KUWAIT: The National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) celebrated the opening of Khaitan’s new public library yesterday. During this joyous occasion, I remembered the words of T S Eliot: “The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.” Finally, Farwaniya governorate has a modern public library since public library affairs were transferred to NCCAL from the ministry of education. 

The library opens its arms to all who would like to present lectures and seminars that are for non-profit causes or apolitical, with advanced tools for conducting any type of educational event. Khaitan’s new library, as well as other public libraries, are now more capable to help researchers and students with a larger selection of quality books and documents.

I personally believe that NCCAL can never achieve any actual result if the masses do not read. In my opinion, NCCAL should not fight the cyber world’s supremacy in offering more efficient and convenient research tools with newer buildings, but should open an official governmental public library that functions as a “source material center” for every student, linking it with universities and schools. I personally view this as the way forward for the New Kuwait Vision 2035, because in the long run, Eliot’s quote won’t be accurate anymore with an Internet connection. 

By Jeri Al-Jeri