Abuja- The Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has urged the National Library of Nigeria to use modern technology to provide effective service delivery.
Shekarau made the call in his keynote address during the National Library of Nigeria Golden Jubilee celebration in Abuja on Tuesday.
The minister, who was represented by Mr Lawrence Ogundana, the Director, Library Services, said that the virtual library should be at the heart of its services.
“I want to call on the national librarian, management and information specialists to provide effective services while applying cutting edge technology.
“This will bridge the digital divide with other national libraries in the world.
“In this present digital era, the virtual library should be at the heart of its services.
He recalled that the National Library of Nigeria came into existence on Nov. 6, 1964, with one office in Lagos, but now operates in all the 36 states.
Shekarau said that the establishment of the National library in all states was meant to cement the nation’s unity and accelerate its development.
Earlier, the Director, National Library of Nigeria, Malam Habib Jato said that National Library had delivered efficient and effective service to the public.
Jato said the organisation had achieved its mission of processing, organising, disseminating and providing links to information resources to all Nigerians for their educational pursuits and informed decision making.
“In the last 50 years of the existence of the National Library, the organisation, through efficient and effective service delivery, has unrelentingly worked hard to satisfy the various information and research needs.
“The needs of elected officials, business owners, academia, students and the general public at large.
He said that the success of the information and research support services of the organisation were its contributions to democracy, good governance, national development and human rights.
He reiterated that the National Library would will continue to work hard to realise its mission and make it among the best National Libraries of the world in best practices of information and library service.
Also speaking, a former National Librarian, Alhaji Muazu Wali, urged the general public to exploit the National Library’s benefits, as individuals as well as institutions.
“Let us remember that the National library of Nigeria is a library for all librarians and library institutions in the country.
“We should all exploit its financial resource and professional expertise for our benefits both as individuals as well as for our institutions,’’ he said. (NAN)