How libraries, social media contribute to national development

A former Director General, National Sports Commission, Abuja, Dr Amos Adamu, has said that both libraries and social media contribute effectively to national development and security.  “These two are social agents of change can be used in fighting ignorance, illiteracy, poverty, crime and terrorism.”

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Dr Adamu said this at the 2018 Library Week, Conference /Annual General Meeting  which commenced last week Wednesday at Oyo State Library Board, Dugbe, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Speaking on the theme of the conference, “Libraries and Social Media As Catalysts for National Unity and Security,” he said that today, Information Communication Technology (ICT), including libraries have made the world a global village as both  have made the world a global village.

Libraries and the social media have no doubt brought tremendous progress in the all ramifications of human development in Nigeria, Africa and globally while he referred to his visit to the library saved him from an embarrassment in course of defending a paper presentation at the University of Ibadan.

He emphasised the importance of the online platform, the E-library to publish article that will counter fake news or other forms of  wrong information common on the social media.

He however charged the association to as a matter of priority , establish more public and school libraries which will help cultivate reading habits among youth and adults. Also, he enjoined the State government to budget and allocate more funds to libraries because with free flow of relevant information, unity and peace and progress are achievable.

Also speaking was the Director, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan and the chairman of the Conference, Professor Oyesoji  Aremu, charging every librarian to tap from the electronic library in addition to the conventional one because it is the best used by and in this generation.

Speaking as a security expert and also making reference to the conference theme, Professor Aremu pointed out that a country cannot have unity, if had no security. He, therefore, stressed the importance of the use of library as the best place to acquire knowledge in fostering unity in  our immediate environment and Nigeria at large.

According to him, there is no problem one cannot solve with the help of reading books because through that, several experiences are gained.

He backed this up with a recent suicidal attempt which he was able to stop with the help of a book he read many years ago.

The Oyo State Chairman of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Dr Pius Olatunji Olaojo, in his remarks, said:  “It is quite important to build on last year’s theme, Information literacy for sustainable national development. This year, therefore, we are considering Libraries and Social Media as Catalysts for National Unity and Security. Needless to say that libraries and librarians are still needed in the current digital age, just as emerging technologies and social media, in particular, are taking over the information environment.”