The Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Kjemprud Jens-Petter, said on Wednesday that the National Library of Norway was interested in digitizing literature books published in Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.
Jens-Petter told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the agreement to digitize the literature books would be signed between the National Libraries of Norway and Nigeria, this month.
“We hope that this month, an agreement will be signed between Norway and Nigeria to digitize all written materials in Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba languages.
“And this will be a monumental development in our two countries’ relations.
“We have done this in Norway and wish to share our technology with other countries, including Nigeria,’’ he said.
According to him, the National Library access and use the literature of Norway and it is interested in digitizing and making available for public use, books published in foreign languages.
Jens-Petter said the Norwegian National Librarian, who was particularly interested in the preservation of Nigerian literature, now also believes in and recognizes the brilliance of Nigerian students.
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The Ambassador said that the National Library of Norway had been in communication with the National Library of Nigeria in making the literature digitization in Nigeria a reality.
“The National Library of Nigeria wishes to make its collection of books available in digital format, for easier and wider access by users.
“The high-tech facilities we have in Norway has the capacity to offer such digitization which will give the Nigerian National Library the opportunity to make its literature easily accessible to the population.
“We can also offer some of the literature to people of Nigerian origin who have found their way to Norway,’’ he said.
The National Library of Norway was established in 1989. Its principal task is “to preserve the past for the future.’’ The library is located both in Oslo and in Mo i Rana.
The digitization agreement is the first entered into by two national libraries.
The project is to serve as a model for other countries and help create a fully-fledged African digital library.
The costs for the project are to be shared; the Nigerian Library of Nigeria is to be responsible for collecting the works, while the National Library of Norway will carry out the digitalization, with transportation costs to be borne by the Norwegian Embassy in Nigeria.
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