Lebanon’s Public Libraries Get a Fresh Start, With Sin El Fil Showing the Way Forward

At the Sin El Fil Public Library, these everyday needs were at the centre of a visit focused on giving Lebanon’s libraries a stronger place in community life.

A public library's needs can be as straightforward as new books, working computers or a welcoming room where children can read. They can also extend to music lessons, cultural activities and staff who have the training and support to bring people through the doors. At the Sin El Fil Public Library, these everyday needs were at the centre of a visit focused on giving Lebanon's libraries a stronger place in community life.

Minister of Culture Ghassan Salameh toured the library with UNESCO Information and Communication Programmes Officer George Awad and Norwegian Ambassador to Lebanon Hilde Haraldstad to review its needs and follow up on plans for its development. The visit brought books, stationery and equipment, alongside the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the President of the Sin El Fil Municipality to support the library's development, improve its services and strengthen its ties with the community.

Each library has a different story

For Salameh, rebuilding the public library network starts with understanding what each library actually needs. The financial crisis has left some unable to buy a single new book for an extended period; others need computers or a complete refurbishment of their electronic equipment.

The gaps are not limited to shelves and screens. Some libraries need people who can teach music, dance and singing, opening up more reasons for residents to visit and take part in cultural activities close to home.

"That is why we did not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach," Salameh said, explaining that visits and detailed assessments are helping the ministry identify the support each library requires.

That approach gives practical meaning to the partnership between the Ministry of Culture and UNESCO: decisions about equipment, books and activities are being shaped by the circumstances of individual libraries and the people they serve.

Support that reaches beyond the bookshelves

The visit forms part of "Rehabilitating Lebanon's Public Library Network," a project launched by the Ministry of Culture in partnership with UNESCO, with support from the Embassy of Norway in Lebanon, The Chris "Loops" Seikali Foundation and MCN Build Foundation.

Its work covers public libraries and reading and cultural centres, with investment in their spaces, equipment and services, as well as the skills of the staff responsible for keeping them useful and welcoming.

The first phase brought together library staff from different regions of Lebanon for training designed to help them improve their daily work and develop services and programmes that reflect local needs. Better equipment matters, but so does having staff who can turn those resources into activities people want to use.

Awad described UNESCO's commitment to building a national library network through staff development, knowledge exchange and services rooted in community needs. He spoke of libraries as places where people can gather and find opportunities to learn, create and explore new ideas.

Haraldstad recognised the ministry's efforts to protect and strengthen these public spaces, expressing Norway's pride in supporting a project that develops public services and keeps libraries inclusive, open to everyone and connected to communities across Lebanon.

Giving people more reasons to return

The coming phases will focus on improving participating libraries' spaces, equipment and services, with particular attention to attracting children and young people. Cultural and educational programmes are part of that work, helping libraries become places people visit for shared experiences as well as reading.

At Sin El Fil, the agreement with the municipality records a shared commitment to carrying that work forward. The books, stationery and equipment delivered during the visit offer practical support within a broader effort that will continue across libraries in different regions.

The Ministry of Culture, UNESCO and their partners will keep working with municipalities, public libraries and partner institutions to expand access to knowledge, encourage reading and support local cultural life. The challenge is to build services that can be sustained over time and remain responsive to the communities around them, giving residents opportunities for learning at every age.