Libraries vital in strengthening knowledge management

National Library Service (NLS) chief executive officer Gray Nyali says the battle against illiteracy can be won if libraries are well-stocked with reading materials.

He said this on Friday at Domasi College of Education in Zomba during the graduation of 74 students who successfully completed the Malawi Library Association (Mala) Certificate Course in Library and Information Science.

Nyali said libraries perform a unique function in developing an inclusive society by providing access to value-added information and knowledge to help the country achieve various developments.

He said libraries are critical in the country’s efforts to achieve United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Libraries boost people’s chances to succeed in life. [This] promotes socio-economic development at societal level,” he said.

Nyali further appealed to library professionals and government to increase funding for library materials to nourish readers with appropriate knowledge.

“We also appeal to private universities to set up budgets for procuring books as most of them have underdeveloped libraries that pose a threat to the knowledge management,” he said.n