Review The Challenges of Successful Implementation of virtual Libraries in Academic Libraries in Nigeria Pauline Adeniran Serials Librarian, Redeemer’s University Library. Email: omedop2006@yahoo.com. Tel: 08027883540 Accepted 22 May 2014 The focus of this paper is on the challenges of successful implementation of virtual libraries in academic environment in Nigeria. The inability of the Nigerian government to stock libraries in the academic institutions with relevant information resources has great implications for learning, teaching, research and development. As a result most university libraries in Nigeria are in deplorable conditions. This is evident in libraries having few current books, journals, and other information resources; inadequate staffing; deterioration of facilities; inadequate equipment and even library buildings in some cases. Such situations does not provide conducive environment for learning. The virtual library if implemented has the capability of solving this problem. In this period of information explosion, there is the need for university libraries in Nigeria to use appropriate technology to access the world information in order to enable Universities carry out their traditional functions of teaching, research and public service and efficiently. Key Words: Challenges, Virtual Libraries, academic libraries, Nigeria INTRODUCTION Academic libraries are libraries that are attached to higher education institutions which serve two complementary purposes to support the school's curriculum and research of faculty and students. Universities now have additional functions to include (Ifidon and Okoli, 2002): • pursuit, promotion, and dissemination of knowledge; • provision of intellectual leadership; • manpower development; • promotion of social and economic modernization; • promotion of intra- and inter-continental and international understanding. From these functions, university libraries have derived their objectives to include: • provision of materials for undergraduate instruction, term papers, and projects, as well as for supplementary reading; • provision of materials in support of faculty, external and collaborative research; • provision of expensive standard works, especially in the professional disciplines; • provision of materials for personal development; • provision of specialized information on the region within which the university is situated; • cooperation with other academic libraries with a view to developing a network of academic library resources that are at the disposal of all scholars (Nok, 2006).). The world is today experiencing a change as a result of the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) which is drastically affecting all facets of the world system the library inclusive. Libraries worldwide have witnessed a great metamorphosis in recent years International Journal of Academic Library and Information Science Vol. 2(4), pp. 46-50, May 2014 DOI: 10.14662/IJALIS2014.014 Copy © right 2014 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article ISSN: 2360-7858 © 2014 Academic Research Journals http://www.academicresearchjournals.org/IJALIS/Index.htm