More on libraries

Three letters about libraries in one issue of a newspaper (June 7) is a record for Malta. I would like to add a few words to each.

To Laurence Zerafa's: The October 2003 annual seminar for school librarians outlined a five-year plan to bring our secondary, state school libraries up to the minimum international standard. Each state secondary school had worked out its needs and the whole lot collated into one lump sum of Lm1,250,000.

To Max Farrugia's: I fully agree that the rule on use of originals should apply to all. We may be missing a point here however. Other letters have commented that libraries overseas allow researchers to use originals. Yes, but these same libraries have a document restoration programme in place; unlike our National Library which has lost this backup procedure.

To Albert Ganado's: If my memory serves me right the Galea Bequest was moved to the Librarian's office for security reasons. Whatever the reason I am sure that there are few books there which are not found in the much larger mainstream collections of local publications. A look in one of the various catalogues available might have solved this problem. If only all the books were available on the online catalogue but that, as many know, is another question!