Much has been written recently about the importance of libraries, a fact nobody can deny. Somebody once said that that’s where it all begins. A library is indeed a treasure-house of knowledge and a well-stocked library is an asset to the school, college, university or the neighbourhood.

Recently I went to the San Ġwann library and I was extremely disappointed. In the past I had complained loudly about the state of this so-called library and things did improve a little. But matters have deteriorated once again. There is still much to be done to make the place a little more attractive to our students. In fact there is very little to entice anybody to stay there more than a few minutes.

An unhealthy smell of mould hits you in the face as soon as you enter the overcrowded room – overcrowded not with children wanting to find a book but with overflowing shelves and cardboard boxes everywhere. The remaining old wooden shelves were meant to be replaced a long time ago. The printer has been out of action since my last visit several months ago. It’s a one-room place with no facilities whatsoever for quiet reading and for a computer or two to be used by students.

What with the new childcare centre being built and the prospective new garden and local council building, I would have expected a much larger library to be built nearby to cater for this ever-growing town.

Two or three rooms, not forming part of the primary school, are needed; they could be used every day and not just twice a week. How do we expect our children to get to love books and reading if we don’t provide them with an attractive and well-furnished library?