Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/337883
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 JUNE 2014 6 News TEODOR RELJIC ALL signs seem to be pointing to one thing: local libraries need to modernise and liven up if they are to remain relevant. Recently released findings by the National Statistics Office showed that book loans from public librar- ies amounted to 767,548 last year (down by 9.5 per cent from 2012), while new memberships among adult readers also suffered a dip, amounting to 2,058. However, it was also recorded that two-thirds of these were junior members. The fact that adults in particular appear to be turning away from libraries is significant, and under- standing the reasons behind it may be the key to solving the problem, according to Malta Libraries CEO Oliver Mamo. "The public library is only fo- cusing on the traditional printed book. Such a decision meant that huge segments of the public are not being catered for," Mamo said, specifying that such "groups" may require "material" variants of the book – such as audio books and e- books – that are currently not be- ing catered for by the local library infrastructure. A further problem, according to Mamo, is that libraries are prima- rily seen as educational tools for children and little else, owing to the fact that activities organised at libraries seem to target children alone. Mamo said that steps are being taken to ensure that local libraries have an e-book system available "within the next 12 months", while taking into consideration that deal- ing with the new technological re- alities of the book isn't limited to Malta, and just like other countries, local libraries may require a teeth- ing period to get used to it. The NSO also found that book donations declined in the past year, though the central decision to no longer accept books that are in poor condition may have had an impact on this particular statistic. According to Mamo, this decision was based on both practical and aesthetic considerations. "Until quite recently, public li- braries were described in the media as being shabby and full of scrib- bled-on and torn books. Rather than the traditional adding on of books, we implemented a weeding programme through which torn, outdated and obsolete books are being taken off library shelves and being replaced with new editions," Mamo said. He added that archiving puts a fi- nancial pressure on libraries, which may need to be re-assessed and made more economical. According to Mamo's estimate, it costs roughly €20 to process each book – account- ing for "preparation, cataloguing by a librarian and transportation". Mamo suggested that activities such as regularly-organised story- telling sessions could go some way towards making libraries more en- gaging to a larger group of people, while also stressing that libraries need to work together with various entities – among them local coun- cils – to determine how best they can serve the needs of the commu- nity. "A public library's strength lies in its relevance to its serving popula- tion. Consequently, the driving motor of every library should be the coordination between the library and its local council, with Malta Libraries providing the required expertise," Mamo said. On his part, National Book Council chairman Mark Camilleri agreed with most of the recom- mendations made by Malta Li- braries on this front. However, he cautioned that focusing on e-books and other technological develop- ments should not be the key prior- ity at this stage. "For example, books purchased by local councils for their local li- braries are taking more than a year to be processed, and we are doing our best to pressure Malta Librar- ies to address this situation as soon as possible," Camilleri said. PN accuses government of stalling public life standards law JURGEN BALZAN THE Nationalist Party has urged government to publish and ap- prove a law on standards in public life in Parliament immediately. The law, the Opposition added, "is essential in ensuring appropri- ate and ethical behaviour by MPs and ministers." The PN said that despite the work of a parliamentary commit- tee in drafting the law, and a first reading presented a month ago, government was still stalling on the approval of the law. "It is absolutely unacceptable and shows that government is against having a structure in place to guarantee proper and ethical behaviour by all MPs, including ministers and parliamentary sec- retaries." But in a reply, the Labour gov- ernment said the law only saw the light of the day under the Labour administration. "The law was in fact proposed by the deputy prime minister [Louis Grech] and there are no doubts that it will come into force," the government said in a statement. It went on to lambast the Oppo- sition for failing to take an official position on the publication of the bill regulating party financing: "In- stead it chooses to create a contro- versy when there is none." The government said it was com- mitted to implement the law and other laws that favour transpar- ency and accountability and has so far implemented laws that had been stalled for 25 years. The government insisted the opposition had no credibility on political propriety after failing to introduce laws when the PN was in government. According to the PN justice min- ister Owen Bonnici – in the pres- ence of Nationalist MPs Francis Zammit Dimech and Ryan Cal- lus – told the Council of Europe's Group of States against Corrup- tion (GRECO) the government was committed to enacting the law during the current legislature. "The country could wait another four years before approving the law," the PN said. 'Libraries must modernise' "A public library's strength lies in its relevance to its serving population" Oliver Mamo Government: 'Opposition not credible on political propriety' Public library only focusing on the traditional printed book, leaving out huge segments of the population by not investing in audio books and e-books for the local library infrastructure