As the curtains came down on formal activities to mark the occasion of Library Week in Saint Lucia, the Central Library (situated at the corner of Micoud and Bourbon streets in Castries) has officially gained the distinctive title of Centenarian, standing out as one of the most enduring institutions to mark 100 years within the public sector.

To mark its centennial anniversary, the Director of Library Services Ms. Sally Rosemond paid homage to this milestone, noting that the library has displayed a high degree of veritable resilience. She said the library had survived the technological revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic as more recent examples of the institution’s fortitude and adaptability.

“A century of service, growth, resilience and transformation sew these hundred years. The visionaries who laid the foundation for our Central Library could not have imagined the world we live in today, and yet their enduring values of access to knowledge, community, and life-long learning continue to guide us.”

Ms. Rosemond indicated that while library services had evolved to meet the needs of  communities, and expanded to include more branch and community libraries, it never lost its old school charm.

“The 2025 theme, Drawn to the Library, could not be more fitting,” she said. “It speaks to the magnetic pull libraries have had through the ages. It speaks to that quiet, yet powerful connection people feel when they walk through our doors.”

Efforts to establish public library services in Saint Lucia date as far back as the early 19th century, with a succession of short-lived initiatives in 1830, 1836, 1839, and 1842. These early efforts ranged from reading rooms to mobile libraries, laying the groundwork for more structured services in the decades to come

Find out more: https://www.govt.lc/media.govt.lc/www/resources/publications/A%20guide%20to%20Central%20Library-%20leaflet.pdf