The Nation Newspaper

Tag: libraries

  • Libraries and staff productivity

    Worldwide, libraries are great institutions that serve the interest of the old and the young. They are agents of communication, sources of information, transmitter of culture and conservers of values of great heritage. They are used for reference purposes, support research, educational and other back-up activities through their collections and literature.

    Libraries acquire, preserve, organise, describe, interpret and make factual information available through their resources and various holdings.

    The library is aptly defined as a collection of books and non-book materials, organised for use, to meet the varying needs of people for information, knowledge, recreation, and aesthetic enjoyment.

    Libraries are available in such ministries as Education, Finance, Health, National Planning, Executive Office of the President, Office of the Head of the Civil Service, Justice, Works, Supreme Court, High Court, etc.

    The official gazettes issued weekly by the government are very useful to every civil servant as it contains information as to when he/she was first appointed into the service, the confirmation of such appointment, promotion, transfer, secondment, retirement etc. Thus, an officer in-charge of the open registry, needing information on the dates of appointment of staff could easily go to the ministry library where the gazettes are available, and then update his or her record in the ministry, thereby enhancing the organisational efficiency and productivity.

    Libraries, in serving policy makers, enable them to collect current information on the state of affairs of the three arms of government and use them in formulating and implementation so that as an end result, the three bodies run an efficient and effective government through interaction.

    The National Museum Library is basically an African Library. It has a bias for acquisition of materials on subjects concerning Africa and the Blackman. It captures special types of materials that have a bearing to the functions which its parent body is supposed to perform and on the professional inclination of the members of the museum staff. The library tries as much as possible to gear its acquisition policy towards the needs of the staff, consisting of graduates in various disciplines such as:-archaeology, ethnography, anthropology, sociology, architecture, history, zoology etc

    The museum staff when fatigued after two or three hours work get time to visit the library to scan through magazines and read newspapers to keep themselves abreast of what is happening in the locality or country at large thereby get refreshed and go back to give their best on their job or duties. It is said that a well-relaxed brain is better suited for effective and meaningful job. The museum library, indeed, is relevant to staff productivity

    The distinguishing factor between the National Commission for Museums and Monuments Libraries and other libraries is that it is a part of a professional organisation which, itself, is a research centre, and its role is complementary. It should be stated here, that the library though situated in the Museum, it is not to serve as an appendage but is should be seen as a vital part of the general structure.

     

    By Henry Oyediran,

    Lagos.

     

  • Oyo to establish libraries in public schools

    The Oyo State government, has approved the establishment of libraries in primary and secondary schools across the state.

    In addition, library periods have been reinstated in schools, thus making it compulsory for all free periods on the school’s time-table to be converted to library periods.

    Director of School Library Services, Oyo State Library Board, Pastor Oluyemi Akintunde, said this at the 26th anniversary of Thomas Ayorinde Memorial Library, Akinmoorin Grammar School, Akinmoorin.

    Pastor Akintunde, who attributed lack of good reading habits among students to non-availability of libraries in most schools, said the governor’s gesture would enable students inculcate reading habits and library uses at young age.

    He stated that in line with government’s desire to improve the reading needs of students and the populace, the Board has created a Department of School Library Services saddled with the responsibility visiting and monitoring the libraries, as well as organising book fairs, talks, public lectures, career talks, library day in schools, and offering free technical assistance where necessary.

    In his speech titled: Reasons why students should use the library much more intensively than hitherto is the practice, Akintunde explained that apart from providing a framework for academic success in present school and increasing student’s chances of better performance in higher institutions of learning, the board also provides up-date resources to keep students abreast of developments in all disciplines of knowledge, most importantly in this computer age and internet services through which the world has now become a global village.

    He said: “Studies have shown that a student even the most brilliant one can acquire more than 25 per cent of what is being taught in the classroom, and unless such a student personally develops and masters the art of reading , he or she will be missing out on the remaining 75 per cent which will result in his or her poor academic performance.”

    “We praise the donor of Akinmoorin School library building, reading materials, and other learning resources for the benefit of the students. This development has made Akinmoorin Grammar School, a model school library that other schools would be motivated to emulate; and this has by no means sustained the interest in promoting reading culture amongst our budding youths in Akinmoorin community.”

     

     

    Permanent Secretary, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Alhaji Wahab Adelakun, urged the students to adequately utilised the library for their benefits and future advancement. Also speaking at the occasion, Chairman of the Books Donation Committee, Chief Tade Ipadeola, called the attention of TESCOM to the school’s dilapidating toilet, inadequate desks and benches, termites -ridden staff room, and un- habitable Principal’s office.

    Chief Ipadeola, former Principal of the school, and one-time Chairman, said he facilitated the donation of the library by Mrs Iyabo Attah, an indigene of Akinmoorin, in memory of her late father.

    “Why is it that results of examinations in public schools are not published? It is simply because the results are not good? Let every teacher starts adopting a student, take him or her to the library and force the student to read.The erroneous impression that some books are old and therefore no longer readable should be discarded. No matter how old a book is, some knowledge can still be tapped or gained. Take for instance, pick a textbook in English Language, written 20 years ago, with another recently published, search for adjective , and see if there will be any difference.”