The Swieqi civic centre is finally being built (artist’s design above). This should provide a very welcome boost to our town’s socio-cultural activity.

However, it would seem that the planned library is indeed a minuscule one and not at all suitable for the needs of a 10,000-strong community that is always growing.

The Malta Libraries Association recommends that the minimum size of library premises for any locality should be 100 square metres (excluding the space of any storeroom and/or toilets), plus an additional 20 square metres per 1,000 persons living in the locality beyond a population of 3,000.

Here are some examples:

• Qrendi, with a population of 2,508, should be allocated 100 square metres.

• Siġġiewi, with a population of 7,848, should be allocated 200 square metres (100 + 20 by five).

• Żejtun, with a population of 11,337, should have 280 square metres (100 + 20 by nine).

Plans should therefore be amended to ensure a fully functional library for Swieqi.

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