IREX recently helped scores of Ukrainian librarians and government officials improve their ability to cooperate and spread information to the public. 
The Library Innovations and E-Governance Fair, held at the country’s National Center on April 11, 2011, was a first-of-its-kind event. In addition to highlighting how libraries are modernizing and improving the lives of their patrons, the fair introduced librarians to e-governance tools designed to bring more transparency to government and civil society interactions.
“The more effort the government makes, the more possibilities of transparent cooperation the public will have,” said Yaryna Klyuchkovska, a spokesperson for Microsoft in Ukraine. “This will yield transparent and effective governance.”
The fair, which IREX organized through the Bibliomist: Global Libraries Ukraine [7] program, attracted about 800 participants and guests. They had the opportunity to exchange best practices, attend relevant panel discussions and visit library exhibition booths.
The local librarians selected to present at booths demonstrated high creativity and hard work. One from Kirovohrad Oblast Universal Scientific Library wore a military uniform to bring attention to an online oral history project called “Voices from the War.” It contains reflections from community members, along with supplemental photos and biographical details.
High-ranking officials in attendance — including the US Ambassador to Ukraine, IREX President W. Robert Pearson and the Director of the Global Libraries initiative for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — praised the efforts to provide Ukrainian citizens with tools that will allow them to participate more fully in today’s global knowledge society.
“I believe that sharing best practices with colleagues from both Ukraine and abroad, networking, meaningful discussions and seminars, and the dialogue between librarians and officials will serve as a source of inspiration for the library staff and their partners,” said Viktoriya Lisnycha, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Culture. “The general public will take a new perspective on the libraries.”