ACHIEVEMENTS & CHALLENGES IN LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT IN THE

MALDIVES

H A W W A N A S I H A C H I E F L I B R A R I A N

N A T I O N A L L I B R A R Y A U G U S T 2 0 1 9

THE MALDIVES

MALDIVES

The Maldives, known to the locals in their native language (Dhivehi) as Dhivehi Raajje, are an archipelago of 1,192 coral islands grouped into 26 natural coral atolls in the Indian ocean.

Only 192 islands are inhabited by its 300,000 inhabitants. The rest of the islands remain virgin islands except for more than 100 islands that have been developed for the top end of the tourist market.

The Maldives is portrayed by travel companies as a tropical paradise. Maldives was for the most part unknown to tourists until the early 1970s.

QUICKFACTS OF MALDIVES

• Time & TimezoneGMT+5hrs

• CapitalMALE’

• Total Islands1,190

• Inhabited Islands200

• PopulationAPPROX. 350,000

• CurrencyRUFIYAA (USD 1 = MVR 15.42)

QUICKFACTS OF MALDIVES

• The Maldivian language (Dhivehi) has its own script called Thaana

• The language is a bit similar to Sanskrit, Sinhalese and Arabic. • The Maldivian food is mostly a natural blend of varietals. • The most popular and refreshing drink is coconut juice or

Kurumba. • The popular dishes are mostly made with Tuna and reef fish, and

a mixture of curries and spices from initial influence main Maldivian.   

• Maldivian clothing is preferred to be cotton due to the tropical weather. Men traditionally wear sarongs wrapped around the waist with long sleeved shirt. And women wear what is called libaas, which is usually adorned with gold or silver threads, and the best ones are hand stitched. 

COLLECTIVELY WE HAVE

•33 Years of library technical work experience •74 Years of library management & administration experience•The National Library with the function of a Public library•45 Public Libraries •236 School Libraries •11 Academic Libraries •14 Special/Research Libraries

Source: presentation given by Aminath Riyaz on “Workshop on Library Development for Librarians and Library Managers”

COLLECTIVELY WE HAVE

•120“Librarians” working in these 21libraries •Combined book collection is 487,149 •5 libraries use LMS (Liberty3, Koha, SHRI) •4Libraries offer databases •The National Library •45 Public Libraries •221 School Libraries

•7 Academic Libraries •13 Special/Research LibrariesSource: MLA (2012) Progress of Library & Information Services

Sector of Maldives

ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Library security gates late 1990s ITE • Mid-1990s ITE implemented DB-Text • 1997 IHS trialed CDS-ISIS • Library automation (2000s) • Late 2000s NLM implemented Liberty3 LMS• Approx. 6 university qualified librarians in the last two decades

(from 2001) • Library database subscriptions (2003)• In 2006, MCHE implemented Liberty3LMS

ACHIEVEMENTS:

• legal Deposit law 2006 o The act 2006 was activated in 2012 after establishing the

necessary rules & regulationso Need to deposit 2 copies

• Introduction of local courses in LIS: Advanced Certificate in LIS (2010) ……….. in 9 years 86 students graduated

• 2010 MLA started trials with open source LMS software: Koha • 2010 MLA started trials with open source digital library software: Greenstone • 2011 to 2017 MLA assisted about 30 libraries with Koha• Digital libraries (2011)• Diploma in LIS (2012) ………in 7 years 35 students graduated

CHALLENGES

• Shortage of library professionals • Limitations in technical know-how • Shortage of training opportunities • Barriers in accessing the available training opportunities • Limitations in financial resources • Limitations in support from policy making level • Negative perception towards librarianship as a career choice • School library staff utilized for teacher-gaps as relief teachers

taking them away from library work • Lack of local publication• Geographical layout of the country• Space

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