Are Librarians Afraid of Retirement?

The issue of retirement to many LIPs is a very big one. The other day I met with a very senior colleague who was approaching retirement. It was very obvous that this person was not clear as to what he would do at retirement.



Again, I met another colleague who was already 'enjoying' his retirement. According to this fellow, it was very clear to him what he wanted to do for retirement, but he found it difficult to raise the needed finances to implement his dream job.



Yet another time I met an elderly man who retired as a library officer from one of the higher institutions in Oyo state, Nigeria. He started by selling stationeries to libraries and at a point got job with the primary and nursery schools as Librarian. Not long after, luck smiled at him when he came in contact with another colleague who was having a field day at retirement. This guy was involved with a lot of new library start-ups in Law chambers, schools ... From there, that library officer had to pick up his cataloguing tools and started raking in money from many start-up libraries starting from Ibadan.



The question that comes to mind is when should we start preparing for retirement? Because, many start when it is too late. I think the answer is "start the very day you got that job" Start preparing your retirement" Even when you leave your paid emplyemnt you can easily move on and re-fire rather than retire.



Again, if you have reitrement at heart from the beginning of your career, you can then plan to develop the kind of skills that will be useful for you at retirement. This can be achieved by taking courses of specific areas of need.



Retirement is what many do not consider. They often think that everything witll continue the same way even after retirement. It is not so. Many have even been retired suddenly and that has caused them untold hardships. We should start now to plan for retirement NOW!!!



Do you agree with this?

Towards the Achievement of IT-driven Nigerian Society: The Odds, Realities and Challenges to the Library and Information Professionals

Dear Colleagues

I am forwarding my opinions on the above perhaps the views that I hold may be something that may be of use, first to individual colleagues, our professional body and to our nation in general.

Foremost, let me state that there is no perfect system in the world, not even in the so-called "world super powers". Hence, every effort by various individuals or as collective, be it as a team of professionals or established associations/professional bodies and even at a governmental level, is to attain the best desirable height that can guarantee optimal productivity and quality services, for enviable relevance in any niche.

Therefore, the issues relating to an IT-driven Society vis-a-vis the expected contributions from all stakeholders, including Library and Information Professionals in Africa generally and in particular Nigeria, cannot be isolated from the position earlier identified above. There is no exaggeration in the general assertion that the third world countries are retarding the pace of World technological advancements and thereby limiting the frontier of scientific discoveries, especially in the sphere of information work - the main rationale for a slight tilt of focus on Africa in most of the programmes of the developed nations, regardless of any hidden selfish interests that we may suspect them to have.

IT, ICT, e-book, Electronic Library, legislations (Copyright Protection, Freedom of Information Act, etc.) associated with publishing, state of affairs on library technical procedures for knowledge organisation (cataloguing, classification, abstracting, indexing, etc) apart from tasks relating to information resources and its management (equal access, assured storage, uninhibited retrieval and uncensored dissemination) for the intended purposes, amongst other sensitive issues should begin to have more values to us in our daily practice as Library and information work professionals.

As concerned professionals from the so-called giant of Africa, we must know where we are coming from and our present state before we plan on how to leap to another level. The crucial factors for attainment of a functional and vibrant Information Society include: reliable energy source, workable infrastructure, abundance of IT-skilled manpower and genuine commitment and goodwill on the part of the nation's government to support the required efforts at reaching the desired goals.

In the light of the foregoing, all hands need to be on deck possibly using the forum of the Nigerian Library Association to package a programmed action geared towards:

a) gaining the attention of the ruling class and convincing them of the need to facilitate the achievement of required enabling environment through adequate funding for the provision of IT/ICT infrastructure, energy source;
b) significant empowerment of all practising Library and Information professionals through Continuing Professional Development (or Capacity Building), as to be abreast of development in the field as well as acquisition of IT knowledge and skills for performing advance searches and other professional tasks to support their clients.

In conclusion, every professional need to strive to brush him/herself up as to be able to remain being kept informed adequately of the trends in the career, especially as to make him/herself relevant within the parent organisation that he/she works. These are the main impetus for us to assert our competence in the services being provided to the clients of the Library or the Information Centre that we serve.

Ayo Onatola
Librarian
St. Christopher's College of Medicine
Luton, Beds, UK.

P.S.:

The above article is an abridged version of what has been previously posted to the NLA Online Forum, in response to the call by Mr. Abraham Azubuike, on "what should be the contributions of Nigerian Library and Information Professionals to the current issues at the World Summit on Information Society".

Advocacy: The Danger of Keeping Quiet

Definitions of advocacy on the Web:

• active support of an idea or cause etc.; especially the act of pleading or arguing for something
  wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• Advocacy is an umbrella term for organized activism related to a particular set of issues.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advocacy
A campaign that an individual or organization undertakes to promote any measure that would broadly benefit society. A Canadian example of advocacy is ParticipAction, which promoted the benefits of exercise.
www.canadacouncil.ca/help/lj127228791697343750.htm
• The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something such as and idea, or a policy.
  hafoundation.org/about/glossary/
• Speaking out on issues of concern. This can mean something as formal as sitting down and talking to your legislator; as intensive as engaging in efforts to change a change in laws or policies; or as simple as telling your neighbor about the impact of a law.
  www.npaction.org/article/articleview/381/1/227

Advocacy involves representing an organization through articulating the mission and supporting and defending the organization's message. Advocacy also relates to representing and defending the rights of individuals with disabilities.
www.isa1.com/glossary/a-dgloss.htm

1. I think, first we need to be educated about how to do it. We need training. ho can give this to Librarians in Nigeria? We need help here.
2. We need dedicated people who can lead this cause.
3. We need contacts who can also open some of the closed doors.
4. We also need you to help in whatever way to achieve the above ... but more forour respective institutions