National Library in Nasarawa laments 14-year power outage

The Nasarawa State Branch of the National Library of Nigeria has decried the lack of electricity supply to its facility in Lafia for more than 14 years.

Head of the branch, Mrs Angela Anya, disclosed this while speaking with our correspondent in Lafia on Wednesday.

Anya said electricity was critical to research, learning and the preservation of records, adding that the prolonged power outage had negatively affected the operations and services of the library.

She said the facility was also faced with other challenges, including lack of internet connectivity and inadequate bookshelves.

Anya appealed to the Nasarawa State Government, corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals to support the library in addressing the challenges and enabling it to effectively perform its statutory functions.

Describing the National Library as a repository of the nation’s historical and cultural heritage, she urged researchers, innovators and scholars to make use of its resources.

She also appealed to authors and researchers to deposit copies of their publications and research findings with the library for preservation and inclusion in the country’s national bibliography.

Anya urged private companies and philanthropists to complement government efforts by investing in modern libraries equipped with digital resources, research databases and digitised archives to preserve Nigeria’s history.

She also encouraged citizens to visit the library for research, innovation and technological development.

On the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) registration, Anya warned publishers against producing educational and cultural materials without obtaining the required numbers.

She said publishing materials without the requisite ISBN constituted an offence and attracted penalties under the law.