The National Library of Nigeria and
its Bulgaria counterpart, known as
St. Cyril and Methodius National
Library of the Republic of Bulgaria, have
signed a Memorandum of Understanding,
aimed at boosting already existing forms of cultural exchange.
The Memorandum of Understanding,
MOU, between the two National Libraries
which was signed by Prof. Chinwe Veronica Anunobi and Associate Prof.
Krasimira Aleksandrova, the National
Librarians of Nigeria and Bulgaria
respectively in Sofia on 28th March 2023
will help deepen cultural and bilateral
ties between Nigeria and Bulgaria, which established diplomatic relations since 1964.
Speaking during the ceremony, Prof.
Anunobi who led a delegation of three
from Nigeria, thanked the Bulgarian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency
Yanko Yordanov for facilitating and
nurturing the processes that culminated in
the historic signing of the MOU that will
facilitate the sharing of resources between
the two countries in order not just to
deepen cross cultural relations but to also
expand the vista of librarianship practice
across geographical borders. According to
Anunobi “Each National Library is unique
to itself, be it amongst other libraries in
the particular country, or be it amongst
other national libraries. I therefore see this
relationship as affording us a peep into
what your national library is doing that
we can learn from, and of course we shall
gladly share with you, what we are doing
and how we are doing it.”
Prof. Anunobi further informed her hosts
that the National Library of Nigeria has
a total stock of over 10 million materials
in its holding. Of the other services
rendered, apart from activities that
promote the inculcation of a positive
reading habit in Nigeria, she stated
that the Library is responsible for the
collection of legal deposit materials,
administration of international standard
numbers, bibliographic control which
results in the publication of a serial known
as the National Bibliography of Nigeria,
which captures all books published in Nigeria. Other services, according to
Prof. Anunobi, includes a virtual library
that makes it possible for people to access
materials irrespective of their location and
time.
Speaking earlier, Assoc. Prof.
Aleksandrova who warmly welcomed her
guests, thanked Prof. Anunobi for being
able make out time to visit the National
Library of Bulgaria. Briefing her guests
about the Bulgarian National Library,
Assoc. Prof. Aleksandrova stated that the
Library which was established 140 years
ago, moved into its present and permanent
building in 1953 and has over 8 million
books, 1,500 original manuscripts from
11th to the 19th centuries. She also stated
that there has being an upsurge of readers’
visit to the library, some days up to 300
readers seating.
Assoc. Prof. Aleksandrova, who informed
that they have signed over 20 MOUs with
different countries, further stated that
Library is deploying so much technology
in the preservation of its resources and is
glad for the burgeoning relationship with
Nigeria in that regard.
The Nigerian delegation was later taken
on a guided tour of the Bulgarian National
Library facilities including the digitization
studios, the healing and restoration laboratories, the archives, the Nigerian
corner as well as the storage rooms. The
delegation also participated in a workshop
on the theme, Preservation of the Literary
Heritage”.
The delegation also paid a courtesy visit
on the Minister of Culture, the Ivan Vazov
Library in Plovdiv. An earlier scheduled
visit to the University of Library Studies
and Information Technologies was later
called off, and the management of the
University rather met with the Nigerian
delegation at the National Library of
Bulgaria.
Prof. Anunobi was accompanied on
the official visit by the Head of Public
Relations, Vershima Orvell-Dio, and that
of the Digitization Project Mrs. Christiana
Okwuduba