Anambra State Library Board marks World Book and Copyright Day

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

Anambra State Library Board has joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 2022 World Book and Copyright Day.

Held at the Prof. Kenneth Dike State Central E-Library, Awka, the event, themed “Read, So You Never Feel Alone”, attracted both primary and secondary schools students in Anambra State, as well as educationists and some top govt functionaries.

It also featured presentations, including poetry rendition, quotations on reading, drama from the ‘Lion and Jewel’, folktales, as well as discussion on poor reading culture.

In her address of welcome, the Director, Anambra State Library Services, Dr. Nkechi Udeze explained that the day was set aside by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for celebrating the value, importance and beauty of book all over the world, also opined that the importance of books and reading cannot be over emphasized; even as she encouraged students to read harder, as that is the only key to academic excellence.

While reminding the students and other participants that the state's library and its branches around the state have gone beyond the analogue level, and are well equipped and stocked with quality books; the State Librarian also advised them to always visit the Library to read and borrow books.

"The Library is always here for your usage; make the best use of it," she said.

In her remarks, the state's Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh commended the Library for their good works in promoting the reading culture, even as she paid tribute to the heroes of literary works in the state and the world in general, as well as present day authors, who have kept the candle burning.

The Commissioner, represented by the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, Mr. Nnaemeka Egwuonwu highlighted some of the general challenges currently faced by authors and publishers to include piracy, the negative impact of social media and the internet, noting that the Anambra State Ministry of Education in its various activities is trying to improve the reading culture in schools.

Contributing, the State's Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Sir Paul Nwosu, represented by Mr. Emmanuel Ikeagwuani charged students to make reading and book their companion, to widen their scope of knowledge, and also advised them to practice all they learnt at the event.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman of the Occasion, Chief Dike Ndulue said it is good to commemorate the efforts of the great writers who contributed a lot to writing books and literature, especially the father of literature, William Shakespeare, urging the students to form the habit of reading.

In her keynote lecture, the Keynote Speaker at the event and former Head of Department of English Language and Literature, UNIZIK Awka, Prof. Jane Ifechelobi, who defined reading as a very important aspect of academic pursuit, outlined four essential parts of academic to include listening, writing, reading and the comprehensive aspect of it, reminding the participants that when they read, they exercise their comprehensive and analytical abilities.

In their separate remarks, some of the discussants at the event, Dr Paul Ifeanyi, Dr Ngozi Osuchukwu and Dr Chinelo Ezechukwu who discussed the topic "Poor reading Culture among School Children" highlighted distractions from social media and television as some of the causes of the worsening poor reading culture among school children today.

While charging parents to inculcate reading culture in their children at tender age and regulate their time of watching television at home; the discussants also underscored the importance of buying books as gifts for children, and implored the government to invest more on school libraries as a way of encouraging reading culture.