100,000 Information from Google, the Librarian knows the correct one – says Temitope Samson
Every skill or profession has its edge over their laity. So is this with the Librarian who is trained and skilled in information matters. Every Librarian deals with information and knowledge and must touch on many people as are in their community.
The trained Librarian is a leading authority where knowledge and information is sourced or found. A Liberian is a guide who points to people how needed information or knowledge could be found particularly with the hope that such knowledge will be used to resolve societal and national problem.
During a Lecture on “Information Literacy for Sustainable National development”, Mr. Temitope Samson the Executive Director, Bovas and Company who as the Guest Speaker said; if Google, the internet store of information brings 100,000 information on an issue, it is the Librarian who brings the right one. It was at the event of the National Library Week / Annual General Meeting of the National Library Association (Oyo State Chapter) held recently .
Mr. Temitope portrayed information literacy as a crucial skill in the pursuit of information and its application for success in various fields for development. He further described sustainable National development as the wealth that is created, distributed and maintained successfully from time to time in a nation. He added that a person is able to acquire, process, and utilize information in a manner which assists to effectively and successfully resolve past, present and future problems and at developing themselves sustainably for national prosperity today and tomorrow.
The Guest Speaker also said that information Literacy for sustainable national Development in the eyes of the Liberian is about the capacity of the Librarian to adequately ensure they make knowledge available for anyone in any format at anytime in any place so that they can utilize it to effectively solve any problem and succeed in changing that problem to solutions that are accessible not only for themselves but for the nation.
He regarded the Librarian as a custodian, a guide, a treasurer, an organizer, a business person and an influencer. He said that a library can be useful or useless depending on the Librarian if he knows how to be effective in the society they find themselves. The Librarian should be able to function in their original capacity no matter the space. They must be relevant and indispensable to the nation and her development. The Librarian becomes the custodian who opens the door of information literacy for as many people as are willing to pursue knowledge for critical and useful development.
