Baia Mare Library Introduces New Training and Community Development Resources in Maramures County

Access to information at the local library is a high priority for Ioana and Adrian Hochia of Firiza, a district of Baia Mare. The rural community’s remote location and distance from the county library has often meant residents go without access to relevant news and communication. In response, the couple collaborated with the “Petre Dulfu” Maramures County Library to design a project that would create a center with new technologies in Firiza so that residents can access information and communicate online.

"We chose to get involved in this project because we as a community need to be informed, so we always know what is happening locally and nationally. It is very hard to find a newspaper here, people do not really have internet access, and in some places there is no mobile phone signal. How well can area citizens live when they don’t have access to information?" asked Ioana Hochia, underscoring how online resources can help the isolated community overcome traditional barriers to accessing news and information. (Student Research)

In October 2009, the library received a grant through Biblionet’s Community Participation Contest (CPC) to open a Center for Information and Education (CIE) in Firiza. The library purchased three laptop computers, a printer, desks and chairs, and donated additional furniture and books for the center. The Mansio Association of Firiza, where the center is located, agreed to pay the ongoing broadband connection costs and staff the center with volunteers.

New people began to use the center’s services almost as soon as it opened. Twenty-five residents from the community attended month-long introductory computing courses at the CIE. They learned computer basics--from how to turn a computer on to different internet applications, such as email and search engines. Others in the community began using the center to borrow books or to use laptops with the center’s free internet access to inform themselves on various topics, from current events to business matters. (Student Posters)

"At first, people were skeptical regarding the center. They could not believe that these services are free. They began to discover its potential: the owners of tourist guesthouses in the area came to the center to use the laptops and the internet in order to advertize their services on specialized sites. Also, many people who seek European funding for agriculture and tourism learned how to write a project proposal for funding here," said Ioana Hochia.

When asked about the center’s future, Adrian Hochia replied, "With the center’s success and high demand for services, we will organize a new introductory computing course and host a series of meetings with a representative of the National Agency for Community Programs in Education and Training (ANPCDEFP). This representative can explain how to manage European projects and the necessary mechanisms and steps to access European funds to interested citizens. And we will not stop there!"