ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) IN NIGERIA: LIBRARY AND INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS AS CATALYSTS.

This paper is centered on roles of Library and Information Professionals (LIPs) towards the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The highlights of the paper are: understanding the context, content, and commitment of the SDGs, the expected roles of Library and Information Professionals (LIPs) towards the realization of SDGs, the strategies for actualizing the SDGs by Library and Information Professionals (LIPs). Expected roles such as creating of awareness on SDGs, organizing of continuing education programme, establishment of viable community information centre, partnering with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), translation of SDGs documents into local language and provision of information resources/services to support institutes for disadvantaged people were extensively examined. The position of the paper is that expectations are high for library and information practitioners in the sustainability of developmental goals. The paper concludes that as information providers and managers, it is imperative that achieving the SDGs by 2030 through the provision of qualitative and enduring information services should be given priority. Intensive lobbying and advocacy, reviving of public libraries in Nigeria, re-engineering of school libraries, sustainable partnership and collaboration were recommended as key strategies to the actualization of the expected roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]