A book reading arm of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers, the Ibadan Book Club has described the Oyo state government owned libraries as Cemeteries of dead books.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Coordinator of the Club, Wole Adedoyin, in Ibadan on Thursday.
The first book reading club in Oyo State made the comment after a week tour to some of the libraries in the state.
The club berated what it described as “nonchalant attitude” of Governor Seyi Makinde and the Management of the Oyo State Library Board toward reading culture and tradition in the state.
It will be recalled that Governor Makinde recently appointed some individuals as Chairman and members into the state library board.
According to the Book Club, some of the recently appointed individuals are not stakeholders in the state’s book industry.
The statement noted that “Ibadan is known as home to many reputable publishing firms and stakeholders in the book industry. Oyo state is currently home to famous publishing firms like Book Craft, Ibadan University Press, Evans Brothers Publishers, Spectrum Publishers, HEBN, Kraft Books, Macmillan Publishers, Rashmed to mention but few yet her libraries are full of outdated and moribund books.”
On the problems confronting some of these libraries, Adedoyin listed some of them as lack of awareness programs, budgetary constraints, inadequate library materials, lack of trained and skilled manpower and lack of appropriate government policy, lack of digital library facilities and lack of information literacy.
Adedoyin finally urged Makinde to pay attention to the state libraries, equip them with modern and relevant curriculum based books. And also explore all avenues to make reading attractive and friendly to the students and youths of the state.
.NPO Reports
