Kuala Lumpur: National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang has called on ASEAN member states to accelerate their participation in the ASEAN Digital Library (ADL), describing it as a crucial step toward equitable and inclusive access to knowledge across the region. He stated that the ADL is among the most promising regional initiatives, highlighting the potential achievements when ASEAN nations unite to preserve, share, and democratize knowledge.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the ASEAN Digital Library is a collaborative digital platform that aggregates metadata from the national libraries of ASEAN member states. While still expanding, it already facilitates seamless cross-border access to tens of thousands of digitized materials, including rare manuscripts, books, cultural artifacts, images, and newspapers. Aaron made these remarks during his opening address at the 19th Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians General Conference and Meeting (CONSAL XIX), inaugurated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Aaron emphasized that to maximize ADL’s potential, member states must invest in shared digital infrastructure, enhance capacity-building for librarians and archivists, and adopt interoperable metadata standards to enable smoother integration of national collections. He also highlighted the importance of supporting the digitization of indigenous knowledge systems and local languages to ensure the region’s digital archives reflect the full spectrum of ASEAN’s rich heritage.

He further stressed that inclusive access to knowledge should be central to nation-building, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Aaron stated that building knowledge-based societies requires ensuring inclusivity across geography, economic status, age, gender, ability, or language. True inclusivity, he added, means that the benefits of education and information must reach every corner of society.

This vision includes expanding outreach efforts such as mobile libraries, digital kiosks, and alternative service models, which serve as lifelines for learning, especially for children, farmers, women, and the elderly in rural areas. CONSAL XIX is a triennial event that gathers 1,200 participants from ASEAN states and beyond, with 89 papers presented by experts across various disciplines.

Throughout the congress, discussions cover a wide array of topics, including the emerging role of libraries in fostering inclusive communities, the contribution of libraries toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and strategies to expand knowledge ecosystems for marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities and rural populations.