Lm7 million worth of books, newspapers and magazines were imported over the last three years, Education Minister Louis Galea said yesterday in opening the 23rd edition of the Book Fair, being held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, organised by the National Book Council and the Libraries Department.

Dr Galea was happy to report a higher literacy rate, from 88.7 per cent in 1995 to 92.8 per cent in 2005.

The organisers of the Book Fair, he said, had made it an event that has established itself in the cultural calendar of the country, with attendance last year surpassing 16,000.

The Foundation for Educational Services is taking part through the Malta Writing Programme, who will hold writing and reading workshops with schoolchildren.

The series of books in Maltese used by state primary schools has been replaced, the minister said. The Delfin books had been introduced in 1974 and the department has been seeking a substitute. An expression of interest was called for earlier this year, and among other books a series called tas-Senduq was presented. The books were evaluated and the series was accepted.

The Libraries Department and the Department of Local Government recently signed a cooperation agreement to promote libraries and reading. Libraries have done well since and it is estimated that book loans have gone up by 10 per cent. Some 22,000 books have been obtained from Belfast which are being distributed among the 58 libraries in Malta and Gozo.

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