Jinja public library cries out for help

Jinja – The public library in Jinja District, one of the very few left in the country, is in a sorry state, Daily Monitor can reveal.
Jinja Public library is not only underfunded but is also understaffed. The books are insufficient and outdated and there is no indication that the library is among government’s priorities.
Mr Livingstone Muyinda, the librarian, in an interview with Daily Monitor, said the once treasured public library will soon retain only the name.

Speaking at the launch of the E-reading programme recently, Mr Muyinda said managing the library is becoming a toll order because of the dwindling support from government.
He said over the last three years, government has been reducing the amount of grants it extends towards the management of the public library that has been in existence since 1946, crippling the level of services rendered.
“In the 2014-2015 financial year, we got Shs7.6 million quarterly and in the subsequent financial year (2015-2016), the funding was slashed to Shs4.7 million per quarter and in this financial year, it was further reduced to Shs3.7 million per quarter,” Mr Muyinda said.

He continued: “I believe it will be slashed further in the next financial year. This is the situation in which we are operating.”
According to Mr Muyinda, the support should be increasing and not decreasing as it is the case. He compared the dwindling funds to torturing a patient who is on life support.
“The money is too little to cater for basic needs like internet, staff facilitation, welfare and stationary, computer maintenance and buying newspapers,” Mr Muyinda said.
“Sometime we use the same money to clear electricity and water bills which have since accumulated to Shs6million, more than the entire quarter budget allocation,” he added.

Dilapidated structure
But Muyinda’s troubles are far from over. The 70-year old building needs rehabilitation. Its roof top is leaking while the available space cannot accommodate the at least 100 people who flock it daily.

Dwindling funds explained
Interviewed for this article, the librarian at Uganda National Library, Ms Hellen Muyomba, said the dwindling funding is in an attempt to spread the crumbs to as many public libraries as possible across the country.
She said: “We have many districts coming up with public libraries so the deduction is as a result of the created districts.”
There are more than 33 public libraries funded by tax payer’s money across the country.
She said they are working closely with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to support public libraries.

Urge

Mr Muyinda says the 70-year old building housing the library has a leaking roof top and cannot accommodate an average of 100 people who seek library services daily. He has urged government to consider increasing funding for the public facility instead of reducing it.

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