UNESCO-NATCOM Gives Helping Hands to National Library

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIA (MB)- On their drive to make learning, research and information accessible to the people UNESCO-NATCOM donated technological materials amounting to D230, 000 to the Gambia National Library on Friday at Gambia National Library in Banjul.

  Four computers, heavy duty copier, A3 color printer, 6 UPS voltage stabilizer, external hard drives digital camera and a flatbed scanner, were the donated materials to the Library in Banjul.

 Vice Chairperson, the National Commission for UNESCO, Dr. Fatoumatta Sisay, in her remarks at the ceremony said that UNESCO’s policy in education and culture has stressed the need to support libraries and help provide the adequate environment for learning and research.

 Dr. Sisay continued: “it is clearly stated in UNESCO Public Library Manifesto, that the public library, the local gateway to knowledge, provides a basic condition for lifelong learning, independent decision-making and cultural development of the individual and social groups,” she positioned.

“It the level of our organization, libraries are one major partner and that is why we have several manifestos related to libraries, we are aware of the news technologies challenging the library services but these challenges are equally opportunities,” she buttressed.

 For the national library to upgrade and integrate new technologies and adapt to the new trends, she said, they (at UNESCO), knows that the Gambia National Library Service Authority is driving to respond to those needs and working towards a state of the art digital library in the near future.

  Director General of the Gambia National Library Services Authority, Mr. Abdou Wally Mbye acknowledges that UNESCO has been in the forefront in helping libraries not only the Gambia National Library but other libraries countrywide.

  DG Mbaye stated that UNESCO has played a vital role in the implementation of ISBM, by given the library all the needed support to implement the project adding that He UNESCO is the only organization who introduce the computerization of the Gambia National Library in 1992 without no condition attach to it that make the Gambia national library in the same footing in all major libraries in the world.

 He attested that donation is the biggest ever donation the Gambia National Library has ever receive, adding they have been partnering with other organizations but all those came with their own agenda but UNESCO is different, while finally thanking He thanks UNESCO for always coming to the of the National Library.