Survey of drug use and crime in Nigerian libraries: a study of public and academic libraries in Akwa Ibom state.

Drug use is a menacing problem currently affecting every aspect of Nigeria's national life. The clandestine nature of many drug use behaviours-may provide suitable conditions for the development of relative ethnographies, and one of such is the library environment as a secret hideout for drug abuse. Considering the seclusive nature of every library complex, the present study investigated, through a survey, the possible existence and prevalence of drug use network in selected public libraries in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Participants were library users and patrons, including students, library workers and other public users. Results indicate that negligible (low) level of drug use was reported in the library with corresponding low level of related crime. There were also other indicators of drug use comparing respondents‟ reports under several demographic factors including gender, education, marital status of users, residential status of users, recent history of drug use in the library, estimated age of users, estimated financial cost of drug use as well as indices of crimes committed in the library. It was however not clear if reported crimes, which are usual day to day occurrences associated with the library, could in any way be linked to library drug use. Recommendations were made concerning the need and urgency to provide public sensitization on the dangers of drug use not only in the library but also in general, and the need to prevent its consequences through improved security measures in our academic and public facilities. Keywords: Drug use, academic and public libraries, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, investigative survey