National Library needs help

FEW weeks ago I visited the National Library at Waigani to do some personal research.
As I walked in towards the hallway and opened the door I was surprised and stunned with the sight that I never expected to see.
And yes, this was my first visit after 11 years.
The National Library of Papua New Guinea is, as its name suggests, is the national library of our country.
It was founded in the year 1978 and it is located in Port Moresby, next to the National Archives, the Court House, and a short distance from the National Parliament in Waigani, the area that is recognised for its government administration and functions.
The library was opened three years after the country’s independence from Australian colonial administration.
It was established by Australia as a gift to the people of Papua New Guinea in order to assist in establishing a collection of items of national significance.
Back when it was opened, it was stated that the library contained 56,000 items which include books, films, video footages, maps, charts, photographs and even micro-films.
As I walk in and towards the catalogue section I discovered that the book shelves were half empty, some books were missing, pages were torn, and they were not placed in the correct places as stated in the catalogue.
Some of the shelves were restricted and library users were not allowed to get books from those shelves.
I could not do my research because the resource materials I was after were not there and it was difficult for me to find it as well.
I left with great disappointment.
If you happen to go an overseas country, you will see that places like libraries, archives and museums are well taken care of.
This is because they value such places that play a huge part in keeping books, documents, films and resource materials that possess great information about their countries’ rich history and even contents and resources materials from all fields of study.
It is a place where knowledge is kept and recorded, so that people go and read, research and find out more on research contents, etc.
As stated in Papua New Guineas Vision 2050 plans under Human development, Gender, and Youth Empowerment on page 5, education was clearly outlined as an important factor that we want to achieve for this country.
I for one believe that as part of the education sector we must also develop and take care of this national building which seems to be forgotten at the moment.
The National Library comes under the education sector where it is a place for learning and doing research.
If we want to achieve what was stated in this vision, then the Government must try to look at the National Library as well and develop it.
The Government, under the Department of Education, must bring books, update resource materials, record and keep PNG history documents and many more.
It is really sad that as a Papua New Guinean and history researcher and blogger I find it really hard, sad and worrying that much of the information I get to research are from Australian research archives and libraries.
Finally, if the Government can spend so much money to build the APEC Haus in such a short time to impress overseas delegates, why can’t they improve the current condition of our National Library?
Because this is the place were all citizen of this country can visit, do research and learn something.

Yours in History