18.04.2008

Esteemed members of the Latvian National Library Foundation! Participants and guests of the Conference!

I believe that all of us, when thinking about the development of society, are aware that at present information society dominates in the world. It is, of course, based upon the development of information technologies. However, it is clear that the technological development cannot be the sole aim -it is meaningful only in case there are opportunities, skills and wish to use it.

Therefore I am truly happy that there are people in Latvia who are working tirelessly to turn the traditional storage place of information – the library - into a provider of modern information services in this country. We can feel proud that under the auspices of the Latvian National Library Foundation meaningful work takes place with the aim of making the necessary information accessible, processable and usable to all inhabitants of Latvia as fast and as convenient and in as high quality as possible. Let’s keep in mind that is also the way in which we can approach the aim defined in our National Development Plan – reinforcing of “knowledge society", because people and their knowledge is the most valuable resource of this state in all fields and sectors.

I wish to you perseverance not to digress from the aims that have been set, to continue working creatively and believing that all of us can implement even the most audacious of our aims in our country, in our Latvia!

I wish to you a successful conference and enthusiasm for the future work, so necessary for the whole of Latvia!