Kwara State Branch, National Library of Nigeria: NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NIGERIA DIARY AT 50

Kwara State Branch, National Library of Nigeria: NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NIGERIA DIARY AT 50: The National Library was not to operate as a public library. July 1961 the council of ministers approved the Rogers report. March 1962 a ...
Reference: Wahab Folaranmi Adio


2006
SWOT Analysis for improved services at the National Library of Nigeria was carried out.

July, 2006
Appointment of new staff - Librarians into the service of National library of Nigeria

27th September, 2010
A pictorial exhibition in commemoration of Nigeria's golden jubilee was held at the Musa Ya'adua

Some of the Books in the Library

Some of the Books in the Library

PROMOTING READING HABIT

In modern society education is perhaps the most important need, for it helps to mould a well informed, knowledgeable and responsible citizen who alone will be able to contribute to development progress and advancement. The advantages and opportunities which literacy, reading and communication by the written word offer will only be secured if the posterity grows up with an understanding of the importance of the book and the habit of using it in the formative period of childhood. To bring children and books together successfully children have to experience the pleasure of reading and there is a need for promoting reading as a skill among them so that they are able to bring past knowledge and experience to the information and text, and create new understanding, solve problems, make inferences and make connections to other text and experience.

Research survey, revealed that reading habit has lost importance as both the young and the old find their role models on the T.V through movies, league matches and Music, etc. As far as the educational institutions are concerned, coaching students for the examinations seems to be the be-all and end-all of our education system. However, after the home, the most obvious place to develop the habit of life-long reading is the school and specifically its Library. Today every school take pride of a Library which is non existence, where there is these libraries function largely as repositories for storage of a set number of books required as a condition of recognition, or where the students come  to take-out and return books rather than functioning as real learning centre. It must function as the ‘hub’ of all activities in the school, a place where creative ideas can germinate, where exciting innovative experiences in learning take place, where students come joyfully to spend some of their precious time browsing through books in a peaceful, pleasing and inviting atmosphere.

One of the most important tasks of  Librarians is to inculcate reading habits among the young generation. Books are the mute entities; their application does not come automatically. It always requires some human agency that can induce the value of books among the students. In the school environment this human agency is Librarian/Teacher. To achieve this there must be synergy among the stakeholders and use of Library resources.

It is an important part of Librarian’s/Teacher’s role to encourage reading and Library use positively. To assure the best results it would be necessary to provide regular and continuous service by the Librarian in the use of Library. The student needs to be taught about the variety of books available in the Library. How to select books, how to read them, how to take notes, how to relate information collected from various books, maintenance & handling of books, etc. Of course, it includes, the use of Card Catalogue, Loan Procedures, Knowledge of books, Audio Visual materials, Computer assisted facilities, Use of bibliography, reference books etc. Library excursion is most desirable a to acquaint the students with the Library.

The librarians can achieve this: -

                               Through book discussion( books that might be of their interest).

                                Allow students to use the Library for reference purposes.

                                Give assignments that requires the pupils to use Library resources.

                                Distribute suggested readings through mimeographed materials. 

Autobiographies, biographies, travelogues, essays, fiction and poetry are desirable. Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, yearbooks, children’s magazines, illustrations, maps and charts and other reference books should be made available for use. Imaginative literature books for reading will help the students in building up emotional balance and stability and promote intellectual curiosity. Students should also be encouraged on creative writing, book reviews and drama.

Impact on Literacy and Education

Libraries are important for early literacy and partnering with all levels of education.

• Early Literacy and Education

• Educational Role of the Library

• Essential Component of Educational System

• Impact on Reading and Literacy

• Literacy Improvements

• Provider of Critical Youth Literacy Services

• Quality of Schools

  You can read more on Impact on Literacy and Education

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NIGERIA DIARY AT 50

The National Library was not to operate as a public library. July 1961 the council of ministers approved the Rogers report. March 1962 a library adviser was appointed Dr Carl M. White, who was before his appointed professor at the Columbia university library school and had just completed a term as arrived in Nigeria soon afterward.

Reality 7,550 volumes we...re moved from the old secretariat library to from the basic stock of the new national library. The library had a budget of 90,000 in 1963/64, and was able to appoint staff and place order fro its own books. It also became a depository for United Nations publications.

In November 1964, the National library of Nigeria opened its doors.

Dr White anticipate the following functions, among others:

1. To serve as a national bibliographic center.
2. To serve as a legal deposit and a center for the exchange of books.

In September 1964, the National library act, was established. This meant that Nigeria had a National Library established by law which was neither a national depository nor could publish the national bibliography. The library of the University of Ibadan continued to fulfill these functions under the provisions of the publications Ordinance of 1950, already mentioned.

In 1968 a memorandum was submitted by the National Library Association to the federal government.

In 1970 the national library decree (17) was promulgated. Although it did not in corporate all the ideas of the Nigerian library association, A real attempt was made to remedy the major shortcomings of the national library Act of 1964, with particular reference to deposit obligations and bibliographical functions. Among the function assigned to the national library in section 2 of the decree are the followings:

1: To establish and maintain a branch of national library in each state of the federation.
2: To give advice on library development or organization to any agency of the federal government or other or local government agency requiring it.
3: To have responsibility of national bibliography and the development of bibliographical services.

Section 4 of the 1970 Decree deals with deposit privileges: that the publisher of every book in Nigeria shall, within 1 month after publication, deliver at his own expense three copies of the book to the national library. This provision would appear to have retained the privileges extended to the University of Ibadan by the publications Ordinance in 1950, the Ibadan University Library would now rely on the National Library to work out machinery for the procurement of publications: 25 copies of all publications of state governments must be deposited in the National Library to be truly national.

What should be the functions of the national library in this era of enabling e-library.

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Nigeria 100 years of Amalgamation

Nigeria celebrates its 100 years of the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorate.

In the century, Nigeria, Nigerians struggled to remain united and progressive.  Many were not there... How would they know about the

• Struggles and the pioneering stages,
• Developmental stages,
• The progressive stages .....

Find the publications at the National Library of Nigeria, the giant memory of the nation on the way it was, till it became success stories.....

In the same year, the 50 years of National Library of Nigeria (NLN) will be celebrated, great expectations from the data bank. Get connected with our branches (Kwara State Branch, National Library of Nigeria).  Ask a Librarian what you need to know.