The Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) has presented the nation’s first-ever virtual library, known as VTabu, to the public in an official capacity.
Ababu Namwamba, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Youth, Sports, and Arts, was the one who officially kicked off the $1.7 million digital platform at the Maktaba Kuu national library in the capital city of Nairobi. Access to more than 200,000 reading resources is provided by VTabu. These reading materials include digitised books, magazines, research papers, and data from the government.
On VTabu, you can get electronic books covering all of the subjects that are taught at any level, from preschool to university. In addition, VTabu can be used by governmental organisations for the storing of data in the cloud as well as the digitization of significant records, photographs, and maps.
Users have the option to subscribe to VTabu on a daily, weekly, monthly, biennial, or annual basis, each of which comes with a correspondingly reduced price.
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Additionally, CS Namwamba declared that July 12 will serve as Kenya’s first annual National Reading Day, which is in line with the goal of President William Ruto. This further demonstrates the essential role that libraries play in advancing education, fostering digital literacy, and empowering communities.
The launch of Kenya’s first ever digital library marks a watershed moment in the country’s progress towards providing all of its residents with easy online access to a wealth of educational, research, and archival resources.
VTabu ushers libraries into the digital age and makes information more accessible by protecting and digitising valuable national resources. This helps to ensure that knowledge is shared fairly. The establishment of the platform demonstrates the government’s dedication to enhancing accessibility and opportunities via the use of technology.
Remarks from some officials at the launch of VTabu
“We no longer need to worry about publication age or having just one surviving copy. We also don’t need to worry about protecting precious maps because they are now safely stored and accessible in digital format,” said CS Namwamba at the launch.
KNLS Board Chair Robert Theuri Maina included, “Access to information enables citizens to actively participate in governance and legal processes. Libraries are powerhouses and strategic resources in this regard.”
About Kenya National Library Services
The Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) Board is a state company that was founded by an Act of Parliament Cap 225 of the Laws of Kenya (1965) with the intention of providing library and information services to the general people in Kenya. At the moment, the Board falls under the purview of the Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Heritage. Within the Maktaba Kuu Building in Nairobi is where you’ll find the headquarters library.
When it first opened its doors to the public in 1969, the KNLS Headquarters Library was located in a temporary structure close to the Prison Headquarters complex. This facility had previously served as the location of the registration office. After some time, the services were relocated to the Knls building, which had been specifically built for the purpose, and it had opened in 1974.
In the latter half of 2012, the government of Kenya provided funding for the construction of the current Maktaba Kuu building. This was done to improve the efficiency of the National Library of Kenya and to allow for a more distinct division between the services provided by the National Library and those provided by the Public Library. On November 13, 2020, His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, C.G.H., President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, formally opened Maktaba Kuu. Maktaba Kuu was named after Maktaba Kuu, which means “Fort Kuu.”
To this day, there are a total of sixty-four branch libraries spread over thirty-three counties, twenty-one of which are located in the administrative centres of the respective counties.