Ramona Depares’ article ‘The demise of the public library’ (Culture and Entertainment, The Sunday Times of Malta, February 16) reflects what most people think about Maltese public libraries.

However, I am surprised that she did not interview anyone from the library profession, particularly from the Department of Library and Archive Studies at the University of Malta.

The department offers a Bachelor’s degree in library studies, which seeks to impart a holistic approach to the profession. Nowadays, no library studies student speaks of public libraries without discussing digital libraries.

While I appreciate that what was written in the article has some veracity, the article seemed to imply that librarians do not seem to have a clue as to how to run a modern public library.

Actually, the state of our libraries is the result of reports and recommendations, particularly by the Malta Library and Information Association, being systematically ignored.

Ironically, one speaks about how well public libraries are run abroad, while one ignores the resources that go into managing such institutions.

Also we seem to forget that the system would improve if more library studies graduates find employment within the public library system and that no more people with ‘equivalent qualifications’ are accepted as an alternative.

Librarianship seems deceptively easy, yet there is nothing straightforward about helping people improve their relationship with information or widening their perception of culture, on whichever platform this is offered.

If we wish to emulate foreign public libraries and offer the right educational and recreational services, then we need to give space and resources to librarians, who are more than aware of what constitutes current public library standards.