05 Mar 2020

With the world rapidly moving towards digitization, it has become increasingly easier to access information at the click of a button in the comfort of one’s home, thus lessening comprehensive use of a library.

However, there are still some people who fancy libraries for referencing purposes, especially published materials without soft copies.

Residents of Nlapkhwane in the North East District are among a few deep-rooted people who employ the services of a library to expose their minds to the outside world.

The village of Nlapkhwane prides itself on its semi fledged library with a collection of books and reference materials, all thanks to the constituency community projects funds for helping the community realise their dream.

Despite having a few shortfalls such as lack of internet connectivity, the library boasts of a qualified librarian and is equipped with a computer, an array of books, newspapers and magazines.

Kgosi Mukani Mudongo of Nlapkhwane cannot stop gushing over the new wings of change that have begun to blow in his village.

A gleam of pride radiates on Kgosi Mudongo’s face as he gives approval of this prized treasure in his village.

He said in an interview with BOPA recently that the importance of a library as an educational facility could not be over emphasised, hence saw it befitting for his community to have invested P400 000 in building a library.

“It is worrying that many people have discarded libraries as a platform for research and education due to the use of modern technology tools like e-books and the fact that research material can easily be accessed online,” he said.

The traditional leader’s view is that digitisation should complement the use of libraries as opposed to the status-quo, where people have ditched them.

As such, he made a plea to good Samaritans to come to the aid of his village and connect the library with the internet, donate extra books and computers; something he said could help attract young people to frequent the facility to learn.

The Librarian, Mr Daniel Isaac said as the facility management they continued to encourage people to make use of the library, which he said helped them engage their minds.

His biggest clientele, he said were primary school learners who had developed a keen interest in reading ever since the library doors were opened to the public.

He said however that there was more to be done in order to attract youth to the library, especially the unemployed out of school.

This, he said, would keep them busy during the day and help them keep away from societal ills.

The librarian indicated that the library was furnished with local newspapers to serve those who enjoyed current affairs and also catered for job seekers to search for jobs.

He reiterated that it was important to equip the new library, which was opened to the public late last year.

This, he said, would also help attract the youth who preferred surfing the internet for information.

Mr Isaac said it was commendable for a small village like Nlapkhwane to have such a big development in the mould of a library in this modern day where people had abandoned traditional tools of research and learning.

Nlapkhwane library is equipped with history books, children comics, agriculture, health and novels though the books are inadequate. ENDS