….Aim At Promoting Environmental Literacy, Sustainable Practices
The National Library of Nigeria in collaboration with Zacchaeus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Libraries (ZODML) has established a Green Library for children and young adults, aged 4 to 17 years.
Speaking during the launch of the library at The National Library, Lagos, the Co-founder, ZODML, Mrs. Ifeoma Esiri said the library pioneers ‘green’ practices integrating renewable energy, recycled materials and energy saving measures into its operations, serving as a model for future eco-friendly libraries.
According to her, the collaborative effort between the two organisations marks a significant step towards promoting environmental literacy and sustainable practices transforming the traditional library experiences.
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“It is more than just books, craft making with recycled materials and games are available making learning not only educational but also enjoyable, she said.
She listed the library’s eco-friendly attributes to include floor tiles manufactured from recycled tires, ceiling fans instead of air conditioning; energy saving LED lighting; solar panels as a renewable energy source; bookshelves, chairs and tables made of wood; cotton fabric floor cushions; a collections of e-books that complement its paper books and the promotion of e-reading as an eco-friendly practice.
She added that the Green Library is a place for hands on learning and exploration where children and young adults are inspired to become active conservationist in the future.
“The children need to understand the environment, sustaining our planet and how do we stem the degeneration of our world, not only Nigeria or Africa but the world.
She stated that from the books they read the children can travel to any part of the world and learn new things which will be beneficial to their learning.
“That is why starting from Nigeria, we are calling on authors to donate books to the library, we calling on African and black authors all over the world to donate books to the Green Library.
“We are thinking about our environment first and as they relate with their environment, they can later read books from other countries and relate with their environment too.
Talking about the collaboration, Mrs. Esiri said the space belongs to National Library and I must say the location is also strategic because Yaba is in the middle of Lagos Island and the mainland, here is a quite significant community and then there is a university and a polytechnic so it is an academic knowledge space environment, we believe that a lot of the parents here will bring their children.
Stating that ZODML is a non-profit organisation since year 2000 aimed to get children committed to reading as well as to inculcate reading culture in them, Mrs. Esiri said: “Our library at Ikoyi is for everybody but we have a section for children which is pretty much the same thing here, the national library here is for everybody and definitely it was what inspired us to do this, because we saw how hungry children were to read books,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Director, National Library of Nigeria, Mrs. Obanuju Onuorah gave insight into the establishment of the National Library with 32 branches including FCT which she said is open to the general public with services like reference services, collection of deposit materials by authors among others.
“We also receive publications from the government which include 10 copies from states and 25 copies from federal which made our library to be rich in books.
She added that the National Library Collect, Preserve and Provide knowledge leveraging on ICT.
Onuorah said the Green Library, was a dream come true as the National Library was thinking of establishing children wing of the library in every of their branch before being approach by the ZODML for a collaboration which birthed the Green Library.
“The Green Library will benefit our community, the state and the country as this will help in inculcating reading habits in our children from when they are young and they will grow with it and be a life-long reader.”
Commending ZODML for the collaboration, Onuorah called on other corporate bodies, NGOs, organisation to emulate the good deed in other branches of National Library as this will go a long way to build a reading habit in children.
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