IREX Launches Biblionet Library Development Program across Romania

On April 23, as part of the celebration of Romania’s National Library Day, Romania’s new Biblionet program was officially launched. The event was held at the Central University Library in Bucharest, Romania, and included remarks from national stakeholders and program partners, a roundtable with participants from the yearlong pilot program, and a workshop session for Romanian librarians to learn about participation in the first year of the program. Librarians from across Romania attended the event.

Biblionet, a five-year, 27-million-dollar program, is being implemented by IREX and will equip up to 1,500 public libraries with public access computers for internet access, train up to 2,500 of the nation’s public librarians, provide assistance to the National Association of Librarians and Public Libraries in Romania, and foster government support for the nation’s library system.

The launch conference, titled “Biblionet—The World in My Library,” featured national figures and key program partners. Underscoring the enthusiasm among national leaders to support the program, Secretary of State Octavian Stireanu said, “The Ministry of Culture, Religious Affairs, and National Heritage has made this program’s importance well known and is now establishing a working group whose mission will be to support Biblionet programmatic activities.”
Ministry representatives at the launch also noted both the opportunities and challenges that this difficult economic context has created for libraries, and discussed how Romanians will soon have public space in their communities where they can become part of the world’s information society.

As part of the celebration of National Library Day, Doina Popa, president of the National Association of Public Libraries and Librarians of Romania (ANBPR), presented the association’s annual awards. Many of the awards were given to librarians who participated in the pilot program.

Speaking during the roundtable, Salaj County Library Director and ANBPR award winner Florica Pop encouraged her colleagues to see the full potential of Biblionet. “You should be very, very glad that such a comprehensive program has come our way!” said Pop. “Our libraries are now their own advocates … The whole image of libraries is changing. This is the development of libraries that we have been awaiting for so long.”

The event concluded with a working session for librarians outlining the application and selection process for participation in the first year of the program; an online application will allow each of Romania’s 41 counties to apply to the program over the internet. In order to provide additional support during the application process, IREX staff are now travelling to each of Romania’s seven regions to better explain the application process and answer individual questions.

Given the current worldwide economic situation and the challenges this poses to libraries, Romania’s Biblionet program could not come at a better time. Soon, Romanian citizens will be able to access electronic information in renewed library public spaces.