The first Public library called Kigali Public Library (KPL) will on Monday April 16 officially be open to the public for information resources, education and reading services.
The state-of –the art library was constructed by the Government of Rwanda and the Kigali-Virunga Rotary Club – who initiated the library idea, laid the foundation before handing it over to the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports.
The Library Director, Mrs. Jennifer Turatsinze said that the library will serve two purposes—as the national library; acting as a National Bibliography Control Agency, and the public library; implementing the national library & information resource policy, providing relevant information resources for all libraries, reading promotion initiatives and trainings among others.
Some of the activities of the library will include: providing information services; age- appropriate reading and educational programs and promoting reading culture, e-resources, entertainment programs and training of library managers
The library contains an award display corner(national/presidential awards), cafeteria, internet café, a children’s center, teenage and adult sections, the American corner, multi-purpose hall, reading and periodical sections, gardens and other services which will encourage the community to fully participate or use the facilities.
“The library will be very cheap and only requires membership registration, provide standard services which suit various groups of the community and also provide outreach programs for those who cannot access the library”
She said that the national library will consolidate a system and set guidelines of public libraries countrywide. It will also ensure the cataloging and collection of material published in Rwanda and about Rwanda.
This will be done with support of donor organizations, publishers, government institutions, international libraries and media among others. These institutions will sign a memorandum of understanding with the national library.
Most of the books and other support have been provided by the American friends of KPL, Libraries without Borders, and the contributions of the Kigali-Virunga Rotary club.
The initial work of cataloging and organizing the library books has been done by a group of youth volunteers. One of them, Daniel Tuyisenge said that this is a noble cause and his involvement will contribute to the efforts of promoting the culture of reading in Rwanda.
“We (youth) have a big responsibility in such activities. I believe that my contribution will be essential to the national policy of promoting the culture of reading in Rwanda” he said.
