Our libraries are no longer being used, says Permanent Secretary for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Dr Josefa Koroivueta.
“With the advent of technology in recent decades, the traditional library faces a real possibility of becoming an obsolete institution,” he said.
He said this during the Fiji Library Association annual general meeting in Suva last Saturday.
He said librarians must now take more proactive and innovative steps to reach out and engage with the general public.
“People have become more technologically savvy than ever before.” Dr Koroivueta said the effects were obvious as libraries and the demand for the books diminished.
“Our libraries and librarians have in the past decades been a pillar for nation building, helping people from all stages of life in understanding the world that we live in better,” Dr Koroivueta said.
He said as a librarian in the 21st Century one must understand the ‘modern’ library customer.
“We must be able to adapt to existing services and create new ones to meet the community’s needs, to change the public perception of the library,” he said.
The theme of the meeting was, ‘Libraries, Knowledge and Communities’ which aims to make greater contribution to the society.