The sorry state of national, state libraries
inauguration.
Today, most of the facilities in the library are in dilapidated state while the books are obviously up- to- date with sitting capacity quite adequate but lacking patronage. As at time of visit to the library, none of the officials could be seen just as books, chairs and other materials were left carelessly.
Bookshelf also learnt that the excessive leaking roof of the complex during the rainy season has prevented staff from putting the second floor into proper use as the entire place is usually flooded within the period.
However, a glimpse of the edifice from the entrance and its surroundings depict a beautiful environment as the lawns are neatly laid with the flowers well trimmed.
Incidentally, a section of the building which holds the electronic library with an inscription boldly at the door signifies that the project was donated by the Universal Service Provision Fund.
Sadly, the modern ICT facilities with at least 50 computers remained under lock and keys, as it was learnt that the e- library is not in use, though ICAN examination was going on at the time of our correspondent’s visit, the students were sighted writing exams in about three ‘ classrooms’, but not using the facilities.
It was gathered that the inability of the state government to give its financial backing to install the computers for Internet services was why the facilities are not yet functioning.
Recently, a media publication quoted that “the only lifeline for the library was between 1998 and 2006 when the Book Aid International donated new books to the library.”
As it is at the moment, the library can hardly generate revenue internally to boost its services just as the Ministry of Information and Orientation under which the library board exists was allocated only N1, 378,451,060 in the 2013 state budget.
In Nasarawa State, much of what can be found in the state library at the complex of the Nasarawa State Library Board in Lafia, is part of the books the state inherited from the old Plateau State after an asset sharing.
Although the library board took off in an old and temporary local government building, the first civilian governor, Abdullahi Adamu constructed a one- storey building of three library halls each for hard books, children and e- library. He commissioned the complex with the old books inherited from Plateau State, as well as some new books.
Doma inherited a new library from his predecessor and funded the purchase of books to stock it. By 2010, the Universal Service Provision Funds ( USPF) and the Nigerian Communication Commission ( NCC), embarked on a project to provide an e- library there. Sets of computers and were provided there, but the first floor housing this section has remained under lock and key three years after.
At the ground floor where the complex is housing the main library, there is a decay that has eaten up the facility to its foundation. The sitting arrangement is hardly inadequate for a full class of secondary school students, just as the children section has only two desks and a few chairs.
The books in the main library are old and had not been used for only God knows when. Bookshelf learn that patronage of the library, especially with the e- library project now abandoned is low.
For the tow times our correspondent visited the library, he met only four staff. One of them, a lady, told Bookshelf that she was there “to get usable books for her project at the College of Education ( COE), Akwanga, but the books do not make any sense to me. There are no books here. It is only a house; this is no library.” Executive Director of the library board, Mr. Francis Anzaku told Bookshelf that “patronage is low, especially with the coming of hand held gadgets from where most people source their information. That is why we need the e- library to meet up the demand.”
He said funding has remained poor for the facility, especially during the previous administrations, but added that “the administration of Governor Umaru Tanko Al- Makura has given assurances that we will have a well stocked and furnished library.
“This is just as the governor has embarked on a project to provide six e- libraries in different locations. By the time these libraries come up, we will be emerging as a model in e- libraries for the rest of the country,” Anzaku who spoke on phone said.
In Abuja, the library faces accommodation crisis. Sometime in October the Chief Executive Officer of the National Library, Abuja, Malam Habib Jato, said the library was at the risk of getting evicted due to rents it owed the owners of the building which the library is using as its temporary site before completion of its permanent site.
Malam Jato said the library owed two and a half years rent which totaled N228.690 million which resulted in the landlord threatening to eject the library. He also said inadequate funds had hindered the execution of many of the organization’s projects such as capacity building in Information Communications, Technology, and the development of the National Readership Promotion Campaign, among other initiatives.
Jato said the “lack of headquarters building, which makes operational coordination and service delivery difficult has also made work more difficult.” Meanwhile the National Library permanent site is slated for completion in 2015.