Why we must pay more attention to Libraries

Nigeria can continue to pay lip service to the importance of education but quality education cannot be attained without functional #libraries at all levels of schooling. Secondary school leavers and in some cases graduates find it extremely difficult to write correct sentences. UNESCO aptly named it 'schooling without learning'! In this age where global competitiveness is built through robust education, Nigeria is sadly falling far behind.
Lifelong learning has become most essential for people who finished schooling some years back. Why? Daily, new concepts, technologies, skills and processes seem to be birthed. Those who are no longer in school need to learn all these to continue being relevant in their work spaces and to participate fully in the modern world. Again, this cannot be achieved without libraries in different communities where people can read, acquire digital skills and learn how to connect and use opportunities online. Information is the currency of the 21st century. Information drives development. Availability and access to Information underpins innovations and start-ups. In these days where nations are becoming wealthy based on information-products and information-driven innovations rather than from natural resources, Nigeria and the rest of Africa needs to pay more attention to libraries.
#Libraries provide access to information. They are physical and virtual spaces for building up the minds of young people and the not-so-young in the society. Libraries provide knowledge resources that educate, task and prod minds into thinking and being productive. They stock information and knowledge of past and present generations and from different societies that broaden the mind to think widely, dream and 'draw' on global canvases!
Democracy is better practiced and more sustainable in societies where the citizens are literate. #Libraries assist in doing this very effectively as people are exposed to the written words in all formats within the library spaces.
These and several other reasons are why we advocate and ask for attention to be paid to #libraries. We ask for library-friendly policies at the State and National levels. We ask that communities and individuals that understand the times build and/or support libraries in their localities. #ProudlyLibrarian #NigLibrarians

Reading, Nigerian Youths and Library Advocacy Group

Reading whether fiction or non fiction books in whatever format broadens one's understanding of issues, concepts and opinions. Reading builds the brain and keeps it finely tuned for learning all through a lifetime.
Reading helps build communication skills as one gathers a wider range of words to express thoughts, feelings and ideas. It improves focus and concentration as one tends to shut out every 'outside noise' when reading!
Analytical thinking and innovativeness are fast becoming basic requirements in the 21st century workplace and business environment. Reading books assists more than 95% in building these skills. How?
These skills are only acquired and practiced through imagination and creative thinking. One is limited or boundless by what he can imagine or 'see' in his mind. Books stretch the mind - they take us to places where we have never been, they tell us ideas that we never even ever thought of, they allow us to learn the principles of those who succeeded and even those who failed! This makes readers smarter, more fun to engage and interact with.
More importantly, reading builds empathy. It makes us to be more accommodating of other peoples' way of life and perspectives different from the ours. It helps to foster peace, understanding and inclusiveness.
That is why the Library Advocacy Group @NigLibrarians libraryadvocacygroup.wordpress.com
is celebrating Nigerian youths through a literacy campaign as the UN marks the 2017 World Youth Day on August 12th.
Our youths have mastered the act of reading to pass examinations. Today, as librarians, we preach that our youths also need to get into the groove of reading - to discover themselves, to learn, to be all that they can be, to succeed and to build a better Nigeria. In these days of rife clashes and misunderstandings, young people need to read to stretch their mind to be equipped with knowledge, ideas, superior & extensive imaginative skills to fashion out a better Nigeria.
The knowledge economy beckons to Nigeria. To get ready, to plunge into it and change the single story of Nigeria's resource base, we need to get people reading. That's why libraries have existed from ancient times until now - to get people reading and thinking so as to be equipped to be change agents in the society.
The Library Advocacy Group chose Pius Adesanmi's article - ' Do you know what 'A luta Continua' means?' because it espouses the essentialism of reading, literacy and learning beyond classrooms and acquisition of degrees. We also chose Chinua Achebe's timeless book 'Man of the People' because young people are meant to be leaders, not just of tomorrow but also of today.
The prizes to be won by those who will read and summarize the texts are not worth much. Yes. However, the main prize is to be won by young people who will participate in the literacy campaign, understand the core essence of Pius Adesanmi's article and Chinua Achebe's book and go on to be readers, thinkers and change agents in our nation!

LIBRARY ADVOCACY GROUP

We are librarians. We believe in libraries. We believe that libraries are change agents. We are fiercely proud of our profession.

We believe that libraries provide access to information that can drive development in all spheres of human existence. We believe that Nigeria cannot have quality education that will get ready the needed human resources without well equipped libraries.
We advocate that libraries need to be re-positioned in Nigeria to totally ushered in the knowledge economy.
We believe that Nigeria needs to diversify its resource base and that functional libraries will pave the way for innovative tech start-ups that can radically change Nigeria's economy. We believe that the existence of strong functional libraries will lead to the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria as people will have free access to information and enough knowledge of their rights to actively engage in different levels of civic discourses and engagements.
We believe that libraries build inclusive and sustainable societies. As information and opportunities have largely migrated online, Nigerians need to have free access to technology and internet as well as the skills to enable them explore and exploit these opportunities. We absolutely believe in the power of libraries to change lives!
We are the Library Advocacy Group!