Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos on Tuesday, commissioned an e-library redeveloped from the Old Lagos Central Library at Odunlami Street in Central Lagos.

Fashola said the state government had also provided electronic libraries in 120 public schools across the state, with additional 20 schools set to soon benefit from the intervention aimed at facilitating effective teaching and learning.

“The essence of providing these facilities in schools is to ensure that before any student leaves secondary school, he is already IT compliant and ready for admission into the university," he said.

He added that the move had become expedient because Information Technology was fast becoming the language of today and of the future, stressing the need to continually stir students’ interest in reading and research activities.

Fashola also explained that the government’s decision to transform the public library building was informed by its rich history.

“This is the most interesting administrative block in the history of this country. This is where the process of building Nigeria started from. It was where taxes were collected; it had the first court and prison; it was where Abuja was planned; and it contains a lot of records,” he said.

“So one can see it is difficult walking away from this building; this is the history we have come to reconnect with for the benefit of the state and its knowledge seeking residents.”

In his address, the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Adebiyi Mabadeje, noted that the new e-library had 1,000 conventional books and over one million electronic books.

He said the centre also had a reference library of 500 books, as well as an audio-visual and online test centre.

Mabadeje also said ICT was integral to a growing economy such as Lagos, in order to meet up with international standards and best practices.

He added that the facility would be of benefit to students, teachers, researchers, entrepreneurs and others in search of knowledge, as it would enable the use of various collections of electronic and printed materials.

http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html