Monday 24 July 2017

Foundation Wants Govt, Stakeholders to invest more in Public Libraries

Abuja, July 12, 2017(NAN) Youth Initiative for Sustainable Human Development in Africa (YiSHDA), an NGO, has called on Federal Government and stake holders to invest more in public libraries to improve the reading culture in Nigeria.
Mr. Moses Agbara, Director of Communication, YiSHDA, made the call at the Beyond Access Nigeria Project Final Event, on Wednesday, in Abuja.
Yaba said the project `Beyond Access Nigeria’ was aimed at strengthening public libraries by mainstreaming innovative activities for the benefit of national and economic development.
“It is important for the government and stake holders to invest more in public libraries because information is power and relevant to any sustainable developmental drive of any person or community.
“It is also important for public libraries to be equipped with modern technology because they are strategically positioned within communities which make it easier for people to access information online or offline.
“ICT is important because a lot of people do not access books on the shelves anymore, rather they prefer to be connected to the global world and well equipped libraries can serve such purpose,’’ he said.
Agbara said that the 700 public libraries in Nigeria, only a few registered with the Universal Service Provision Fund, (USPF) and adequately equipped with modern technologies and learning equipment.
He stated that stakeholders such as National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) could intervene and provide libraries with modern technology such as computers.
Agbara also called on the private sector such as telecommunication companies, to channel some of their corporate social responsibilities to equipping libraries.
This he said would make the libraries become the information hub and meet the need of the people.
He further called on public libraries to open a face book page, twitter account among others which could be managed by the use of their mobile phones for a wider connectivity. (NAN)


1 comment: