When Mariya Firman, librarian at the Chernykhivtsi village library, first heard that the Bibliomist program would be equipping libraries with computers and training librarians, she knew the community her library serves would greatly benefit from new internet-based library services. At the same time, she was aware that the recent economic crisis that hit the country had brought about a budget freeze and that it might be challenging for the local government to find the funds to prepare the library for participation in Bibliomist. Fortunately, the village administration understood the importance of free public access to information in a rural area (see box) that has never had public internet access before and shared Firman’s vision of a well-informed population, so they worked hard to secure the necessary funds. “We felt that this was a new opportunity to help all our citizens—especially our children—learn how to use new technology,” described Village council chair Mariya Kipybida.
Kipybida has taken the opportunities made available through the Bibliomist program seriously. Mariya Rostotska, Bibliomist’s regional representative in Ternopil oblast, described how she regularly called and visited Chernykhivtsi to check in on the village library’s progress. As part of the requirement for participation in the Bibliomist program, the village administration committed to pay the ongoing internet connection costs at the library. It wasn’t easy to find the money and make the necessary repairs to the library, but this relatively small investment in the local library will have a big impact on the community. (
Today, the Chernykhivtsi library has been outfitted with new electrical outlets, desks to hold computers, and wiring for a broadband internet connection. The library’s walls have been painted and the local authorities even installed a security door to protect the library’s new technology. All that’s left is for Firman to attend training at the Bibliomist-equipped regional training center hosted by the Ternopil Oblast Universal Scientific Library and the computers to be delivered and installed, scheduled for late July.
At the revitalized library, pensioners will be able to use the internet to learn new skills and hobbies and communicate with friends and family. The unemployed will be able to find information about job opportunities, while students will be able to learn the skills that will help them succeed in school and future jobs.
Kipybida is eagerly anticipating the delivery of the new computers next month. ”I’m willing to use my own car to deliver the computers if I have to.”