National Library and ZODML Foster Reading Culture with Green Library Initiative
The National Library in Lagos State, in collaboration with the Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Libraries (ZODML), has launched a green library with the goal of encouraging young people to become more environmentally conscious and adopt more sustainable lifestyles.
The Green Library, an interactive learning environment located on the lower level of the National Library in Yaba, Lagos, caters to children and adolescents aged four to seventeen.
Motivating children to become environmental activists is our main objective. There are now plans to expand the green library model to all 31 locations throughout the country.
The library is equipped with a variety of books and other instructional resources, and its aesthetic value is amplified by the use of natural elements like flowers and wooden furniture.
Mrs. Obianiju Onuorah, deputy director of the National Library’s Lagos office, spoke during the inauguration about the creation of the green library in partnership with ZODML to serve youth.
In addition to running Nigeria’s biggest free online library, ZODML provides free access to books, journals, and articles to underprivileged communities, local schools, and correctional institutions.
According to Mrs. Onuorah, the goal of the collaboration was to educate kids about the environment from an early age so that they may become responsible citizens who help preserve our world.
Opening hours for the green library are from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with reduced hours on Saturdays. This schedule applies all year, except during school breaks.
According to ZODML chairman and co-founder Mrs. Ifeoma Esiri, the National Library of Nigeria (NLN) provides the library space, and children are free to use it and borrow books. She said that because the Yaba branch is well located between the island and the mainland, many families may easily visit.
Mrs. Esiri further pointed out that the National Library has 32 branches nationwide, including the Federal Capital Territory, so there’s room to expand the green library idea to other states.
The overarching goal of this strategy is to ensure that all children in the country have the chance to read high-quality books and play outside.
She related a tale of a lady and her children who spent an extra hour at the library before it opened to show how excited the kids were to read. This instance highlights the potential influence of the green library on young readers.
National Library and ZODML Foster Reading Culture with Green Library Initiative