A truckload of antique books which were dumped without explanation on Tuesday have been saved after a concerned citizen spotted them in the back of a truck in Valletta. 

The historic books, some of which date back to the 17th century, were spotted in the truck outside a Franciscan convent in Valletta. Photos showed books bearing the stamp ‘Bibljoteka Santa Maria di Gesù’ piled haphazardly into the back of the vehicle.

The person who noticed the unusual load was brusquely dismissed by the truck driver, TVM reported, and the truck subsequently drove off. It was later traced to Birkirkara.

Outrage on social media followed the initial reports. Occupy Justice activist Alessandra Dee Crespo wrote on Facebook that she had reached out to Archbishop Charles Scicluna, who had agreed to help save the books from destruction. 

Within hours, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said that Heritage Malta had agreed to store the books. 

“Thank you to Owen Bonnici for his help in ensuring the books are stored by Heritage Malta. Thank you too to the [Franciscan] provincial,” the Archbishop tweeted on Tuesday evening. 

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