ABSTRACT

The paper is a pilotstudy on strategiesfor collaboration between the Abia state public library branch in Bende LGA, and selectedprimary and secondary schools in Bende LGA, for the promotion and sustenance ofreading culture among students in the community. The initial observation of the researcher was that, notwithstanding the presence ofthe Bende Divisional library, the students in the immediate community, did not access libraiy information resources andservices. The study is at the instance of an interaction with some students of primary and secondary) schools in Bende community, Bende local governmentArea, during the 2022 Readership Promotion Campaign program of the National Libraiy ofNigeria. The students were unaware of the availability, and accessibility of the resources and services ofthe Bende Divisional Library; a branch ofthe Abia State Public Library. The students were reportedly unable to “physically lay their hands ” on the 'popular' leisure literature, such as theAfrican Writersseries literature cited at the Readership Promotion Campaign program. The students, eagerly requested assistance andfacilitation to have unrestrictedaccess to the resources andservices of the libraiy. This scenario clearly alludes to the problem ofthe study; the lack of collaboration between the library, and schools in the community, and subsequently, unawareness, and non-utilization ofthe public libraiy services. The survey method was adopted to provide a baseline understanding ofthe existing reading culture and literacy level in the community, ascertain the status ofthe Bende Division Public Libraiy in relation to collaboration with schools, understand how collaborative efforts contribute to enhancing the reading culture, ascertain barriers that hinder successful collaboration, andpropose strategiesforsustainable collaboration between thepublic library, and the schools,forthepromotion ofreadingculture among the students. Key words - collaboration, school libraries, public libraries, low literate society