The Samoa Digital Library has been launched and will give its users access to information which could be used in their research or studies.

A ceremony was held at the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.) Fale on Monday to mark its official launching and was attended by Government officials, N.U.S. staff and UN representatives.

In his keynote address, the Minister for Education Sports and Culture, Seuula Ioane said the Samoa Digital Library a component of the Samoa Knowledge Society Initiative project.

"This national project we started in 2018 is a joint effort by UN Agencies and the Government of Samoa Ministries, including the National University of Samoa," Seuula said.

"The project is jointly funded by UN Agencies and the Indian UN Development partnership fund. 

"The aim of the Samoa Digital Library [...] is to provide reliable and accurate information for the citizens of Samoa to be used for research for students work and for making informed decisions, inform our work and our daily lives.

"I am told the digital library has linked to external libraries as well as links to local resources, in addition, the digital library is being trailed in the education sector and will be extended to the Ministries and later for all citizens of Samoa."

The heavy reliance on online technology globally, driven by the COVID-19 global pandemic, makes the launching of the digital library according to the Minister.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a heavy reliance on online technology for working and earning, hence the digital library is timely with its wealth of digital resources providing online access to information for work for education, and for use in our daily lives," he told invited guests.

"As the saying goes 'knowledge is power' therefore access to quality information empowers people to make the right choices and the right decisions,  hence, ensuring an empowered knowledge, faith, society."

Seuula then expressed his appreciation to the UN Agencies, India UN Development Fund, the UN Resident Coordinator, the UNDP, the Samoa Knowledge Society Initiative project steering committee, and the N.U.S for hosting the online resource.

"We hope that this valuable asset will be maintained and used by our people in ways that will benefit them and individuals and collectively as a knowledgeable society," said the Minister.

The High Commissioner of India to New Zealand, Muktech K. Pardeshi joined the ceremony virtually from New Zealand, and said that he is happy that the digital library at the N.U.S. has been launched.

He said that the Knowledge Initiative strives to promote knowledge-based sustainable development by ensuring access to information for all Samoans with an increased focus on digital resources and platforms.

"This digital library will help to build inclusive knowledge societies through ensuring public access to information that allows participation in decision makings at all levels," he said.

The UN Resident Representative to Samoa, Simona Marinescu thanked the Government of India and the High Commission in the Pacific for endorsing their request to the United Nations India Development Partnership Fund in 2019 to allocate US$1 million for the project.

"While digital library is a nice resource to have in 2022 in Samoa, its importance in the life of this society goes beyond its advanced technological nature," she said.

"Digitising Samoan content because that's what has happened over the last three years, be it literature, science, visual arts, public information including policies, laws, maps and any other kind of products that have Samoan authorship, serves the purpose of facilitating access to the people of Samoa to something that they own which is their culture and the public governance of their country."

She also revealed that the UN Digital Library is now available to Samoa and will be linked to the platform.