Allocation of Libraries’ Share from Semnan Municipalities’ Revenue Should Be Pursued

According to the correspondent of the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) in Semnan, Mohammad Javad Kolivand stated on Saturday afternoon at the meeting of the Public Libraries Association of Semnan Province, referring to the necessity of increasing the budget of public libraries in the province: One of the most important issues whose pursuit in Semnan province can significantly help libraries is the allocation of half a percent of municipal revenues to libraries.

He said that the support of municipalities for libraries can be very fruitful: In various meetings with municipalities, the legal right to allocate municipal revenues to libraries should be followed up and pursued by the relevant officials.

Kolivand stated that teaching technological skills in Semnan Province libraries is the second issue that should be pursued in the field of provincial libraries, adding: This culture should be institutionalized in the province that a library is not just a place for reading books but a base and a cultural and artistic center and a dynamic place for education and skill training, especially modern technological skills such as artificial intelligence, programming, and so on.

The Governor of Semnan considered libraries a place for familiarizing with technology and fostering creative thinking, emphasizing: Library managers throughout the province should also try to pursue this path. On the other hand, if the half-percent share of municipalities in funding libraries can be pursued, good actions can be taken in this area, and governors and members of the Public Libraries Association should be more vigilant in this regard.

Kolivand stated that some provinces have transformed libraries into educational and technological environments, saying: In Semnan province, with a serious effort, we can also organize skill and training classes in libraries using the capacities of technological companies, technical and vocational centers, and the private sector, so that young people become familiar with modern technologies.

Reviewing the cultural budget of public libraries, as well as updating resources, upgrading library spaces to places for teaching modern technologies, and the current needs of Semnan province, were among other topics raised in this meeting.

The Governor of Semnan also symbolically donated several books to the Semnan library at this ceremony and unveiled the poster for the Semnan Province Leisure Poetry and Story Festival.