Nkawkaw (E/R), July 14, GNA - The Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Library Board (GLB), Mr Guy Amarteifio on Tuesday appealed to operatives of the local government machinery and other stakeholders to come to the aid of public libraries. Directing his appeal to regional ministers, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives as well as chiefs, he noted that libraries inculcate the reading culture among pupils and facilitate the literacy drive. He said a library is an information oriented institution where economic and social activities are centred to enhance the development of education. Mr Amarteifio made the call at the celebration of the International Children Book Day (ICBD), at Nkawkaw in the Kwahu West Municipality. The day, which was in commemoration of Hans Christian Anderson's birthday, a prolific writer of children and adult books was on the theme: "A Book is waiting for you find it"." The programme was organised by the Nkawkaw Public Library for selected basic schools in the municipality who competed in quiz, spelling, essay writing, reading, drama, poetry recital and culture. The contestants were awarded prizes and certificates. The Regional Director of the GLB said the body, which used to play leadership role in librarianship in West Africa and beyond had declined due to lack of funds.

He said the GLB had embarked on vigorous activities to meet educational, information and recreational needs of its users. Mr Amarteifio said mobile library services concept have been revived in collaboration with Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication to extend library services with computers and internet facilities to rural communities where there is no static library. He advised parents, teachers and other stakeholders in education, to orientate the youth to visit public libraries to read books in order to acquire adequate knowledge to facilitate academic work. The Municipal Director of Education, Mr Noah Dwamena noted that reading of books would enable school children to better understand the English Language to make it easy for them to successfully pass other subjects being taught in school. The Member of Parliament for Nkawkaw, Mr Seth Adjei-Baah presented a 29- inch colour television set worth GHc 530 to the library.