Prof Chinwe Veronica Nwakaego Anunobi is the National Librarian/ Chief Executive Officer of National Library of Nigeria. She was appointed by President Muhamadu Buhari, GCFR. She hails from Alor in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
She received B.Sc. (Hons) Biology Education from the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 1991 and graduated as the best student in her class. Providence brought Prof Chinwe to the field of librarianship as a graduate assistant and consequent admission to read Library and Information Science in Imo State University from 1995-1997. Not done on the quest for excellence and the desire to deepen competencies in librarianship, Prof Anunobi proceeded to the University of Nigeria where she bagged the Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science (2007).
Prof. Anunobi’s love for information services engendered her to step into the world of Library and information services immediately after her National Youth Service Corp as a graduate assistant in 1993. She served as: library practitioner, administrator and lecturer in Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo state University Owerri, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka and the Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri. As a library and information Practitioner, Prof Anunobi made indelible marks in: pioneering the establishment of ICT operations and services (automation) and development/deployment of the Institutional Repository (FUTOSpace) in the Library of Federal University of Technology Owerri and the establishment of Digital Library of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. She led the Federal University Owerri to take the first position in the First Open Educational Resources Competition organized by the National Universities Commission in 2018.
As an administrator, Prof. Anunobi was appointed the University Librarian of the Federal University of Technology Owerri in 2014, a position she held for six (6) years after serving as the Deputy University Librarian of Nnamdi Azikiwe University from 2009 - April 2014. Her prowess as the University Librarian led to the transformation of the operations and services of the Library from traditional (Manual) to ICT based: automated operations/services; digitization and deployment of elibrary operations and service; Social media services; Cloud Services to mention but a few. She restructured the administrative platform of the Library to reflect global best practices; Instituted Embedded Library Services which brought library services close to faculties; Instituted Innovative Library Services including Gaming section, Viewing / Relaxation section, Light reading section, Research & Learning commons; and provided more than 20 in-house trainings for different categories of the University Library staff. Prof Anunobi was elevated to the Professorial Chair in 2013, a demonstration of scholarship and contribution to education and formation of budding professionals in the areas of Information and Communication Technology deployment in library operations and services. Still counting, she has supervised over 20 Masters and Doctoral students.
Prof Anunobi is a prolific writer with over 100 peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters and books in local and international windows. She has traversed the length and breadth of the world where she participated in over 100 conferences and workshops while serving as resource person and panelist in quite a number of them.
Prof Anunobi’s richly endowed academic, professional and social qualities produced the magnetic attraction that led to her appointment as the 7th National Librarian of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the President, Mohammadu Buhari on September 2, 2021. Inherently, she hit the ground running on September 14, 2021. Without much ado, she rolled out her programme and mission for the National Library which was aptly captured in her 8 points agenda namely:
Filled with passion to reposition the National library notwithstanding the obvious accommodation, staffing, and financial bottlenecks, she zeroed into the process to repeal the National Library Act of 1970 which articles have hindered effective and efficient actualization of the Library’s mandate. She has commenced actions towards the actualization of the 8 points agenda some of which include kick starting: the digitization process, development and deployment of National Repository of Nigeria ; development of the National Virtual Library, hosting of the National Library Online Public Access Catalogue, creating awareness on the importance of projecting and the use of indigenous languages (mother tongue), advocacy and move to collaborate and partner with other stakeholders as well as increase visibility of /showcasing the place of libraries in education and national development .
