Kigali now has a public library. One wonders what the future holds for it in this digital age of ebooks and virtual libraries.When I was dropping my modest contribution in a donation box by the entrance of a hotel lobby some years back to help build the Kigali Public Library, that thought would not have occurred to me. Yet it is a sign of the times that with increased use of computers and the internet, ebooks are slowly taking over the place of the normal physical books.Take the person who owns an electronic device such as a tablet computer - the iPad, for instance, or a smart phone. Even the normal desktop computer will do. With a simple download of an application (app) such as “Free Books” from the Internet the person will instantly have over 20,000 books on the palm of their hand to choose from, free of charge.The thought of such a convenience makes for a bibliophile’s paradise. In addition to the apps, the Internet is flush with all sorts of websites offering ebooks, free or for sale at the fraction of the cost of the normal book.Though conventional libraries may offer free access by loaning out books, a title rarely has enough copies in the library’s ownership. This means that a popular title with all the copies out, interested borrowers have to wait their turn for the book to be returned, often to their inconvenience.Libraries are nevertheless very important for their transformative power. Most will agree that libraries are all about lifelong learning, and that public libraries through the centuries have offered refuge to those hungry for knowledge but of little means.The fact, however, is also that ebooks illustrate that the most important aspect of books is the content, which may not need to be housed in a building. Which way, therefore, for the Kigali Public Library?During the opening of the facility, the Kigali Public Library Executive Director noted that one of the aims was to gain “a platform to get our users know what they need in terms of books, services and programmes so that they can fully participate in the development of the library services”. (see The New Times, 18th April 2012). There’s no denying that some of us have been seduced by the ebooks for the ease of access, and that we can carry the entire world’s library on a tablet. It, however, is also true that the public library could offer the same. Taking the Executive Director by her word, the onus is on every Kigali resident to pay the new public library a visit and state their needs and expectations. The rest should fall in place.There is no question that libraries must embrace digital books to stay relevant. Note also that the United Nations has declared that internet access is a human right.Something remains to be said about book publishers worried about libraries. Some of the major publishers want to place restrictions on how many times a book can be downloaded. They are concerned that the ready download-ability of library ebooks could have an adverse effect on sales.It should be insisted that libraries should be left to have a free hand benefitting, as they currently do, as many people as possible with the books in their possession. There should be no concession.Twitter: @gituram
