2. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Global
Libraries Initiative – to help public libraries
evolving into vital tools that can advance the
lives of people.
“The vision of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is to bring about
effective, sustainable public access to information and
communication technology in libraries for people in developing and
transitioning countries who would not otherwise have access, and
to ensure it is useful and used in ways that improve people’s lives
and spread the benefits.”
Global Libraries programs are implemented in 10
countries: Chile and Mexico, Botswana, Vietnam,
Lithuania and Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and 2
3. IREX is an international nonprofit
organization providing leadership and
innovative programs to improve the quality
of education, strengthen independent
media, and foster pluralistic civil society
development. Founded in 1968, IREX
works in more than 50 countries with a
staff of over 500 professionals worldwide.
3
5. 5www.biblionet.ro
Per capita income:
$7,542 (Source
IMF 2009)
Percentage of
workforce abroad
roughly 20% (The
Strawberry
Generation)
5.8 million internet
connections or 1 in
4 households
7. average age of collections
in 2008: 43 years
average staff expense per
capita in 2007 – 0.87 EUR
9 to 10% of population
visits a library at least once
in 2008
Paul Zot, librarian in Bihor
County Library (and trainer
within Biblionet Program)
137.86 EUR
7
The “New Building” of the
Romanian National Library
under construction since 1977
8. 2943 public
libraries
3838 computers
1250 computers
for public use
922 computers
connected to
Internet
8
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Numar
Biblioteci
Computere Computere
Public
Computere
Publice
Internet
41
2384 718
659
271
523
205
166
2631
931 327
97
Biblioteci
comunale
Biblioteci
municipale
si
orasenesti
Biblioteci
Judetene
Commun
e
Libraries
Municipal
Libraries
County
Libraries
Libraries
(by type)
Computers Computers
for public
use
Comp. for
public use +
Internet access
10. provide increased access to information for
Romanians by helping libraries better serve their
communities.
26,9 mil $, 5 years to equip more than 1,600 out of
2,943 public libraries in Romania with public access
computers;
provide training to librarians on IT skills, service delivery
and advocacy
strengthen the National Association of Public Libraries
and Librarians to support librarians and library
development over the long-term;
work with government at all levels to implement policies
that recognize the value of modern libraries in 21st
century Romanian society. 10
11. A competition organized by BIBLIONET
to encourage innovation and community
building among the Romanian library
community.
This contest funded technology-based
projects designed by librarians in
collaboration with community members.
11
12. to encourage innovation and
community outreach among Romanian
librarians;
to extend the reach of Biblionet
program beyond the included libraries;
to encourage the sharing of ideas and
expertise between library
professionals.
12
16. located on the border of the Razim-
Sinoe Lagoon in Danube’s Delta
established at the end of the 18th
century by Russians fleeing
persecution for opposing Russian
Orthodox Church reforms
16
ORGAME / ARGAMUM - is the
first urban settlement from
Romanian territory mentioned in
an ancient source
(Hecataeus of Miletus, middle
of the 7-th century BC)
18. project team:
formal and informal leaders of the local community,
teachers and students, under the coordination of
history professor Paul Condrat and librarian
Gheorghiţa Cuţopal.
projects’ objective:
to help Jurilovca find a balance between promoting
economic and community development, and
preserving a vibrant, but deteriorating Russian cultural
18
19. engaged elder members of the Russian-
speaking community:
share local folklore by retelling folktales to groups of school
children in Russian, digitally recording them, and uploading
the recordings to the newly created website,
www.bibliotecajurilovca.ro.
Old books and family pictures
brought them to the library to be digitized and posted on the
webpage
community volunteers
conducted research and organized the materials
19
20. The coupling of both the
older and younger
generations through
modern technologies
created a unique “cultural
bridge”, by gathering old
traditions and documents
from community
members, and making
them accessible to the
general public through
the newly established
website.
20
”My grandchildren are grown-ups now.
So I couldn’t be happier to have grand-
children to listen to my stories, all
around the world!”
Ecaterina Feodot
22. The problem …
The Children and Youth Section of Vrancea County Library
a modern library, new multimedia room and warm
environment
offers different activities for library users, but before
October 2008 had never offered activities for minority
populations.
The opportunity…
a new service designed specifically to make the library a
more welcoming place for the Roma community
constructive interaction between children of different ethnic
origins.
22
23. photography club for youth;
photography courses and
hosted a photography
contest for 13 children (six
Roma children)
23
1,945 USD
six digital cameras, paper,
and other supplies for the
photography club.
24. 24http://efotografiamea.winfast.ro
When I first came I was a bit
anxious, as I had an
unpleasant experience
involving some Roma
children.
This experience proved to
be a reason for me to get
more involved, and to
communicate even more
with the six Roma kids from
the club […] they need to be
exposed to positive things,
to the beautiful things in life.
The photographic art is yet
another way to express
yourself. It’s important to
feel and to have “the eye for
it”, and then beautiful things
come out of your camera.
“Story”, Maricica Cǎrbunaru
26. The problem …
Firiza, Valea Neagra
and Blidari
neighborhoods are cut
off from Baia Mare city
by the Firiza –
Strâmtori lake
4,000 inhabitants with
no access to the city
library, but are not
entitled to have a local
public library that
would be easily
accessible 26
The solution …
open a small
information and
documentation center
in partnership with a
local NGO to provide
free access to
information and
technology and also
basic traditional library
services
28. “At first, people were skeptical regarding
the center. They could not believe that
these services are for free. They began
to discover its potential, so it is that
owners of tourist guesthouses in the
area came to the Center to use the
laptops and the internet in order to bring
their services on specialized sites. Also
there are many people who come to
seek European funding for agriculture
and tourism, some learned here how to
write a project for raising funds.”
One month of operation, 25
people (20 students and five
retirees) from the community
attended introductory computer
courses;
English courses have been
organized for children;
Other members of the
community have borrowed books
or taken advantage of the free
WiFi network;
The center was supplied with
European Union leaflets,
brochures, and other EU related 28
Adrian Hochia
29. CLIO update:
In September 2009, a local NGO called Association Jurilovca
21 was established as a legal entity to ensure the
continuation of the project and to serve the needs of the
community.
eFOTOgrafi@mea update:
In the summer holidays a spin-off of the project will be
implemented as part of the library’s summer program for
disadvantaged children.
Two students volunteered to manage and maintain the
website, and librarian Margareta Tătăruş will organize the
photography courses with the help of eFOTOgrafi@mea
graduates. 29
32. 16 rounds of CPC
hundreds of great ideas shared
quality of proposals increasing from edition to edition
bimonthly progress reports on implemented project – live,
on biblionet.ro forum
We continue! And do more
“Train your Community!” Contest
“I am a librarian!” Contest
Summer School for Young Librarians
www.biblionet.ro
32
