The High Commissioner of India to Sierra Leone, His Excellency B.C. Pradhan, has pledged India’s support to help digitalize the Sierra Leone Library Board.
He made the commitment during a courtesy call on the Chief Librarian, Mr. Musa Balla Manasaray, at the Library Board headquarters on Rokel Street in Freetown.
High Commissioner Pradhan emphasized that India is committed to strengthening educational and cultural cooperation with Sierra Leone, noting that digitalization of the library system would enhance access to knowledge, preserve literary resources, and promote innovation.
“India is ready to partner with Sierra Leone in modernizing its library infrastructure. Digitalization will ensure that students, researchers, and the wider public can benefit from improved access to information,” Pradhan stated.
He promised to help the Library with scholarship for some of its staffs in the coming years,
The Chief Librarian Manasaray welcomed His Excellency B.C. Pradhan for his timely visit and the pledge to support the Library digitalization, describing it as a milestone in the Library Board’s efforts to embrace technology and expand its services nationwide. He expressed optimism that the partnership would help bridge the digital divide and empower Sierra Leoneans through education.
He informed that High Commissioner that the Sierra Leone Library Board was established in 1959 by an Act of Parliament, the Sierra Leone Library Board has served as the country’s main public library system for decades, with branches in Bo, Kenema, Makeni, Kabala, Kailahun, Bonthe, Magburaka, Port Loko, and Kissy in Freetown.
He revealed that, the Library has three key departments namely, Adult, Children, students, research and reference, which need to be modernized to give it an international face.
Mr. Manasary noted that digitalization of the Library will strengthen Sierra Leone’s education system by giving students access to global learning resources, preserve the nation’s cultural and literary heritage for future generations and align with Sierra Leone’s National Digital Development Strategy, which envisions an inclusive digital economy while describing it as a milestone in the Library Board’s efforts to embrace technology and expand its services nationwide.
He encouraged the High Commissioner to consider of having India shelf at the library to showcase their country history, culture and heritage.
He appealed to the High commissioner to help the Library with capacity building, training programe and scholarship for his staff to enhance their skills.
The initiative forms part of India’s broader engagement with Sierra Leone in areas such as education, healthcare, and technology, reinforcing the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
India’s commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s library digitalization marks a new chapter in bilateral cooperation.
For Sierra Leone, it offers hope that its library system can overcome longstanding challenges and evolve into a modern institution that empowers citizens through knowledge.