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April 27, 2012
 Women in Katerynopil Central Raion, Ukraine are changing their lives for the better thanks to the local library. Through a grant from Bibliomist, the library hosts an emergency service for women called “Berehynia” (“Guardian”) and supports local residents suffering from family conflicts and unemployment. Domestic violence victims have become regular library users and are benefitting from online psychological counseling; community members are mastering IT skills; patrons are obtaining employment. |
April 25, 2012
 For over 15 years, IREX has trained girls and young women in technology and ICT leadership in more than a dozen countries. On this second annual Girls in ICT Day, we honor the talented young women participating in two of our programs, Bibliomist and Tech Age Girls. |
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April 5, 2012
 The 2012 edition of IREX’s Media Sustainability Index (MSI) for Europe and Eurasia measures the struggles and triumphs of the media sector in 21 transitioning countries from Croatia to Kazakhstan. Evidence from local media experts shows overall stability in the media sector. Increasing use of digital and social media gives hope for expanding freedom of expression. However, reported backsliding in several countries, partly due to the increased political control of media, concerns the experts. |
March 16, 2012
 Citizens of Odesa are reaping the benefits of a close partnership between the library and the local branch of The Committee of Voters of Ukraine, an NGO that works to monitor elections, raise citizen awareness and educate voters. Students and journalists have learned new technology skills and reflected on important civic issues like European integration, all at the library. |
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January 17, 2012
 I recently traveled to Luhansk, Ukraine, to witness alumni of the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program in action. In a region filled with challenges—lagging industry, political division, and unemployment—one alumnus I met with is offering hope and driving positive change. Meet Volodymyr Shcherbachenko , who started a local NGO, the East Ukrainian Center for Civic Initiatives (EUCCI), which currently works to protect homeowner’s rights and open spaces like parks, forests, and neighborhoods. |
January 11, 2012
 In Ukraine, librarians are going outside the library walls to bring their services to new audiences. Three libraries found momentum by setting up shop in shopping malls and outdoor locations, and their success is inspiring others to replicate their efforts. Tulchyn Raion Library director Vira Vihurzhynska had been contemplating new outreach activities for awhile. With grant funding, a new laptop and promotional materials Vihurzhynska immediately targeted a high-traffic spot: “I went straight to the large shopping mall to negotiate a possible location. The owner responded that their best spaces were always available for [the library] and told me to go ahead and choose a spot I liked most!” |
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December 22, 2011
 One in five Ukrainians is a senior citizen, and with the aging population growing, libraries are taking action to create new opportunities for friendship, learning, and growth. In Lviv, librarians organized a program called “Golden Years” that built a community of older residents who learn IT skills and English, explore new hobbies like dancing and crafts, and develop their own initiatives. |
December 5, 2011
 Three Global UGRAD students helped clear debris after a devastating tornado leveled the Joplin, Missouri community. The service experience left an impression they will carry back to their countries for the rest of their lives. |
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December 3, 2011
 “A dead end is the best incentive to look for new avenues of possibility,” says Olha Pomyluyko, the head of the local council in Bar Rayon in Ukraine and a graduate of a project management training offered at her local library. “I’m learning to write project proposals in order to raise additional funds for the local community.” |
December 1, 2011
 One of the core principles of librarianship is to ensure access to information for everyone – including those who can’t come to the library. In Ukraine, people with disabilities are at risk for being left on the wrong side of the digital divide, and librarians realize that these patrons require a different approach: “Limited accessibility to transportation and the vast majority of buildings prevents people with special needs from using the benefits of innovative technology. Meanwhile, modern Internet services…provide valuable information, necessary goods and services, and communication,” states Nina Lokot, Head of Information Resource Center at Luhansk Oblast Universal Scientific Library (OUSL). |
