When Lady McMillan settled for a library in honor to her husband she plucked the right string whose tune has a far reaching impact to the larger society, says the McMillan Memorial Library (MML) Chief librarian Mrs Violet Wanyama, echoing Abraham Lincoln: The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read.
Since 1931, when the library started operating, indigenous Kenyans remained buffered from this “dukedom” as William Shakespeare called his library, till the miasma of the dawn of independence stated permitting through the cracks of the struggle for freedom.
MML is bank of knowledge with rare collections of sorts which are out of publication, especially in the Africana section and defunct newspapers, periodicals and journals, whose once existence is history save the leap-achievement they registered; Baraza, Mombasa Time, Sunday Post, Weekly News, The Weekly Review, Uganda Argus and Herald, among others.
Droves of scholars and researchers throng to MML to unroll information. As I went around this hospital of the mind for this feature story, a white lady caught my attention as she is keenly taking digital pictures of The Eastern Africa Standard of 1906, “this is a very rich resource centre,” she said, “for one to investigate and extract basic tools for living a good life.” Yes, a Kenyan, PhD student at California University researching on Media History, too, was taking digital pictures of the first secular weekly newspaper the East Africa and Uganda Mail of 1901.
The Kenya National Archives and Media houses have been filling their dents of missing newspapers for microfilming ever since the first publication was realized in the Kenyan soil with the aid of MML, says one of the librarian.
MML was set to accommodate all readers. “But the library is sailing through turbulent waters from lack of current-relevant reading materials as its a non profit making enterprise,” says the Assistant Director Social Services and Housing, Alfred Ndwara, “80 percent of the books have been donated by those who are generous to wear the old coat and buy a new book.”
He articulates that they have been having a problem in clearing some of the book consignment at the Mombasa harbor.
He says that ever since the City Council of Nairobi took over the management of the library in 1962, when “few cities of the world were as clean and beautiful as Nairobi ,” Yukio Togawa says in The African Animal; its budget is strained to up date the library as its necessary.
Ndwara terms this situation as an urgent concern for all stakeholders to raise and donate for a need whose time is here. “We are encouraging institutions of learning within Nairobi,” says Wanyama, “to donate their books for their students to read from the library, Institute of Advanced Technology (IAT), is an example; Kenya National Library Service, Ismail Rahimtulla Walji Trust Library in collaboration with Nakumatt, Library of Congress via the USA ambassador, Michael Ranneberger and an anonymous donor of ACCA books have been handy in donating books.”
Print media houses are donating their daily newspapers for the readers since the Council’s financial stamina to subscribe for the same withered.
Wanyama says they are out to launch a spirited campaign dubbed: NAIROBI : A CITY THAT READS, anchored on the ground of two books a week, which will span to other branches; Eastland, Kaloleni, Wathaka Technical Centre, and Kayole.
Each Nairobians and well wishers are called upon to donate at least one book towards this dream, to become a reality.
Wanyama’s heart goes out for the children, whose materials are outdated, "the love of books needs to be planted during tender years of the young people," she says. They're out to revive weekly mentorship program, where the love for books will be ignited by selected role models.
Macgoye Oludhe “the mother of Kenyan literature” has been an active registered member of the MML since her arrival in 1954, a pointer of a treasure land yet to be encountered by many Nairobians, Kenyans. Reading from MML is free of charge. But for one to secure borrowing opportunities (s) he must be a registered member: Children registration charges is Ksh 50 while adults pay Ksh 100 per year – for those undertaking research, Ksh 200, for one week, to access the Africana section.
As much as new titles are hardly available, “few Kenyans read for information and entertainment,” laments Ralph Opondo the first Kenyan Chief Librarian at the MML from 1968 to '89. “ Reading should be a culture – indeed present time calls for voracious readers as the old means of transmitting information have been over taken with time.”
The veteran librarian calls teachers to be role models in reading; he says that schools should have class and school libraries and encourage learners to access public libraries. The true University these days is a collection of books, he echoes.
Opondo has insightfully observed over the years that when students visit Nairobi from various parts of the country hardly are they accorded a chance to visit libraries, a part from historical sites.
He challenges the teaching methodology to espouse research from tender years, which will ignite learners to visit libraries for search of information. He is of the idea that Kenyan education need to move out of examination oriented education to a world view that – education is a life time endeavor.
London Mairura, a veteran teacher of the 60s says that Kenyan examination need to be open ended to give the learners a chance to read for understanding and take the pursuit of knowledge as a life time voyage.
The City Council of Nairobi a long side running library services it has 22 community centers under its ambit which provide necessary facilities for young people to identify, develop and realize their talents. The African Tumbe Traditional Dancers who perform in France and German use this centres that are spread in various parts of the Nairobi Council jurisdiction in horning their talents.
From the ambitious Rapid Result Incentive (RRI) that was launched by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government, Hon. Musalia Mudavadi - the Department of Social Services was ranked 5th wave. The department is looking forward to renovate its social centers: Jericho , Karioko, Kangemi, and Wathaka - for appropriate use.
Along side to enabling Nairobians to embrace a reading culture the City Council of Nairobi plans for its residents to acquire vocational trainings through its community centers.
2 comments:
This is very informative, I have a few exciting ideas for the library and I was hoping you could direct me to the right people and share my ideas with
This is very encouraging. Kindly, if possible you can find time and visit the library, they are very courteous and welcoming - your ideas are highly welcome - any positive - innovative idea will go a long way in changing our society to the better.
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