Edo State government will digitise public and school libraries, to revive reading culture and make books accessible on mobile platforms, Governor Godwin Obaseki has said.
He spoke in Benin City when he received a report of the Joint Implementation Team on Public and Secondary School Library System.
The governor said in an era of technology, digitalised library services were needed to promote reading culture and discourage pupils from watching home videos.
“Our plan is to equip every local government headquarters with solar panel electricity, to power offices and libraries to be set up.”
Obaseki said government materials needed to be preserved through digitalisation, as it is difficult getting materials from past regimes, such as the Samuel Ogbemudia Midwest administration.
He promised that the state library services will be given a face-lift through the provision of state-of-the-art facilities, such as laptops, iPads and desktop computers.
The governor reiterated the need to give back to the people in the area of human capital, using the library to create a sustainable learning environment.
He hailed members of the team for living up to the confidence reposed in them and assured them that their recommendations would be considered.
Obaseki noted that the government will seek the services of professional librarians with the right frame of mind, to help manage public library facilities.
The committee chairperson, Prof Grace Sanni, thanked the governor for finding them worthy to serve on the committee.
She gave insight into the committee’s recommendations to urge the government to employ professionals to manage public libraries.
Sanni said the committee recommended, among others, the establishment of e-library in the 18 local governments.
“The team also recommended the encouragement of the private sector to take library development as part of corporate social responsibility, to give opportunities to the physically-challenged to use modern library facilities,” she said.