The Maldives Library Association (MLA) is excited to continue its MLA PD Series 2025, a professional development initiative aimed at enhancing library services across the Maldives. As part of this series, MLA hosted a session titled “Adaptable Library Concepts and Services from Indonesia for the Maldives.”

This session was facilitated by Majida Ali, Deputy Librarian at the National Library of Maldives, who participated in the MLA study tour and workshop in Indonesia alongside other Maldivian librarians. The tour included visits to prominent libraries and hands-on workshops on reference support, library outreach, intelligent and smart archiving systems, and implementation planning.

Session Highlights:

Participants were given firsthand insights into innovative library practices observed in Indonesia and explored how these concepts can be adapted to strengthen Maldivian libraries. Key topics include:

📌 Library Infrastructure & Design: A visual exploration of Indonesian library spaces, highlighting architectural features, layout innovations, and user-friendly designs.

📌 Reference Support Services: Best practices for enhancing research assistance and user engagement.

📌 Library Outreach & Community Engagement: Successful programs that foster stronger connections between libraries and their communities. This included the Herbal community reading room.

The session was guided through photographs and real-world examples from the study tour, providing an engaging and interactive learning experience.

Event Details:

📅 Date: 15 February 2025 (Saturday)
📍 Venue: Training Institute at National Library of Maldives
⏰ Time: 14:30 – 16:00 hrs

This informative and engaging session along with a networking Maahefun event was well received with 8 physical participants and a few online participants. We look forward to welcoming more participants for next month’s PD session.