Timor Leste Library & Information Association

On my first visit I was very fortunate to meet with some library staff who were busy forming Timor Leste’s first ever Library Association. Enthusiasm was impressive and they got stuck into the very important work of establishing membership guidelines, governance issues and even a Constitution.

By the time of my second visit the Association’s inaugural meeting had been held in Dili on Saturday 17 July 2004 with 28 people representing 22 information service organisations from Dili, Baucau, Manatuto, Atauro Island and Lolotoe. At this meeting ABITL’s Constitution was formally endorsed and five members were elected to the Board. Board members are Venceslao Do Rego, Library Services Coordinator for the Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosae (UNTIL), Cancio Pires from ONG Lorosae Baucau, Palmira Pires, East Timor Development Agency, Jose Caetano Guterres from the CAVR Archive Team and Margaretta Evy da Silva from Universidade Dili (UNDIL)

ABITL expressed aim is to improve the condition and services of existing and future libraries and information service organisations in East Timor as it considers them to be fundamental resources to quality education.

“The establishment of ABITL is an important step forward in addressing the challenges we face in education in Timor-Leste today, especially in the area of library and information. ABITL aims to focus on training and building the capacity of Timorese working in this field to enable them to provide good quality and professional services to the general community: stated Mr Venceslao do Rego, General Coordinator of ABITL Board.

Inaugural ABITL meeting attendees representing library services from across East Timor.