Abstract
This paper focuses on the relationship between town-gown by exploring the academic
engagement in preserving indigenous knowledge. It identifies key strategies for academic
libraries to support indigenous knowledge preservation, including community-led, inclusive
collections, and culturally responsive programming. The paper adopted the thematic approach
that identifies and analyzes themes and patterns in a study. The privatization of the academic
libraries for the interest of their staff and students but excluding their neighbours who live on the
other side of the academic institutions‟ boundaries calls to question the interaction and
harmonious co-existence of the Town and the Gown. The implications of this nexus between the
town and the gown were discussed. The findings of the study amongst others are that strong
town-gown relationship preservation is crucial for successful preservation of indigenous
knowledge; academic libraries‟ engagement in preserving indigenous knowledge enhances their
relevance and value to both the town and the gown, and continuous preservation and
improvement of town-gown relationship and preservation of indigenous knowledge are
necessary for long-term collaborative success. The challenges faced by these libraries in their
preservation of indigenous knowledge and supporting town-gown relationship include limited
understanding of indigenous knowledge systems, mistrust and hindered access to indigenous
knowledge by local communities, intellectual property rights and access. Based on the findings
and challenges, recommendations were made.
Keywords: Town-Gown, Academic Library, Engagement, Indigenous Knowledge, Nigeria
Publication Date: 2024-08-25