We will bring back provincial libraries: Kasi

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, August 23, 2015 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

OFFICE of Library and Archives Acting Director-General Kakaito Kasi has made known plans by his office to bring back the provincial library functions back under the national authority.

He said that the provincial libraries did not function because there was no one in the provinces to oversee the implementation of the libraries.

The move vital as it is in line with the government’s free education policy that has seen more access to education in country, thus increasing the need for access to educational reference materials in provinces.

“We gave the responsibility to the provincial governments to run these services but they failed, so now we are taking them back so that we coordinate from the national level,” Mr Kasi said.

“But then provinces should still take the ownership in terms of infrastructure, ownership of buying books, but the staff will be our staff coordinating these activities at the provincial level.”

“Schools need library services. I am also very thankful now because the NCD Government is now trying to give us a whole floor of the Lagatoi Haus for the NCD Library.”

He said the new NCD Library should have a whole floor for library that should be open for 7 days a week where everybody can access it.

“My staff will be there to ensure that people have access to the services. We are also going to open the Hohola Library, one at Gerehu, and one in 9 Mile so that people in Moresby have access to them.”

“For Morobe they are developing a state of the art library where we want to see libraries that will cater for all the needs. So that is the dream that we are trying to bring to the country.”