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Brief on the Library and the Computer Centre.
The library
According to Section (4) of
the Institute Act. Cap. 262 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990The Institute shall establish and maintain a Library comprising,
Such books, records, reports and other publications as may be
Directed by the board for the advancement of knowledge in the areas
Of work undertaken by it, for research purposes and for other
Purposes connected with the functions conferred on the institute or
Pursuant to this decree.
Model of the new N.I. Library
under construction
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In keeping with the provision of the foregoing section, the Library embarked on a progressive development of its collection to meet
the needs of studies, research and other programmes of the Institute. The collection, currently stands at above 26,000 volumes of books in various fields, colonial parliamentary papers
on Nigeria, area studies, these submitted by the SEC participants, tour reports presented t plenary sessions and copies of lectures delivered by guest lecturers on various topics.
It also has collections on the government white papers in addition to documents emanating from the Central Bank of Nigeria and World Bank. The Library maintains an index of
Nigerian newspapers editorial opinions and feature articles on contemporary Nigeria development experience.
A number of services are offered in the Library and these consist of book loan, reference
and reprographic services as well as information sourcing from the INTERNET, the virtual Library. In addition to these services, the Library through its inter-library cooperation
agreements with other libraries in the country, access the information holdings of the cooperating libraries and this has proved to be one of the major sources of augmenting the Institute's information resources.
The Library is opened to members of staff and course participants from Monday through Friday from 8.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. and from 8.00 a.m to 1.00 p.m. on Saturdays.
Members of the public may however be permitted to access the Library subject to the approval of the Director-general. The Library is closed on all public holidays and on days as
the Institute's authority may direct. The Library is being run by a corp. of 11 professionals headed by Dr. B. A. Oladele.
Presently, the Library is located on a temporary building pending the completion of the new ultra modern edifice, which is currently under construction. The need for a new building
arose as a result of the unsuitability of the sinking old structure. His Excellency President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR laid the foundation stone of the new edifice, which is a three-floor design, on the 24th
February 2001. Upon completion and equipping of the building, the Library will be a national focal point for scholars and experts o policy and
strategic studies whether in the traditional or in the virtual sense of Library operations.
The Computer Centre.
Initial attempts at utilizing computers in the National Institute commenced in the late
eighties when some departments/units separately obtained approval to procure the machine for their use. The machines were used solely for word processing. The limitation in
the use of the machines then was certainly not unrelated to the very low level of computer literacy in the Institute as at then. The realization of this limitation led to the sponsorship of
some individuals most of whom were secretaries to attend short-term courses in computer appreciation in and around Jos. Attempt at building capacity for computer utilization on a
holistic basis in the Institute then was non-existence as every department/unit was an island of its own in so far as procurement and utilization of the machines were concerned.
About this time, the Bank of the North donated some computers tot eh Department of Studies just as some individual former participants also did. Invariably the department has
the highest number of computers and by extension the highest rate of application in the Institute.
The Computer Centre of the National Institute
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However, in 1999 the SEC No. 21 participants made a bold move to promote computer utilization in the entire Institute.
They did not only donate computers and related hardware/software to the Institute, they also actualized the idea of a cyber café. The primary intention for providing the cyber
café according to the then Monitor-General, Mr. Fola Adeola was to provide an environment in which the SEC participants would have access to and utilize computers throughout the
duration of their stay in the Institute including INTERNET connectivity. By implication, the cyber café was also meant to be a training avenue for the staff of the Institute with regard to
computer literacy. This development can to a larger extent be relatively described as a ground breaking one prior to the arrival of the present Institute Director-General, Maj-Gen.
Joseph Nanven Garba (rtd) CFR who rightly underscored the need and importance of computer application in a place as important as the National Institute.
In a sense, the thrust of the Director-General's view is that an Institution such as the National Institute that aspires to greater heights as well as becoming a key player in the
ever unfolding information age can not but apply computer to its operations and activities on a sustainable basis. To actualize this idea, approval to design and build a computer center
was approved by the Director-General about mid-year 2000.
This simple directive resulted into what now stands as the Institute's Computer Center
building. The secretary to the Government of the Federation, Obong Ufot Ekaette, mni, commissioned the building for use on the 9th of February 2001. Thereafter twenty-seven
computers plus accessories were acquired and installed in the center. In a training session the center can accommodate 25 trainees with every trainee having a PC to himself/herself.
With the computers installed, training at the center commenced in earnest starting with SEC 23 participants. Members of staff soon followed. The training of the participants is
sequel to the introduction of computer literacy into the SEC curriculum while members of staff are expected to be computer proficient so as to enhance their overall productivity. This
development is a manifest demonstration of the Institute's Management commitment to utilize its as veritable tools for her higher productivity, which is an integral component of development and growth.
While training is currently a main activity at the center, it is envisaged that the center will in the long run become the Institute's nerve center or hub for global information superhighway
with regards to intranet and INTERNET connectivity. Moreover the center has potentials of becoming a revenue generating point for the Institute. All these of course assume that
facilities at the center will progressively be upgraded. After all investment in Its is a continuous one with immense benefits to the investor.
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