The Nigerian Library Association (NLA) has called on the Federal Government for urgent action to complete the uncompleted headquarters of the National Library in Abuja.
The association made the call in a communique issued at the end of its 62nd National Conference and Annual General Meeting held at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The call was contained in the communique signed by the association’s President and Chairman of Council, Dominic Omokaro at the end of the conference that has as its theme: “Promoting Diversity and Inclusiveness through Innovative Library and Information Services in Nigeria.”
Omokaro in the communique also said there is need for the association, the National Library of Nigeria and the Librarians’ Registration Council of Nigeria to develop a framework for engaging government and the citizenry to promote diversity and inclusion in delivering quality library services in Nigeria.
He further noted that inadequate funding of libraries by government and various bodies was responsible for the inclusion of libraries, librarians and Library and Information Science schools towards delivering quality library services in Nigeria.
He said, “There is the need for government to fund the completion of the National Library headquarters building in Abuja with a view to promoting national inclusion and diversity of our cultural and intellectual heritage.
“There is the need for an appropriate library policy on the training of Library and Information Science professionals in Nigeria through seminars, workshops, conferences, on-the-job training, and other capacity building programmes.
“There is the need for government to continue to fund the Librarians’ Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN) so as to help facilitate the practice of librarianship and reduce the engagement of quacks to head libraries in Nigeria.”
The association further stressed on the need to recruit librarians into the federal civil service to replace aging and retiring librarians from the service.
The association also made an appeal for the three tiers of government to appoint librarians as Senior Special Advisers (SSA) on Library and Information Development, noting that this will galvanise inclusiveness “despite our diversity.”
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