Victoria Itsekor

Towards National Security and Peace: The Strategic Role of Libraries

ABSTRACT This article is aimed at examining the causes of insecurity and violence in Nigeria and around the world. It discusses the active roles libraries play in promoting peace and security in different countries. It highlights the fact that several threats to lives, ranging from terrorism, communal and tribal clashes, kidnapping, pollution, health, physical and environmental hazards, and economic crisis among others, can be curbed through information and intelligence services. Premised on these, this article seeks to analyze and make recommendations for the promotion of literacy by libraries, build collaborative relationships between librarians and security operatives, and provide suggestions for the provision of current information against terrorism and security of lives and properties. It also seeks to provide current news on terrorism and intelligence services in Nigeria and around the world, and on social and national security for peaceful co-existence in communities.

The Importance of the Use of Libraries and the Need for a Reading Culture

Libraries are very important for information, communication and transformation. They help to inculcate a reading culture for an upward progression of people’s life. They reduce ignorance, thus they are empowering literacy, knowledge and skill acquisition. This paper is an opinion paper. The authors employed literature research methodology to carry out the analysis. It gives an insight into the reading culture of different nations and further portrays the role of libraries in promoting reading and an effective reading environment in the society. The authors also aim at improving the reading culture of different nations by using their own nation as a case study. The paper demonstrates that establishing of reading clubs, reviving of education in the schools through electronic libraries, promotion of books and reading in the media are those factors that could improve the situation of reading.