This archive report was first published on 13 July 2021.
The Importance of Libraries in Kenya ¶
Kenya's adult literacy rate has improved significantly, with 81.5% of adults able to read and write in 2018, up from 78.7% in 2014. Libraries play a crucial role in fostering literacy and learning, and their importance cannot be overstated.
According to the Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) Board, the government can instill and promote a reading culture country-wide through public libraries where citizens and non-citizens can access books, access a community, and safeguard cultural heritage.
Other organizations, such as The Book Bunk, have come in to fill this gap by restoring libraries in Nairobi CBD, Kaloleni, and Makadara. The K-South Bus Library, a bus turned into a library, serves the youth in Kariobangi South and the surrounding estates, providing a safe space for children and a space for them to nurture their creativity.
Libraries are essential for keeping people busy, providing a place to gain knowledge, and socializing with other people. They can also act as a safe haven for kids who have a troubled home situation, providing a comfortable place where they can get away from the stress of their world.
As Muthoni Njoki, a Kenyan writer and marketing consultant, notes, 'We need a change in legislation to zero-rate books, a fund for writers, editors, and publishers so that they can produce more educational and non-educational books.'
Libraries are key to keeping people busy, being a place to gain knowledge and socialize with other people, and act as a safe haven for kids. We need to look at libraries as a source of solace and protection for children.
