Sixty years, oh, what a tale,
From humble shelves to grander scale!
A beacon bright, built by countless hands,
Where knowledge grows and truth withstands.
Back in '64, a vision was born,
To open doors where minds are worn.
A legacy strong, with wisdom’s light,
Illuminating minds, day and night.
And at the helm, so wise and bold,
Professor Chinwe—our heart of gold!
With fierce passion and vision clear,
She guides the charge, year after year.
The themes you’ve led, each bold campaign, Bring unity and ease our strain.
From “Building a Nation of Readers” bright, To “Reading as Panacea”—a guiding light.
In ‘23, we aimed for the top,
With “Read Your Way”—no plans to stop.
Now “Reading Without Boundaries: A Renewed Hope” in '24,
Shows literacy’s power, opening doors.
And now we dream of a future so bright,
Where heritage lives in digital light.
The Future of Libraries in a Digital Age—
Preserving, expanding, and engaging youth on every page.
At sixty now, we’re digitised,
With resources vast and skills revised!
From e-books to data, at lightning speed,
We meet the nation’s every need.
A place of peace where conflicts mend,
With knowledge vast, on which we depend. Guiding hearts to resolutions true, Our library heals, supporting you.
The Readership Campaign shouts clear,
“Grab a book, come near, come here!”
Through “Unity,” each page does hum,
For both the strong and meek to come.
And in this sixtieth year, we cheer,
For all we’ve grown, year by year.
From past to future, clear and bright,
The library’s heart beats strong with light.
For every child who flips a page,
For every elder, every sage,
This light of knowledge stays aflame—
Sixty years, and still the same.
So here’s to stories still to come,
To laughter, learning—everyone!
With sixty candles, hearts aglow,
We toast to pages yet to show.
And with a cheer, we all proclaim,
Long live the NLN!
By Oyetunji O. D cln, fhcdn
Research & Development
Planning, Research and Statistics
Department
National Library of Nigeria