EISERVI promotes authorship, reading culture

The Education Services International, ESERVI, has been promoting authorship and reading altitudes in Cameroon through the provision of books in different libraries across the national territory.

The initiative comes on the heels of a recent visit of a delegation from Reeds Elsevier and Book Aid International from the United Kingdom to Cameroon.

Speaking during a press conference organised in Yaoundé to highlight their libraries services, the Executive Director of EISERVI Cameroon, Andrew Nyenty said they have received over 60,000 books this year, which are intended to support the national development process in Cameroon by impacting knowledge on its citizens.

“Book Aid International, which is a major partner of EISERVI Cameroon donates books and educational materials annually to over 44 public and community libraries, universities, schools, orphanages, prisons and NGOs nationwide,” Nyenty stated.

According to him, Book Aid shall, in the next two years, work with EISERVI to setup 10 Children’s Corners in libraries in Bamenda, Buea, Kumba and Kumbo.

Meanwhile, the Limbe City Council Library already has its children’s corner which was launched on November 19 as a pilot in Cameroon. Nyenty, however, bemoaned the fact that their major challenge is making the Government and other individuals understand the role of library services in national development.

For his part, the Chairman of Elsevier, Chi Youngsuk who is also a former publisher of children’s books said they are already working in collaboration with the World Bank to enable the training of editors and publishers of children’s books and other educational books to encourage reading.

He advised parents to cultivate the altitude of taking children to libraries for research. To Youngsuk, “if you give children the right books, they will read them”.

While responding to questions from the press, Youngsukemphasised on their prospects of becoming an E-Library, given the digital and globalised nature of the world.

The Manager for Professional Development and Administration for EISERVI Cameroon, Emmanuel Sanyi, told journalists that they are working with local publishers like COSMOS and ANUCAM to ensure that local contents and national issues are highlighted in their libraries.

The Post learnt that EISERVI recently received a price in London because of their works and prospects in Cameroon.