Libraries play a fundamental role in society and they are the guarantor of free access to information. These are cultural and educational facilities of the municipalities whose mission is to promote literacy and lifelong learning, contributing to the necessary synergy for the harmonious development of communities and the protection of the historical, literary and intellectual heritage, contained in the bibliography and other resources organised and made available to users.

Also with the support and technical assistance of the municipal libraries, it was possible to create the network of school libraries, which has been so important for the community.

Given the importance of collaborative work in areas of common interest and aiming at the strategic development of the Region with regard to library services, BIBAL was formed in 2018 - Algarve Libraries Network, formalised by the signing of a Cooperation Agreement by the municipalities represented in the Algarve Inter-municipal Community – AMAL, in partnership with the Library of the University of the Algarve and the General Directorate of Books, Archives and Libraries (DGLAB).

The Network, which includes 25 municipal libraries, 3 itinerant libraries and 3 university libraries, aims at the cooperation between the different institutions with the purpose of developing network services, in a logic of sharing and optimizing resources, aiming at offering common services for the inter-municipal community and the provision of a quality public service.