Dominica: Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit met the students of Bellevue Chopin Primary School to mark the Library Week which is organised by the Dominica Library and Information Service.
The students visited the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday, May 16, 2024 as a part of activity, where they had a lively discussion regarding the plans for new school building and classrooms.
PM Skerrit shared the glimpses of the visit of the students and captioned that he had a great pleasure in welcoming the students of the Bellevue Chopin Primary School to his office on Thursday.
He mentioned that they had a lively chat about plans for their new school building and shared stories about their classroom experiences.
This young generation and young minds are the future of Dominica and it was an honour to spend time with them, emphasised PM Roosevelt Skerrit.
Reportedly, the students visited the Office of the Prime Minister as a part of activities to mark the Library Week which is organised by the Dominica Library and Information Service, explained the Prime Minister.
The Dominica Library and Information Service (DLIS) is considered as the main arm of the public sector which is responsible for information service delivery and the management, co-ordination and development of library services within the Commonwealth of Dominica.
DLIS runs under the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development and the service is provided to the information needs for the entire population through three major components such as Public Library Services, Documentation and Research Services and also the Archival Services.
The responsibilities and functions of DLIS are built upon a foundation of library service that stretches as far back as in the year 1843, with the establishment of Reading rooms and more that are formally with the opening of the first library on island ‘Victoria Memorial of April 4, 1902’.
The Public Library Services remains on the basis of Library and Information provision for some time with the expansion of services through the establishment of branch libraries, mobile library services along with administering and supporting library services in schools throughout Dominica.
At present, the Service focusses majorly on information dissemination, creation and strengthen the reading habits in children from an early age. It promotes awareness of the documentary heritage and facilitates the development of information and computer literacy skills, with programmes and activities that was geared towards these goals.
DLIS has its specific set of functions that it follows, which includes to manage and or support libraries island-wide; to co-ordinate library development in Dominica; to ensure the availability of credible information resources; to promote reading as an essential pillar for literacy and educational development.
It also promotes or facilitate the effective and ethical use and application of information; along with preserving Dominica’s historical and heritage documents and related materials.