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The Niger State Chapter of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) has been very engaging towards ensuring a rapid advancement of the library and information profession in the state. The fore-stated was in spite of the numerous security challenges bedeviling the state and the country at large. Some of the activities carried out so far by the state chapter of the Association are highlighted below.
Ordinary General Meeting
At the expiration of the previous chapter executives, an Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) was conducted on the 28th of August, 2021; leading to a vacancy and subsequent election that would fill the vacant positions of the Niger State wing of the Association.
Election
In a bid to advance the activities of the National body of the NLA and that of the Niger State chapter, an Electoral Committee was set up by the out-gone Exco to conduct the election. The electoral committee performed creditably. About 35 percent of library personnel from various types of libraries across the State partook in the election, which was conducted on the 28th of August, 2021; thereby earmarking the dawn of a new Exco. The outcome of the election brought out some vibrant and energetic minds that are believed to move the Association unto a greater pedestal. Inauguration of the current Exco was made same day. Below are details of the officers that were elected to pilot the affairs of the state chapter of the Association:
Dr. Fatimah Jibril Abduldayan – – – – Chairperson
Mal. Mohammed Saba Adamu – – – – Vice Chairperson
Mal. Lawal Abubakar – – – – Treasurer
Mal. Musa Baba Adamu – – – – P. R. O.
Prof. Jibril A. Alhassan – – – – Ex-Officio
Comr. K. I. El-Kalash – – – – Secretary
Association of Women Librarians in Nigeria (AWLIN)
Though, AWLIN has been existing at the National level, the present Exco saw the need to have a State Chapter of the Association. Hence, on the 18th of September 2021, a meeting was called at the instance of the Chairwoman of the Niger State Chapter of the NLA. After extensive deliberations, the birth of the Niger State Chapter of AWLIN occurred with the following persons who volunteered to serve as EXCO:
Mrs. Fatima Ladan – – – – – Chairperson
Ms Mary Gomna – – – – – Vice Chairperson
Mrs. Fati Abba – – – – – Secretary
Mrs Hauwa Magaji – – – – – Assistant Secretary
Hajiya Rabi Ahmed – – – – – P.R.O I
Mrs. Leah Tsado – – – – – P.R.O II
Mrs. Khadija Idris Abdulkadir – – – – – Treasurer
Dr. Salamatu Garba – – – – – Matron/Adviser
Executive Council Meetings
Several executive council meetings were held by the new Exco on what and how to achieve certain deliverable. Some of such meetings were held head-on while others were made via social media channels. Such meetings were held whenever there was need for issues to be deliberated upon and all of such meetings yielded positive outcomes.
Workshops…
The Niger State chapter of the NLA conducted a free Practical Workshop on “Using Zoom for Professional Engagements”. The workshop took place on the 23rd of October, 2021. The programme was quite tectonic as participants from various walks of life attended the workshop. In fact, even the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (Niger State Branch) and some of his members graced the occasion.
International Open Access Week
In a bid to advance Open Access Initiatives, the Niger State Chapter of the NLA celebrated her Open Access Week on October 30th, 2021. In commemoration to the week long event, activities are usually carried out from the 25th – 31st of October every year. Hence, the state chapter of the Association organised a programme via Zoom. The essence is to provide an avenue for interested persons to hook-up to the programme from far and wide. Interestingly, about 40 participants joined the programme intermittently. In fact, notable senior colleagues across our territorial shores joined the programme. In other words, aside the senior professional colleagues that joined the programme from various states of the Federation, others joined from as far as Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe and even the United States.
While the Theme for the event was: “Understanding the Fundamentals of Open Principles: Open Access, Open Data and Open Science”, Mrs. Miriam Salubuyi, Mallam K. I. El-Kalash and Dr. Fatimah Jibril Abduldayan discussed on: Open Access, open Science and Open Data respectively; with Prof. J. A. Alhassan, the University Librarian of the Federal University Kashere, Gombe State, offering the Opening Remark. The event was free.
Library Week
As part of her efforts to bolster public awareness on the significance of library and information services to the existing polity, the Niger State Chapter of the NLA rolled out series of events that ran from the 8th to the 11th of November 2021, all in celebration of the Library Week. The week long event occurred in the following way:
Monday, November 8, 2021: Sensitisation visit to Two selected Secondary Schools in Minna metropolis.
Tuesday, November 9, 2021: An awareness programme was conducted on: “Red Flags and Protective Mechanisms against Rape and Sexual Abuse” at the government Girls Day Secondary School, Old Airport Road, Minna. The event was organised by Hajiya Fatimah Ladan Yusuf, the Chairperson of the Association of Women Librarians in Nigeria (AWLIN, Niger State Chapter).
Wednesday, November 10, 2021: A programme was conducted at the M. I. Wushishi General Hospital Minna, on: “reducing Maternal- child Mortality Rate through Health Information Service Provision”, with Ms. Mary A. Gomna as the Guest Speaker.
Thursday, November 11, 2021: A public lecture entitled: “Libraries: Agents of Curbing Social Vices” was delivered at the Niger State College of Nursing Sciences, Minna, by Prof. Georgina U. Oyedum of the Department of Library and Information Technology (LIT), Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna.
However, several print and non-print media organisations covered the programme including the Nigerian Television Authority (Minna) that transmitted the programme on her 7:00pm reportage of November 11, 2021 and a rebroadcast by 8:00 am of November 12, 2021.
Editorial Board
The State Chapter has a Journal entitled: “Journal of Information Resources Management (JIRM): A publication of Niger State Chapter of the Nigerian Library Association”. The journal is published annually and would be glad to have unplagiarised submissions for her next coming issue in June, 2022.
Conclusion
The year 2021 was indeed, quite sprightly as all the events that were mapped out by the state chapter of the Association were conducted successfully. We are much optimistic that the outcome of our plans for the year 2022 would by the grace of God, appear outstandingly better.
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