Don Hails ITF For Stimulating Reading Culture

A Professor of Library and Information Science from the University of Jos, Vicki Lawal has lauded the Industrial Training Fund, ITF for cultivating the reading culture among Nigerians especially its workforce and neighboring communities through its Library Week celebration.

Prof. Lawal, who is also a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa, gave the commendation in Jos, Plateau State during the Fund’s 16th Library Week celebration with the theme: “The Dialectics of Knowledge Management in a Globalized Age”.

The Don, who lamented the poor reading culture among Nigerian students, commended the ITF for organizing and consistently sustaining its library week for the past 16 years, while also giving out gifts as motivation for staff and others to cultivate a reading culture.

“In the University today, we are struggling to encourage our students, who are constantly on social media to cultivate a reading culture, I think we should borrow a leaf from the ITF to incentivize reading for our students to come to the library to read.” She said.

According to her, there is urgent need for Organisations to establish knowledge management systems to remain relevant especially in a highly globalized age..

“Organizations are supposed to work towards harnessing their tacit and explicit knowledge for the purpose of remaining relevant, competitive and progressive in terms of their activities within an organization like the ITF.

“Knowledge management is very important. We are growing to a level of technology where information sources are increasing and it requires that we are up to date by harnessing most of the information that we have available especially for organizations” the Don added.

In his address, the Director- General of the ITF, Sir Joseph Ari, noted that the ITF Library Week was a week-long event organised by the Fund to cultivate reading culture among Nigerians and to celebrate the invaluable role that libraries, librarians and library workers play in the lives of individuals and organisations.

The Director General who was represented by the Director of Field Services Department, Mrs Adetola Aje, emphasized on the importance of Libraries and commended the Research and Curriculum Development Department for organizing the Week.

He called on staff to embrace a culture of curiosity, adaptability, and continuous improvement by being open to new ideas, show the willingness to unlearn and relearn, and be committed to staying ahead.

Earlier, the Director, Research and Curriculum Development Department, Mr. Farouk Wase, said the Fund had consistently organised the week because the ITF is a citadel of learning.

PR/Edited By Matthew Ayoola