Nigeria has a national virtual library (here: http://www.nigerianvirtuallibrary.com/) built and maintained by the National University Commission (NUC). Great idea, right? But wait until you try to use… and you get this:
Several questions ran through my mind when I saw the message:
1. Why would users have to register with their “school librarian” and not online?
2. Why would anyone have to get ‘off-line’ to register for an online portal?
3. Is the NUC assuming only those affiliated with Nigerian colleges and universities would be interested in the portal, or is it their plan to limit access to those people only? If the latter is the case, why?
4. Isn’t this a clear example of how government-managed initiatives quickly become redundant in Nigeria?
This is a clear example of mediocrity. Putting a ‘lock’ on a virtual library that is built to serve 140 million people is simply stupid!
To ask users to be registered off-line tells me those in charge of the project have no understanding of what a ‘virtual world’ is. When the likes of MIT has gone open-source with their academic materials, it is ridiculous that the largest African nation is managed by those whose mentalities are still stuck in the 50′s!
March 13, 2008 at 12:34 pm
valid concerns. naive conclusions…i think.
July 1, 2011 at 6:47 am