Today marks National Libraries Day.
The day highlights the important role libraries play in spreading information.
As the country marks National Libraries Day, the National Library has been actively working on upgrading library service across the country. As the oldest and largest library in the country, the National Library has a double mandate; to keep a record of all publications about the country both at home and aboard, and provide library service to the public. Director at the National Library Mahaasin Ahmed said the Library is now working to collect all publications about Maldives that are published in other countries. She said they are difficulties due to space constraints and unavailability of people trained in the field.
The National Library says despite the difficulties it is now working digitise historically important books and documents to make them available to as many people as possible.
The government is also working to upgrade the school libraries in the atolls. Over 130 thousand books were sent to 80 school libraries across the country in March this year. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education signed an agreement worth 9.5 Million Rufiyaa with Oxford University Press to acquire books, CDs, teacher guides and other material needed for school libraries.