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Introduction
It’s often stated that we dwell in an ‘Data Age’. The leaders of the USA discuss of an Data Superhighway; the EU of an Data Society; lecturers discuss of a community society, and data financial system’. Main enterprise strategists argue that Data is changing monetary capital as a key useful resource for firms. The present realization is that any society that strives to develop requires more and more extra info and data actions as these facilitate the measurement of change in each cloth of society. What can we perceive by the phrases INFORMATION and KNOWLEDGE?
Data and data
Two faculties of thought exist. We are inclined to suppose that Data and Data are synonymous and are thus used inter-changeably. Nevertheless there’s a distinction. Data is often a number of paperwork/concepts in a specific topic or vary of topics which can or might not have been digested essentially. It due to this fact has the potential of turning into Data. Data, however, might be of two sorts: tacit and express, the latter having larger similarity with Data however not solely so. A set of books, for instance, could also be described as a physique of information and every doc representing knowledgeable concepts which can be more likely to affect others when digested. Such data, when acquired serves, amongst others, as experiences, concepts and expertise within the type of Tacit Data.
Data is likely one of the precept sources of information. It’s shared data, having been communicated and often obtained by examine and investigation. Abate (1988) referred to info as intelligence and data that contributes to the social, financial, cultural and political well-being of society, regardless of the shape it’s inscribed (eg textual content; figures); medium saved (eg paper, magnetic tapes); mode of dissemination (eg oral, written); societal exercise that provides rise to it(eg analysis, census); and the establishments that arrange and disseminate it( eg library and knowledge centre).
Data, however, is what one is aware of. Davenport and Prusak (1998) outlined it as a fluid mixture of framed experiences, values, contextual info and skilled insights that present a framework for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and knowledge. That’s to say Data entails human response to info. For example if one is ready to perceive easy written description to a specific sickness, that’s info. Nevertheless, if we thought that somebody was affected by that sickness, most of us would counsel that the particular person went to see a medical physician. It is because the physician has a physique of information which is a mixture of details about that sickness, details about the human physique, about different diseases and experiences of comparable circumstances and coaching.
Data and Data are among the many world’s most necessary sources wanted each day to resolve issues and make selections affecting the longer term. In keeping with Mchombu (1995),for any neighborhood to perform effectively and productively, a fundamental minimal inventory of usable info is crucial. Aboyade (1987) posited that satisfactory info is crucial for strengthening the hyperlink between the indications and the beneficiaries of growth effort, and for making rural folks perceive and admire the advantages of the event programmes to their lives. What folks accomplish in organizations, he added, relies upon largely upon the knowledge and data they possess. More and more the diploma of success loved by organizations and the individuals who work for them will depend on how nicely they handle their info and data. These are the strategic belongings of the enterprise.
The Civil Conflict
The last decade lengthy civil battle (1991-2001) which prompted untold struggling to the folks of Sierra Leone was rooted in a few years of injustice, dangerous governance, corruption and mis-management. At the moment the nation is within the throes of post-war reconstruction with authorities’s most developmental challenges being democracy and good governance, improved financial system, well being, schooling, mining, human rights and meals safety, rural growth, anti-corruption and improved street infrastructure. These challenges require:
o efficient public administration and financial administration
o growth of viable manufacturing, service and overseas commerce
o harnessing of Science and Expertise together with Indigenous Data.
These type the idea of the nation’s Imaginative and prescient 2025.
To facilitate the afore-mentioned entry to info and data assumes a central function. A cursory historic reference is sufficient to substantiate this view. When the civil battle broke out in 1991 the official clarification shared by Sierra Leoneans was that it was a skirmish between Charles Taylor’s NPFL fighters and Sierra Leone troopers over a enterprise transaction. Hardly was there any info on the true identification of the RUF, their ideology, final aims and operational technique and the worldwide dimension of their actions. Consequently the battle was not given the eye it deserved. The lack of understanding or ample info was mirrored on a number of the phrases used to consult with the RUF even when the battle swallowed up the nation. In reality, regrettably, even the basis causes of the battle weren’t correctly understood or analyzed to type the inspiration for peace initiative. Thus the nation was destroyed to reckless abandon.
Entry to info and data is indispensable to particular person development in addition to to nationwide progress. The correct info offered when it’s wanted, the place it’s wanted and the shape wherein it’s wanted, improves the power of a person and enterprise, a authorities company or some form of group to make knowledgeable selections and obtain specific targets. The added worth that’s derived from entry to info and data is that the nation will profit and it’ll take much less time to be mirrored in our output as people, as establishments inside a rustic, and as a nation as a complete. What we produce, eat and trade as a nation determines our standing in relation to others the world over. It’s the extent that we’re in a position to be artistic in our respective spheres of exercise that determines how nicely or badly, we carry out towards others. The UNDP says all of it.
The idea of entry to info and data in Sierra Leone has restricted utility and interpretation. It’s involved with the equipment of selling journalists and different media companies with entry to these constituent parts in information making and supply. Hardly any point out is made about entry to info and data outdoors these parameters. Sadly this a lot talked about entry is severely constrained by many elements to incorporate weak communication techniques, low literacy degree, poverty, passive and stereotyped companies supplied in libraries centered on donated e-book assortment, language boundaries and above all the shortage of political will to carry sure sorts of knowledge to public data.
The library scene in Sierra Leone
Libraries command respect in society as storehouses of information. Their worth is acknowledged with out reservation as enormous sums of cash are spent on them particularly in superior nations for the availability of well timed and correct info. Sierra Leone’s library scene is made up of public/nationwide, faculty, educational, instructor coaching faculty, polytechnic and particular libraries, documentation, info and useful resource centres. These establishments range in dimension and complexity and collectively they’re the inspiration on which a nation-wide info community is to be constructed if they’re to supply efficient entry to info and data within the nation’s post-war reconstruction period. It’s, nevertheless, unlucky to state right here that these establishments should not growing in line with nationwide plan and consequently their progress continues to be uneven and lacks cohesion. Additionally monetary assist is just not conserving tempo with rising price; the libraries are beneath elevated stress to provide a service in additional breath and depth to a variety of clientele that fluctuate in age, schooling and pursuits.
ROLE OF LIBRARIANS IN PROMOTING ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE
Not withstanding these issues librarians have an element to play with a purpose to put the nation on a sound developmental footing, particularly with the availability of entry to info and data. Librarians see themselves as geared up for consideration as integral companions in nationwide growth. They regard themselves as knowledge-oriented professionals educated not solely to course of what we frequently consult with as Express Data i.e. printed and audio visible supplies, but in addition to take lively curiosity of their shoppers to the extent of offering companies that may very well be of curiosity to them. Over and above all they’re adept at offering order in an in any other case disorderly assortment of fabric to facilitate straightforward attain.
Sierra Leone is confronted with a variety of points like environmental sanitation, democracy and good governance, poverty alleviation, meals safety, well being, drug abuse, unemployment peace and reconciliation, trauma therapeutic and crime fee. Coupled with these is an array of discrete teams of customers to incorporate ex-combatants, battle amputees, ladies and kids, farmers, carpenters, market ladies, the aged, herbalists and Conventional Beginning Attendants (TBAs), all of whom want info and data of assorted form on how one can purchase and enhance their expertise, info on the economics of their trades, advertising and marketing methods, entry to social and political info. Political info is of paramount significance as come July 28, 2007 the nation may have a Normal Election to vote for a brand new Head of State and his Vice, Parliamentarians and a Referendum to amend the 1991 Structure. The grownup inhabitants are all voters and most of those are non- literate and rely for info on what they hear. Except easy accessibility to info is offered such folks stay susceptible to misinformation and manipulation by persuaders with egocentric agenda. This brings librarians to stick to the idea of outreach.
As info brokers librarians ought to be capable to present correct and well timed info and really liberally too, in order to achieve all sectors of the inhabitants. Data needs to be offered in any respect degree, within the rural areas and at nationwide degree, if not past. Growth can solely be achieved when folks have the fitting notion of what, or how one can develop; and the availability of the fitting info and data will enhance folks’s high quality of life. Of their dissemination of knowledge and data to their respective clientele librarians ought to take a proactive stance. They need to arrange a variety of companies and actions of their libraries to sensitize the general public on topical points like voter schooling, poverty alleviation, democracy and good governance, the IMF and World Financial institution and their circumstances, Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) and meals safety. Additionally they need to arrange exhibitions and provides public lectures and Talks on growth points, mining, financial integration, grownup literacy and environmental sanitation within the native language extensively spoken in the neighborhood. Documentaries on topical points like financial reform programmes, overseas commerce, well being, the Structure and the Public Order Act also needs to be achieved and availed to clientele to be used of their communities as consciousness elevating measures. In such programmes librarians have to work collaboratively with opinion leaders like chiefs, spiritual leaders, academics, social and extension staff and NGO officers working with the grass roots. Since there are neighborhood radio stations positioned in all of the districts librarians ought to partake in radio programmes (Data on Air Programmes)the place by developmental points affecting their communities may very well be mentioned.
As professionals, librarians ought to be certain that they assist and promote nation constructing actions and this may very well be facilitated with the availability of sources at their disposal to coverage makers, researches, these working with the grass roots and even members of the neighborhood. Provision needs to be made within the type of print and non print supplies like books, magazines, directories, stories, guides recorded cassettes, movies, video recordings, instructional packs to rural communities and database. They might even use ICT services at their disposal and the place attainable they need to place this inventory both on separate cabinets or near inventory that’s often used of their libraries. Equally so librarians ought to use their libraries as publicity centres the place posters, notices, job adverts (to quote however just a few examples), and conferences may very well be displayed and held to debate key neighborhood developmental points. On this regard librarians needs to be masters of the contents of their holdings. Every ought to make him/herself one thing of a specialist over at the least some a part of the library holdings and needs to be in place not solely to help customers but in addition to promote the potential of their libraries.
In a largely non-literate society like Sierra Leone the librarians’ function in stimulating folks’s need for entry to info and data is essential. Within the rural areas for instance, the place librarians take care of non-literates, they should redesign their programmes to fulfill the various wants of their clientele. These programmes ought to goal not solely at bettering the standard of lifetime of rural folks however efforts should be made to mobilize them. The programmes ought to, inter alia, information the agricultural folks to alternatives in occupations, well being, housing, schooling and employment. Libraries ought to change into centres of knowledge to lure patrons to be utilizing their holdings focusing on such teams because the economically and socially deprived teams e.g. youngsters, ladies, the aged, prisoners; those who need to enhance their skills by means of self-education like industrial staff, farmers, neighborhood leaders and non secular teams. Particular strategies needs to be utilized to facilitate entry to info and data. This may very well be attained by means of the institution of Studying Facilities for grownup literacy learners and Village Newspaper/ Studying Facilities, efficiency companies and theatre teams, groit, reward singers (‘Yeliba’) and different conventional types of leisure. The data thus gained may assist increase their way of life corresponding to agricultural strategies, land fertilizing, improved well being care, improved livelihood in addition to higher understanding of their civic rights and democracy.
Networking actions needs to be developed amongst librarians for the availability of satisfactory, related and well timed info and data. Librarians ought to, for instance, work collaboratively in organizing coaching classes for employees, e-book gala’s, exhibitions, manufacturing of studying supplies for brand spanking new literates, conducting e-book donation campaigns and inspiring skilled writers and publishers to put in writing and publish for the agricultural poor, youngsters, ladies and new literates, and persuading the federal government to decrease tariffs on printed paper to cut back the price of manufacturing. They will even give you collectively revealed library manuals and an abridged version of DDC Scheme. Librarians also needs to assist consciousness elevating actions, analysis and advocacy of their communities as a way of attracting assist from the federal government and the worldwide neighborhood. These programmes needs to be consistently reviewed for effectiveness of function.
Librarians ought to present nicely designed programmes for particular info in order to carry such teams as ladies collectively to debate matters of widespread curiosity corresponding to gardening, health-related points and their civic rights. They need to additionally make provisions for the youth and people who work with this susceptible group in society to debate their issues. Since all these strikes are centered on funds librarians ought to be capable to market their provisions and companies by introducing public relations companies with a purpose to promote their companies and garner monetary assist. Employees engaged within the afore-mentioned actions needs to be hard-working, devoted and consistently educated to fulfill the challenges which will come up. Therefore employees needs to be allowed to be attending conferences, workshops, seminars and even formal programs to maintain them delicate to new roles. By so doing librarians will be capable to flip their establishments to focal factors by means of which authorities and different companies might be knowledgeable about issues, issues and reactions of the communities they serve. It will improve growth.
CONCLUSION
Certainly with a purpose to present entry to info and data in publish battle reconstruction librarians ought to play a number one function. Their function mustn’t solely be restricted to the availability of e-book and non e-book supplies however ought to go additional to assist their quite a few clientele to make significant use of those supplies for self enhancement. The very fact in the principle is that info and data are important substances within the Data financial system and for society to develop it’s the responsibility of librarians to carry to bear their expertise for particular person self enhancement. This due to this fact requires collaborative effort to bridge the knowledge /data hole in society.
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Source by John Abdul Kargbo