 The call was sounded by Kiflin Karoo, who was the guest speaker at the recent opening of Library Week Observances, held at the National Archives in Viji. Karoo is the executive director and founder of Helen's Daughters, a non-profit organization which focuses on the economic advancement of rural women. A native of Fawasaw Babano, Karoo as an only child, found solace in reading, utilizing her community library from an early age. Despite the rise in modern technology, Karoo, who once worked as a library assistant overseas, thinks libraries still have a place in building young lives and by extension communities. She has challenged local libraries in St. Lucia to find ways to revitalize the interest of people young and old in libraries and to make it more inclusive and welcoming to both urban and rural communities. Libraries have allowed me to see past my reality and in many ways to manifest my future. I didn't just see Fawasaw, I saw Africa, I saw Europe, I saw other Caribbean countries, I learned about people, I explored new cultures and this is why libraries are so pivotal in our society. Libraries should play an essential role in local communities, not only in providing access to information and resources but supporting literacy, education and lifelong learning and most importantly they should serve as a community gathering space. Libraries and information units across the island is this week celebrating National Library Week. Under the global theme, there is more to the story, a theme which seeks to dispel the notion that libraries are no longer relevant. Google cannot and will not replace libraries. Google cannot shut our doors. Librarians are trained to serve and will continue to make libraries relevant. The National Archives, which is responsible for collection and preservation of original documents of historical value in St. Lucia, is also playing an integral role in the week's observances. Archivist of the National Archives, Margot Thomas says, despite the advancements in technology which has drew many from the traditional ways of reading and seeking information, there is still a place for libraries. Just give me a test to my favorite authors through a book. My authors like Thomas Hardy and Derrick Walker, Jeffrey Archer, Rick Wayne, Doris Lesson, Pulis Book, Barack Obama, give me reading time. Good. And as I know it today, with a real book held in real hands and savoring the touch and feel of. The Library and Information Week is an annual celebration of libraries and the services they provide to their communities. Events are being held across the country to raise awareness of the value of libraries and encourage people to use them. From the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology, and Vocational Training, I am Chris Satney, reporting.