Revisiting The Empty Shelves: The Neglect of UI’s Faculty of Arts Library

By: Oluseun FATOPE

Tucked quietly in a steep area of the Faculty of Arts stands a lonely and underfunded structure which many know by name but few bother to enter: the Faculty of Arts Library. The name ‘library’ suggests this building would be a hub of intellectual activity, but in reality, it has been fighting for relevance and suffering from underfunding together with neglect. What should have been a sanctuary of intellectual prowess for the students of the faculty is nothing but a shadow of its name.

A first-time visitor approaching the library might mistake it for an abandoned hall. The empty shelves, cobwebs in various corners, and the few sitting spaces tell the story of years without significant renovation. The structure stands, but the aura is tired.

“The environment is conducive for quiet reading for tests and exams but lacks ingredients, because if you cannot come with what you want to read, it is compulsory you desert the place and go for another library,” said Opeyemi, a final-year student of the English Department. “It’s ironic that a faculty which thrives on research and reading has a library that discourages both.”

Let’s talk about the inconsistent power supply. Many times when students decide to manage this building, they stand at a crossroads, because the building becomes synonymous with an oven when there is no light. Thus creating an environment that feels more like a punishment than a privilege.

“Especially during exams, the place becomes an oven because the school decided to stop the power supply,” said Mary, a 200-level student of Philosophy. “It’s a shame because students need quiet, comfortable places to read, but the library can’t serve this purpose at all times.”

At UI, the Kenneth Dike Library serves as the central research hub, attracting most of the funding and development focus. “The main library is fine, but sometimes you need focused materials that are specific to your faculty. Running to Kenneth Dike for everything is not practical,” noted Mark, a 200-level History student.

In an interview with Abiola Samuel, AFAS President, he stated his attempt to seek answers from the management regarding the library. “There have been several steps taken to fill the library with books and make it work. For example, I have met with the Dean, who told me the fault is not with the faculty but with the departments who decide to send books which can’t stay in their libraries to Kenneth Dike Library,” he explained. Abiola hoped there would be changes in the library’s regard.

Despite a long-awaited renovation and its formal reopening on September 2, 2023, the Faculty of Arts Library remains deeply underwhelming. According to an article by AFAS Press, the building received structural upgrades but still lacks basic academic resources. Many shelves remain empty, fragile, or unused, with safety concerns about their load-bearing capacity. Students find themselves unable to rely on the library for relevant texts or research materials, as the university has yet to provide promised book supplies.

In another update, AFAS Press highlighted how, despite the facelift, the facility suffers from poor ventilation, minimal lighting, and inadequate seating to serve the faculty’s large population. The article noted that students are left to bring their own materials or turn to digital alternatives, not by choice, but necessity

Further complicating the matter is the dwindling efficiency of departmental libraries, which could have served as a buffer. In another AFAS Press earlier piece, it was revealed that many departments either lack the resources to maintain their own mini-libraries or operate them with limited accessibility and outdated materials. Students are thus caught in a loop of inadequacy, neither unable to depend on the faculty library nor on deparhttps://afaspress.com.ng/2024/02/28/empty-shelves-a-look-at-the-redundancy-of-the-faculty-of-arts-library-and-the-dwindling-efficiencies-of-departmental-libraries/tmental archives.

The current state of the Faculty of Arts Library is both a reflection of systemic neglect and a symbol of lost academic pride. Yet, its revival is not beyond reach. With deliberate planning, stakeholder engagement, and prioritisation, the library can once again become a vibrant center of learning.

For now, students like Mark, Opeyemi, and Mary continue to navigate its dusty aisles, hoping for change, even as they turn more to their phones and laptops for the knowledge the shelves can no longer provide. The question remains: will the Faculty of Arts Library remain a relic of its title, or will it be restored to serve the future?