As the world marks Libraries Day, Malta Libraries CEO and national librarian Cheryl Falzon offers an overview of the programme the NGO has created to help mark the occasion.
Inclusion and diversity are this year’s themes as book worms unite to celebrate Libraries Day with a fun programme devised by Malta Libraries. The events, which are spread over two weeks, take place in venues ranging from the grandiose national library to more community-centred branch and regional libraries and at retirement homes.
Libraries have always acted as key catalysts in supporting inclusion in the society which they serve. Libraries around the world always strive to be welcoming sanctuaries for all members of the community and to provide services and information access to all regardless of type or degree of disability, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, veteran status, national or ethnic origin or citizenship status.
In view of the theme of ‘Inclusion: Libraries Embrace Diversity’, the highlight of the 2017 Library Day celebrations was the launching of the Talking Books Service – inaugurated last Friday week in a ceremony presided over by President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo and Permanent Secretary Joseph Caruana. The ceremony was attended by library staff, service users and a group of volunteer readers who have worked tirelessly under Leone Sciberras’ direction to update the Talking Books collection in time for the launch.
This service replaces the former Services for the Blind and the Housebound Service, to render a more inclusive and all-encompassing programme. The previous cassette audio collection (in service since 1968) has been updated and converted to mp3 format and new material has also been recorded to meet with the ever-growing demand and standards.
The service aims to reach out not only to library members with visual-impairment and the housebound, but also members with reading difficulties and those who require, or prefer, the audio format of a book.
Current efforts revolve around the need to make sure that libraries remain ever relevant and readily available to all
There are several other activities organised in relation to Libraries Day, such as the ongoing interactive workshops at the National Library. These workshops relate to the exhibition Mixjet il-Malti: Minn Caxaro sa Aquilina, put up in collaboration with the Department of Maltese at the National Curriculum Centre, and displaying authentic publications of Maltese authors and poets that students are studying for their Maltese SEC exam.
Additionally, a number of educational reading sessions are being held in most public libraries and retirement homes thanks to the support of the National Literacy Agency and Horizons Publishers. Malta Libraries has also hosted the much loved author Trevor Zahra for a reading and book signing session at the Central Public Library in Floriana to kickstart the two-week programme of events.
The presence of Graphic Novels Library Malta at the library will ensure that all young readers visiting the newly refurbished Junior Library on the second floor at the Central Public Library in Floriana are better informed about comics and graphic novels as an educational medium, and better acquainted with the ever growing graphic novels section available for borrowing.
Current efforts at Malta Libraries revolve around the need to make sure that libraries remain ever present and relevant as an entity but, more importantly, readily available to all.
In an especially fast-paced world we need to make sure that we take no one for granted, regardless of level of education or skill, and to persist in offering the kind services and assistance so that no one is left behind. Our libraries across the islands act as one network, and the official detailing of the Gozo libraries’ staff and the merging of library operations in 2016 has helped us implement one strong inclusive vision across the board. This has, by no means, been an easy feat. But, by opening up our social media channels we are experiencing an interesting two-way traffic of ideas and information transfer. Through this, we can most definitely not only attract new converts but also bring back old sceptics to the library, as well as guage and address deficiencies in the system that have gone unaddressed for too long in Malta’s libraries.
In celebrating Libraries Day, we’re not only celebrating our latest achievements but also building on our ideas for the future. Do get in touch with us via our website, Facebook pages, Twitter, Instagram; or even better, drop by your local library and help make our libraries better by letting us know what you think.
Comics and graphic novels are used as an educational medium for young readers.