By Michael Oduor
Rongo University in Rongo Sub-County, Migori County has embarked on championing educational development of the community and the country at large.
The university has held its Library Week event in style with the theme, “Read more! Do more! Be more! Amidst the pandemic,” indicating the prioritized aim of the university in the current unpredictable world characterized by Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking to Education News, the Deputy and acting University librarian, Mr Joel Nakitare said that the Library week’s activities targeted four main areas which includes; undergraduate, post-graduate and Rongo University staff training as well as participating in a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
“The university decided to use a different approach in this library week as we focused in four main areas which touché on undergraduates, post-graduates, and RU staff training and lastly do a charity event by visiting one of the selected children’s home and giving them what they can use during this pandemic season,” said Nakitare.
For undergraduates, they were trained on the uses of ebooks databases so that they can maintain social distance by reducing their contacts while sharing printed books.
“We have been training the students on how to use ebooks so that we curb the spread of Covid-19 through reducing the cases of student contact in the library as they use printed books,” he said
Post-graduate students were also among the targeted group who were informed on the various resources they can use to do their research away from the university library. University subscribed resources, open access resources by the university and training on how to carry out their research using the materials was also part of the activities during the week.
The third activity targeted the children’s section where primary school children whose parents are members of the RU staff got the privilege of using books from the University Library. Staff members with class 4 and 6 pupils had the chance to take the books for the pupils who currently are at home after finishing their exam. This acts as a way to prevent them getting into vices that may have a negative impact in their lives.
The last item was a CSR event where the library team and some well wishers visited the Good Samaritan Children Home in Migori for donation of children’s books, food, money, toiletries among other items.
