NEED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC E-LIBRARIES IN SCHOOLS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN OYO STATE. By Hon. A.O. Babalola (Ibadan North-East 1)

Notes that libraries are community hubs. They connect people to information and connect people to people. They are safe confines for youngsters, providing after-school homework help, games, and book clubs.

They offer computer lessons, allowing adults to stay engaged in a digital world. For many, library resources are an accessible way to explore entrepreneurship, build skills, and gather information that can be used to launch a new business idea, investigate a new way to earn income and make a living, or even get started with a new hobby to make extra money.

Further notes that the digital age has transformed the way we access information, conduct research, and learn.

 In line with global trends, it is imperative that we equip our educational institutions and communities with the necessary resources to thrive in this digital era. Recognizing the importance of education and information dissemination, the construction of public e-libraries will serve several crucial purposes such as access to educational resources.

Aware that public e-libraries will provide students, teachers, and community members with access to a vast array of educational materials, including e-books, academic journals, and multimedia resources. This will enhance learning outcomes and promote academic excellence. One other access that libraries would present is digital literacy development. By providing access to digital resources and technologies, public e-libraries will help bridge the digital divide and promote digital literacy skills among students and community members. 

This is essential for preparing individuals for the demands of the modern workforce.

Further aware that the holistic development of a society requires that the foundation upon which the society stands must be very strong. The idea is to raise a vibrant society from the lower rung to the top, hence, community development. 

To attain this, public e-libraries will serve as hubs for community engagement, offering programs and services that cater to the diverse needs and interests of residents. They will foster a culture of lifelong learning and provide opportunities for personal and professional development.

Observes that access to libraries will promote research and innovation by providing researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators with access to up-to-date information and resources. This will stimulate economic growth and foster a culture of innovation within the state. Also, there are crafty persons in the society who do not have access to the four walls of classrooms but, by their extraordinary talents, they could imitate and re-engineer what they have seen somewhere else. 

The e-libraries, in this sense, provide an informal means of personal development if access to it is communal.  

Resolves to urge the State Government 

in collaboration with the Local Government through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Community Development Agency to:

allocate funds for the construction of public e-libraries in schools and local government areas across the state.

partner with educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and private sector stakeholders to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of these initiatives.

Mr. Speaker, I beg to move