National Library has no director
Post to become redundant under plans to appoint National Librarian
The National Library has hundreds of old, priceless books that are falling to pieces because of lack of resources. Some help is on the way through the likes of a campaign by Air Malta and the Sliema Lions Club. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
The National Library has been without a director for almost a year and there is no replacement envisaged because changes to the law are being planned, the Education Ministry says.
“The reason is because we have legislation in the pipeline for the setting up of the Maltese Libraries, which will be headed by a National Librarian. This legislation runs on the same pattern of the National Archives, which is headed by the National Archivist. We hope this legislation will pass through Parliament in the coming months and the post of Director of Libraries will become redundant,” a ministry spokesman said.
Yet, the absence of a director will keep piling up the problems of whoever takes over the library in whichever capacity.
“Without a director, only day-to-day issues are being handled and other pressing problems are literally being shelved,” Laurence Zerafa, chairman of the Malta Library and Information Association (MaLIA), says.
He welcomed the planned reform, saying he hoped this would go through, elevating the National Library to the place it deserves. However, he insisted: “There’s a lot to be done. Part of the problem is the lack of funds but, if there’s no management, it’s difficult to move forward.”
The news comes after Air Malta last week joined the Sliema Lions Club to sponsor the restoration of old books literally falling to pieces along with other priceless manuscripts at the National Library.
Though most of the library’s 750,000 books are in a good state, there are hundreds of tomes – dating between the 16th and 18th centuries – that are turning to dust.
Speaking at the launch of Air Malta’s campaign on Thursday, Education Minister Dolores Cristina pointed out that expenditure on the library had tripled from €1,700 in the first six months last year to €5,724 in the corresponding period this year. She also said that the Central Public Library saw €71,000 being spent on books.
However, the money going to the National Library collection is nowhere near what is needed to restore the priceless volumes. The absence of a director compounds this situation.
“The National Library is a national institution and should be taken care of as such,” Mr Zerafa says, adding that its Melitensia section is the only one on the island open to all the public, unlike the one at the University, open only to its members.
He notes the need for investment in new machinery that could help maintain better old books. There are machines that could de-dust harmful dust but the library does not have this equipment. “I’m afraid there is very little that can be done for some books already,” Mr Zerafa warns.
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j.schembri
Aug 18th 2010, 21:32
qed issir hafna tmaqdir lil librerija nazzjonali u l-istat ta certi dokumenti u qed tinghata l-impressjoni li dan ma jista jigi irrangat ghax ma hemmx direttur. Nistaqsi x'sar f'dan il-qasam tar-restawr meta kien hemm direttur. Nahseb ftit li xejn. Anzi kellu l-appart kollu necessarju u hallih jitlaq minn idejh meta fetah bighi. Qabel inlabilbu fil-vojt nistaqsu naraw x'kienet is-sitwazzjoni. Il-kotba mhux illum bdew isiru trab imma snin ilu.
Robert Mizzi
Aug 18th 2010, 20:45
The main concern is now the condition of the physical collection. This is mainly due to bad management and lack of professionally trained people apart from the obvious lack of funds. To add insult to injury, the restoration unit within the national library was moved to Kalkara a few years back, leaving the national library with no equipment and staff for restoration. Why the items requiring attention were not sent to Kalkara is a good question!! No one seems bothered that the national library is failing miserably to preserve our digital heritage - it is simply not in a position to do so!! Commercial partnerships should be encouraged but professional people and adequate funding are crucial for the long term.
victor pulis
Aug 18th 2010, 18:48
i totally agree with g scerri. Abroad this person would never be allowed to handle books and other fragile and sensitive objects with wearing gloves. But here anything goes.
Peter Farrugia
Aug 18th 2010, 18:18
Terrible, a complete travesty. The National Library has been sinking for years, and the Ministry for Education has done nothing about it. And it's hardly as though this is the only example of their incompetence. These valuable archives must be treasured.
g. scerri
Aug 18th 2010, 17:51
The picture shows the young person we saw on tv handling the Shakespeare book. It nearly broke my heart to see her without gloves, turning over pages without the slightest care. Additionally she claimed that the national library, host to so many important documents, suffers from humidity. That precious books are handled and allowed to live in such conditions stamps us as out and out philistines
F. Balzan
Aug 18th 2010, 19:10
@ G. Scerri. You broke your heart in vain. Gloves should not be worn in these instances because they reduce sensitivity in handling. Have a look at the British Library's regulations before you wave your condemnations around: http://www.bl.uk/aboutus/stratpolprog/ccare/introduction/preservation/usingcollections/whitegloves.pdf
As regards the Notarial Archives yes the budget allocated is woefully small, but do bear in mind that this country has more heritage than it can possibly afford. A small group of volunteers is helping out at the Archives obtaining sponsorships and lending a hand as best they can and, in conjunction with the authorities, the rehabilitation of the Archives is well under way.
Rather than groaning and moaning and then turning our faces perhaps we should all pull up our socks and help out. This great heritage of ours does not belong to government but to all of us. Thank you.
John Sammut
Aug 18th 2010, 21:36
F. Balzan don't you think that the sums allocated are a misery?
victor pulis
Aug 18th 2010, 15:38
So in the first six months last year we spent €1,700 (Lm730 in the old currency) We are talking about old priceless books falling to pieces here. When St. George's square was inaugurated we spent thousands for a week of celebrations. There are dozens of such examples of money being frittered away in useless bread and circus spendings. Does anyone think we have our priorities twisted and warped? Once we lose these books there's no way we can get them back.
T Camilleri
Aug 18th 2010, 12:06
Speaking at the launch of Air Malta’s campaign on Thursday, Education Minister Dolores Cristina pointed out that expenditure on the library had tripled from €1,700 in the first six months last year to €5,724 in the corresponding period this year.
These funds are a BIG joke.
We are not only scraping the bottom of the barrel but digging in vain hope
Ivan Vassallo
Aug 18th 2010, 11:44
One should take more care on the National Library, especially the primary sources it contains. I was making my dissertation there and when I asked the attendant for a book which is a rare primary source he came and told me they couldn't find it, when almost a year ago not only was I given that source but I also made photocopies. When confronted that one should be more responsible I was even threatened that "Trade Union action would be taken" ... whatever this means. Had it not been for the valid work of Ms. Maroma Camilleri and the the other workers, most of whom weren't even trained to work as librarians but wo are equally dedicated I wouldn't even have found the source I needed.
It's time that the National Library like the Santo Spirito archives, and the Notarial Archives be given a strong management and a nucleus of people who can give heir 100% in favour of the students and researchers. That's where Minister Christina should fund and not useless indoctrination programmes - a people who is ignorant of its past cannot work out its future.
Robert Gatt
Aug 18th 2010, 18:22
I perfectly agree that a people ignorant of its past cannot establish its own future. Yet the main problem in the case of both the National Archives at Santo Spirito in Rabat and the Notarial Archives in Valletta is not the lack of a management team, but - more essentially - the lack of adequate funding from central government. To my knowledge, the funding that the Notarial Archives at Saint Christopher Street Valletta get year in year out from central government is a ridiculous amount of a few hundred euros. Now the accessions held at the Notarial Archives - which accessions constitute an unthinkable heritage of our own past - date back to times preceding the Great Siege. The staff at the Notarial Archives in Valletta as well as the staff at the National Archives in Rabat are a dedicated team and their efforts are inevitably constrained by insufficient budgeting. Now is the time that Government realises the immediate need to properly fund these archival institutions in Malta for the sake of our own remembrance of the past.
P.Cassar
Aug 18th 2010, 11:22
HAVE WE REALLY COME TO THE POINT WHERE A MINISTER IS SAYING THAT 5,724 EUROS SPENT IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR IS SOMETHING TO BRAG ABOUT INSTEAD OF BEING ASHAMED OF !!!!!
COMING FROM CTISTINA I THINK THE 'RIGHT ' PERSON HAS NOT YET BEEN FOUND...........................BUT 'RIGHT' HAS A WEIRD CONNOTATION FOR PN MINISTERS. KAPUT?
John Caruana
Aug 18th 2010, 12:01
Yet, the minute a 'suitable' candidate is found to take the new post, the first thing he/she does - as all those who are appointed Director do - is spend around Euro 25,000 in a new car for him/herself.
Martin Debono
Aug 18th 2010, 15:30
P. Cassar: The Caps Lock key is to your left in case you never noticed before.
P.Cassar
Aug 18th 2010, 18:18
Martin, please note that we are really concerned by what you underastand rather than how it is written. Now make an effort and note also that there are reasons for writing in caps. Kaput?
Denis A. Darmanin
Aug 18th 2010, 11:21
Try asking for a photocopy of any pre-war newspaper?
I'll let you find out for yourselves but basically its, 'This doesn't work', 'That newspaper's too worn and fragile', 'That machine has been for repairs for some time', and more negative replies. While on the subject, isn't it about time that the newspaper microfilms are digitised to be viewed on monitors, rather than those bulky and noisy contraptions?
Joshua de Giorgio
Aug 18th 2010, 11:33
Very good point, but why stop there. This information should be scanned, indexed and made available in database format with the possibility of online access. Archiving for the sake of archiving is meaningless, and amounts to nothing more than glorified storage.
Vincent Gauci
Aug 18th 2010, 11:33
Donnok taf x'int tghid Denis!
Tony Gatt
Aug 18th 2010, 11:06
The national library is the corner stone of Malta's intelligentsia. Yet government policy relating to the libraries of Malta and Gozo is pathetic to say the least. The lack of demand for books or number of subscribers is largely the responsibility of the Ministry of Education for not focusing on the pressing importance of building a truly accessible service which makes reading and researching a truly pleasurable experience. A bit of creativity in this respect wouldn't hurt!!
Andrew Gatt
Aug 18th 2010, 10:55
"Education Minister Dolores Cristina pointed out that expenditure on the library had tripled from €1,700 in the first six months last year to €5,724 in the corresponding period this year."
Wow! No wonder our heritage is literally rotting away. No Director, no direction and the Minister wants to impress us with the amounts spent.............equivalent to the coffee and toilet paper budget of a department or private company!
More mediocrity. Xi dwejjaq.
Gerard Cassar
Aug 18th 2010, 10:51
In such circumstances an acting director is appointed. This is the normal procedure unless there is a problem of personalities.