Don Advocates Library Services For Rural Women

Prof. Adetoun Idowu of the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Ilorin yesterday advocated the establishment of special library services for rural women.
Idowu made the call in her paper presentation entitled: “The Convergence of Practice and Teaching: An Exciting World of Library and Information Science’’, at the 200th inaugural lecture of the university.
The don proposed an educational model for women librarians in the provision of library services to rural women.
According to her, adult education can be implemented through various agencies and system which differ in form and functions.
She pointed out that an educated woman is an immeasurable asset not just to her immediate or extended family, but the society at large.
The expert added that the provision of such libraries would make significant and considerable contributions to the mass literacy campaign.
“This can be through professional associations, the federal, state and local governments and various government agencies such as the Universal Basic Education (UBE), Nomadic Education and the Adult Literacy Council,’’ she said.
Idowu advised that rural education be promoted in such established libraries through visits, discussions, advice, audiovisual presentations and enlightenment programmes be part of the community.
According to her, the active role of the library in adult education and self learning is vital, adding that those outside the formal school system have always depended on various organisations and adult education programmes for their education.
“According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the literacy level in Nigeria is just a little above 62 per cent in 2018 out of 200 million people,’’ she said.
Besides, the librarian advocated that the new role of the library should henceforth be that of a self-learning centre, a career information centre and a vocational guidance centre.