The St. Maarten Library hosted representatives from Saba’s Queen Wilhelmina Library and St. Eustatius’ Gertrude Judson Bicentennial Pub­lic Library for a working visit from March 10 to 14. Sponsored by the National Library of the Netherlands, this initiative aimed to foster collaboration, resource-shar­ing, and digital integration among the island libraries.

During the visit, library professionals participated in knowledge exchange ses­sions focussed on improving information accessibility, en­hancing community engage­ment, and expanding digital resources. A key highlight was the introduction of the OverDrive digital library and its Libby app, which will pro­vide patrons across the three islands with greater access to e-books, audiobooks, and other digital materials.

The delegation engaged in in-depth sessions on manag­ing digital library resources, project management for events, administrative tasks, and front- and back-office operations. They also ex­plored best practices for acquisitions, cataloguing, labelling, and reporting us­ing KOHA, an open-source integrated library system. St. Maarten Library staff shared expertise in these critical ar­eas, enriching the exchange of knowledge.

“The visit to St. Maarten Library has been immensely beneficial. The exchange of knowledge and best practices will enable us to enhance our services and strengthen our libraries’ roles as vital com­munity resources,” stated Tiffany Zagers, Director of Saba Library, and Rosabel Blake-Henry, Head Librar­ian of St. Eustatius Library.

They emphasised the ben­efits of interlibrary coopera­tion, offering patrons access to a shared catalogue and fostering literacy and learn­ing throughout the region.

Representatives from the Ministry of Education, Cul­ture, and Science (OCW) of the Netherlands, including Beena Ramlakhan, Coordi­nating Policy Advisor for Me­dia, Libraries, and Language, and Policy Advisor Eveline Chaudron, commended the collaboration. They em­phasised the potential for further cooperation among Dutch Caribbean islands and encouraged continued ini­tiatives to strengthen library services.

On behalf of St. Maarten Library, Shirley Richard­son, Circulation Head, and Francia Housen, Workshop Administrator, expressed enthusiasm for ongoing col­laboration. “By deepening cooperation and ensuring accessibility and inclusivity in our services, we are strength­ening library networks and community engagement across our islands.”

This initiative reaffirms the commitment of all three li­braries to providing top-tier resources and fostering life­long-learning opportunities. With continued collabora­tion, the libraries of Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten are well-positioned to enrich the educational and cultural landscapes of their respec­tive communities.

The Daily Herald.