Education & Extension Services, UDU, Sokoto, on 10th February, 2003
10. Applicability of Digital Library and the Importance of an In-house Database in Library Services. A paper presented at the workshop for Library Staff at Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State, on 27th March, 2008
11. Status and Resposibilities of University Library Staff. A paper presented at the workshop organized by Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina for newly recruited staff, held on 23rd July, 2009
12.Awareness of International Publishing Standards (ISBN &ISSN) and Legal Deposit Among Authors in Nigeria. A paper presented at the sensitization workshop on International Standards for Publishing and Legal Deposit Compliance in Nigeria, organized by the National Library of Nigeria, held at Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto, from 28th - 29th November, 2017
13. Awareness of International Publishing Standards (ISBN & ISSN) and Legal Deposit Law in Nigeria: Authors' Perspectives. A paper presented at the Sensitization Workshop on International Standards for Publishing & Legal Deposit Compliance in Nigeria, organized by the National Library of Nigeria, held at the Kano State Libray Board Headquarters, Kano, from 18th -19th June, 2019
14. Cultivating Impactful Pedagogy in the Post COVID-19 Era for Sustainable Education in Nigeria. A paper presented at the 8th National Conference of the Faculty of Education & Extension Services, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, on 12th September, 2023
15. Library as a Promoter of Community & Literacy Development. A paper presented at the Regional Conference, organized by the Nigerian Library Association, Northwest State Chapters, held at the Murtala Muhammed Library Complex, Kano, from 12th -16th November, 2023.

Awards:

1. Award of Fellow of Nigerian Library Association (FNLA), 2014
2. Meritorious Service Award for Successful Completion of Tenure by the Association of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (AULNU), 2018
3. Award of Excellence by Students Union of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto in recognition for contribution towards the transformation of the University & Peaceful Co-existence, 2017
4. Eminent Service Award by the Nigerian Library Association, Kaduna State Chapter, 2019
5. Leadership Award by the Nigerian Library Association, Kano State Chapter, 2023