World Book Day is organised by UNESCO and celebrated every year on the 23rd of April. The general public is encouraged to visit the National Library of Malta which, for this occasion, will remain open till 8pm.
Mr Oliver Mamo, the National Librarian said in his message on the occasion of World Book Day, that “World Book Day is the day on which several countries across the world celebrate one of man’s greatest inventions – the book. The book is a medium used to communicate ideas and imagination to other people across space and time. It is through the book that we are aware of cultural beliefs and way of life in other countries; how our forefathers used to live and think; and how some of us believe that we will be living in the future.
“Through the book, people shared their ideas and stored them in libraries. Through the passing of time,these books now tell the story of how ideas and studies on various subjects evolved and can help us in reaching new frontiers of knowledge.
“Books come in various forms and sizes ranging from a baby’s cloth book to a highly technical digital book that can only be read by a computer or tablet. There is a book waiting for every person in the library, bookshop or online, to be picked up from the rest and read.
I” invite you to be part of this global celebration by deciding to choose a book and make reading an everyday activity. There are libraries across Malta and Gozo waiting for you. Registration takes only a few minutes and it’s free.”
Further information on the location and opening times of the libraries may be found on http://www.libraries.gov.mt [1]. There is also an online catalogue to see all the books that are available for you.