Books: no ordinary items of commerce

Education is a pillar of civilisation and books form the foundation of this pillar. This column has often pointed out the importance and contribution of our libraries to society. The University boasts of having a good library well organised and giving an acceptable service.

The University does not have its own bookshop but has delegated this task to Agenda, a commercial enterprise, and rightly so. There is no question that commerce and money are involved in any enterprise including education. However, we cannot allow commerce to control our education system.

Books form an integral part of civilisation and are too sacred to allow decisions concerning their very possession and acquisition in the hands of the laymen. And the GRTU is a lay body in this field.

The greatest problem created in the Doulos case, towards which the GRTU did not seem to have much graceful feelings, was the wrong message sent, especially to our students. While the University professors and librarians work hard to create a love for books, the GRTU, through its insensitivity to education, has sent the wrong message to the students, namely that books are an ordinary item of commerce. Soon we will find GRTU wanting to dictate which books should be available on free loans from our libraries since this might influence the business of some of its members, namely the booksellers.

The fact that the GRTU has supported the government to convince the people of the virtues of EU accession is laudable. For that support we are all grateful, especially most of us at the University. However, for their lack of reverence to books shown by opposing the Doulos and trodding over "books" sinking them into the sea, instead of making them available inexpensively for one and all, we are perturbed. Could not the GRTU made better suggestions: for example, could not the Doulos be asked to put a small surcharge on the books, the proceeds from this to be then distributed to our bookshops by GRTU or by a booksellers' association to make up for the loss in profit and in this way helping the bookshops make ends meet?

Educators face great difficulty in convincing the Maltese public to appreciate books. It is very difficult to convince our students to use their money (even their stipend) to buy books. They often do so not with enthusiasm but with reluctance. Doulos succeeded in achieving what seemed to be an insurmountable task by the educators. The 'thank you' for such an action was a draconian distractive measure, because so dictates the GRTU.

What do the educators say? Were they consulted? Where is the MUT? Have we lost our soul and exchanged it for money? GRTU please note that books are not ordinary items of commerce and we, educators, although grateful for your support of EU accession, will use all our efforts to stop you from imposing your desiderata where education matters.

Soon the GRTU will dictate that we should not teach history, maltese, music and whatever it feels that is not in the Union's commercial interest. The Mintoff government did it not so long ago! And if I am not mistaken, some at the GRTU have learnt a lesson or two from our veteran politician.

These same people have done a disservice not only to book enthusiast but also to booksellers themselves who have till now been considered to give a service with love and professionalism. The Maltese never blamed local booksellers for the rather relatively high price of books. The ill-thought action by GRTU may induce buyers to look at other possibly less expensive sources of book supply. Their trust in the friendly local booksellers is being doubled.