15th June, 2014
Readers and users of the Edo Library in Benin have lamented the poor infrastructure and outdated books stocked in the state-owned library.
Some readers told NAN in Benin on Sunday that people had no interest to read in the library due to shortage of reading materials, outdated books and poor infrastructure.
Miss Love Edomwonyi, a student of the National Open University, said the lighting of the library was poor and there was no alternative source of light when there was power outage.
She urged the state government to invest in books so that students would be encouraged to visit the library to read.
Also, Victor Ofor, an undergraduate studying law in Enugu and currently on court attachment in the state decried the theft of books in the library.
“I was here in 2005, and the library was well stocked with chairs and books but when I returned in 2014, I discovered that some of the books are missing.
“I complained to the librarians and they told me that readers were stealing the books.
“If this trend continues unabated, it will affect people who come here to read,” he said.
When contacted, one of the librarians who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the last books purchased by the library was over 22 years ago.
“For the past 22 years, we have not got money for books and we have not been able to assess our capital base,” the official said.
NAN observed that most of the readers in the library were students who were reading their lecture notes and personal text books.