Decades-old Zaria library thrives despite neglect

The location of Zaria’s decades-old public library is strategic. This is so for two reasons – It was built along one of the major roads that lead to Kofar Doka, the major entrance to Zaria city from where the traditional monarch, the Emir of Zaria, administers the town. Also, because it can hardly be missed […]

The location of Zaria’s decades-old public library is strategic. This is so for two reasons – It was built along one of the major roads that lead to Kofar Doka, the major entrance to Zaria city from where the traditional monarch, the Emir of Zaria, administers the town. Also, because it can hardly be missed by anyone coming into the town from Kaduna.
Decades ago, the library looked freshly built and painted, with new books and new titles, fresh flowers and neat grounds, its journey had justbegun. Then, the children’s section was a sight to behold, with colourful picture books and story books that were both highly educative and entertaining. The subject of these books ranged from science to arts, with illustrations and tales that could prick the imagination of any child while at the same time revealing the secrets of grammar and vocabulary, with a rocking flavour of entertaining adventures all targeted at imbibing morals. So it was not strange to notice a good number of childrenwaltz through the library door to borrow books with their parents in tow.
“We used to borrow books out for a period of two weeks after which it can be renewed,” a librarian, who has served there for 30 years, says. He appeared to be the only staff in sight on last Saturday morning.
But the story seems to have changed now. “We have abolished the policy of borrowing books out because people don’t return them anymore,” the librarian revealed sadly. “They can only sit here and make use of the books available.”
Another sad revelation was the scanty nature of the shelves where hard cover books sat decades ago. The adult section was virtually empty of books with only a few huddled here. The same was the case with the children’s section where hard cover materials once were.
But this does not seem to affect patronage. “The number of people patronising the library has increased over time. This is as a result of the present exposure in the society and the fact that many try to go to school now. Even on Sundays when the library is usually closed, students still come here; spread mats within the library grounds and study. This they do in order not to be distracted at home,” he explains.
This is not surprising. Zaria is a place blessed with institutions of learning. Thus, the library is accessible to students, especially to those closer to it like Nuhu Bamalli, the State Polytechnic. Again, when students are at home, during strikes or on holidays, they frequent the library if they happen to live close by.     
Unfortunately, the books available now are old books that have been there for decades with contemporary works trickling in just once in a while and kept in the reserve section. In the adult section ‘The Selected Works of Lenin,’ ‘Portrait Painter,’ by Janet Robertson and invaluable materials such as ‘The New Book of Popular Science’ and ‘The illustrated Encyclopaedia of Science and Technology,’ among others, still grace the shelves. In the children’s section, ‘Shakespeare and his World,’ by Ivor Brown; ‘Insects,’ by Mary and Paul Whiskley  and books like ‘Macmillan Basic Primary Mathematics,’ are available.