In dire straits

I refer to Tony C. Cutajar's letter (May 22) regarding the San Gwann "so-called library". I have never personally walked into this particular library but I take Mr Cutajar's word that what he describes is the truth.

Given the miserly funding that our branch public libraries get from the ministry responsible for libraries and archives, it is no wonder that both shelving and book stock, in this and so many other public libraries, are in a bad state. However, in this dire, and worsening, public financial situation, the suggestion made by Mr Cutajar that "the whole lot should all be burnt and replaced" would mean that the locality would end up with an empty room because no adequate public funding is provided to maintain and improve public libraries, let alone start new ones from scratch. So librarians have no choice but to make do with the little that is made available to them.

For too long, public and academic libraries have been given the cold shoulder by the government. It is unfortunate that libraries are not election issues, so politicians can afford to ignore them year after year. But by ignoring them they are doing a disservice to the public in the case of public libraries and to students and lecturers in the case of school and academic libraries. Not everybody can afford to buy all their reading and other information needs for leisure, or more so for study purposes, especially if they are expensive academic reference and study texts.

And the idea that an internet connection can give unlimited access to all available information is in reality a gross misconception. Moreover, without adequate training, from qualified and trained librarians, unevaluated information, gleaned from unknown internet sites, can be misleading, to say the least.

May there be more public spirited people like Mr Cutajar and lecturers and students especially at our further and higher education colleges and university who publicly demand decently equipped and stocked libraries.

Libraries should be seen as an essential public service that the public expects the state to adequately fund, as much as health and roads. Libraries serve as the ideal place where people can inform themselves and advance their own education and re-education within, and more so, outside, the formal education process. Public funded libraries should provide access to books and other information in all its modern electronic formats, even for leisure purposes. Free access to libraries is undoubtedly one of the most cost effective ways of increasing literacy and democratising information access in a country.

MaLIA, the Malta Library and Information Association, which since 1969 has represented all interested librarians, archivists and information workers in Malta has over these years regularly made requests to all governments to improve the level of support given to publicly funded libraries. It will continue to do so at the same time as it monitors the situation which, unfortunately, is worsening.