The Library is the heart beat of academics Institutions and synonymous with the institution excellence.

The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Library was established in 1981 with the main objectives to provide strong bibliographic supports for both teaching/learning process and research. As a citadel of learning, the Library provides Students, Lecturers and research Scholars free and timely access to the most current information and publications in various subject disciplines.

The Administration is made up of the University Librarian Office, the Secretary and Administrative Officers as well as service staff. The Collection Development Division consists of Acquisition, Cataloguing, Classification and Indexing as well as the Serial Sections. Readers’ Services Division on the other hand is the largest with Circulation, Reference, Photocopy, Reserve and Documents Sections. While the Technical Service Division is responsible for reprography, binding and maintenance of the library materials.

The University operates a central library with a seating capacity of 1000 with books 161,672 volumes, journal titles 3,442 volumes and serials titles of 2,117 volumes. There is a visual library within the library’s computer unit. The various schools (faculties) and some programmes (departments) run their own libraries and in addition to the central university library. Category of Teaching staff, administrative staff, students and Workers enjoy the services provided by the library which include reference, Lending, Indexing, Photocopying, Current Awareness, Binding, Lamination, Video editing, Inter Library loans User Education, Consulting &Exhibition.

In order to achieve her vision, the Library developed strategies and articulate collection development policy that ensure balanced collection development programmes. Therefore the collection development committee on, which all academic programmes are presented, ensures that the users participate actively in collection development. While Library has representative Librarian on all Board of Studies of the Faculties to ensure that the Library has firsthand knowledge of curriculum changes in order to develop collection that are responsive to the needs of all academic programmes of the University.

As supportive unit ATBU library introduced GNS 201 Information Science. This course is taught to all students in the second year by the library academic staff. The main objective is to enable them locate materials for their study and develop in students the ability to manipulate library resources for whatever need.

The library is already hooked to the internet it has also been networked with Adlib as its software for its day to day operation. The digital centre has 25 computers opened to the users and it dual purpose. The library has access to internet service and is also a gateway to other databases across the globe. Apart from subscription there was also free to air access to some designated websites. There is also access to a good number of resources such as HINARI, AGTORA and ESBCO HOST etc.

The University library purchased complete set of lanTEEAL2.0 for e-library for the School of Agriculture in order to improve teaching and research. TEEAL is a project of Cornell University’s Albert R. Mann Library in cooperation with over 60 major scientific publishers, societies and index providers. It was developed specifically to improve the access of agricultural researchers in low-income countries to up-date and relevant scientific literature in all fields of agricultural Endeavour.

The University library is amongst the beneficiaries of library intervention of E,T.F. over the years the intervention has been of great assistance to the library in terms of books computers and the extension of the library.

The University has given a free hand for those Schools (Faculties) that wish to set up libraries to cater for their specific needs and at the same time reduce the pressure on the central library. The School of Engineering has set up its library and the University library sent a staff there during the accreditation exercise to manage the library for them. Similarly, the School of Agriculture approaches the University Librarian for assistance on their efforts to establish e-library.