It is not every day you hear of a librarian recognized for the outstanding job they do shelving books in organized order; so that we (library users) can easily find a certain book in the midst of all that sea of books inside a typical library.
Well, one librarian in Nakuru, Kenya working at the Kenya National Library Services (KNLS) has received international recognition for being the most innovative public librarian in the world. Purity Mutuku has been listed as one of the six most innovative librarians globally in the annual international award. Mutuku made it to this list thanks to an innovation she founded in 2016 called Mathswizz.
Mutuku, as cited by the Daily Nation, explained Mathswizz as “an innovation that I introduced in the library and has helped change the attitude of pupils towards mathematics. Besides, the kids have learnt how to use computers [and] their mean grades have [improved].”
The award and recognition given to Mutuku is by the Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL), which recognizes public librarians that have come up with innovative solutions to challenges affecting their community.
“When I received the email on Friday, I first dismissed it as spam, but I had to verify with the relevant authorities.”
This article was first featured on the Daily Nation.